SIGNS (2002) *** I've always admired Mel Gibson's determination, but I've always had mixed feelings about him as a dramatic actor. This film offers plenty of supporting evidence for each of those contradictory feelings. Mel plays several of the most dramatic scenes very well, in the biggest scenes he does an excellent job of conveying the decaying sensitivities of a preacher questioning his faith in the wake of the death of his wife. The problem is that other, less important scenes undo much of his good work. On the other hand Mel and Joaquin Phoenix (the minor league baseball legend who never took a pitch, good for him!) do a great job of making some pretty funny lines into much more than they really are, through comedic timing and delivery that you probably wouldn't expect. Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin add the joy and protectionist feelings that you would have for good kids, and kids threatened by an imminent alien invasion. The UFO invasion bit is kind of hokey, but how difficult it is to suddenly turn what's been a comedic genre for generations serious, in a matter of frames? Mel sets out to say a lot. Most of it has been said before, sometimes better, but sincerity is a disappearing virtue, and lends creedence to scenes that would otherwise be easier to dismiss. M. Night Shyamalan works the material to its greatest possible effect, amplifying moments of suspense to sustain themselves beyond the occasional clunker-notes. If you don't want to treat this film seriously, you don't have to, but what are all those crop circles doing out there?
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