Shadowdancer
First Post
RangerWickett said:
This is very similar to the last scene in "Blair Witch Project," in which the camera just falls to the floor but keeps running.
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Shyamalan's SIGNS - SPOILER-HEAVY DISCUSSION
- Thread starter Dr Midnight
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This is very similar to the last scene in "Blair Witch Project," in which the camera just falls to the floor but keeps running.
Shadowdancer
First Post
Re: SPOILED MILK continues to spill...
The original story "War of the Worlds" was told from one person's perspective -- it's told in first person narrative, if I remember correctly. I thought of this while watching the movie, too, how effective it was to focus on the one family and their reaction to what is going on.
Furn_Darkside said:
The original story "War of the Worlds" was told from one person's perspective -- it's told in first person narrative, if I remember correctly. I thought of this while watching the movie, too, how effective it was to focus on the one family and their reaction to what is going on.
Shadowdancer
First Post
Umbran said:It seems not so much ot me about technology's failings as it's ultimate irrelevancy. Which makes some sense if the movie is more about faith than aliens.
I think the movie unquestionably is more about faith than about aliens. The aliens are practically a McGuffin -- they are just a plot device to focus Graham's crisis of faith upon.
Droogie
Explorer
If I may...a repost form the other thread...
My take on the whole thing...the aliens were probing the earth, as mentioned by the army recruiter. Maybe they had our planet pegged for a possible invasion, and after their unsuccessful preliminary raid, decided to move on due to the toxic environment. Near the end, the guy on the radio mentions that humans were possibly the direct targets, but really anything that the characters mention about the aliens is conjecture. I don't remember him saying anything about food.
The low-tech nature of the visitors themselves didn't really bother me. If you have amazing agility, skin like a chameleon and natural poison (or were they implants?), I would imagine gadgets would be less important to you. As Furn mentioned, their tech may be completely different from our own. I agree that it was a bit absurd that these aliens, who seem to have a strength at least comparable to our own, couldn't get through a barricaded door. The real question I guess would be how bad do I want to get through that door? I might be able to reach into the burrow of a wild badger easy enough...doesn't mean I'm going to do it, especially if shes protecting her young. I might be more inclined to go after something easier.
In the end it was faith that was the real focus here. The news reports were spartan, telling you that earth is being invaded by martians in five words or less. There were no scenes of panic in the streets. Even in the final showdown, there was more screen time on Mel and his dying son - his brothers fight with the creature in the livingroom was almost an afterthought, seen briefly through the window, or reflected in the TV. Not to mention that the struggle was over in seconds. The aliens were a means to an end.
Added comments: it was mentioned how you often see the aliens through reflections or near reflections...like the knife and the tv screen. Or through filters or lenses...the tv images, through the window, through the glass of water..
Shyalaman likes to put a gimmick like this in all his movies. In 6th Sense, he uses the color red in any scene with the ghosts or anything influenced by ghosts. In Unbreakable, any major event or revelation regarding Bruce's power is hinted with something upside down: his son watching TV upside down when the breaking news of the train wreck comes on. You see Bruce's face upside down I think when he's pumping iron. Upsidedown comic book...stranger with the gun...seen upsidedown.
My take on the whole thing...the aliens were probing the earth, as mentioned by the army recruiter. Maybe they had our planet pegged for a possible invasion, and after their unsuccessful preliminary raid, decided to move on due to the toxic environment. Near the end, the guy on the radio mentions that humans were possibly the direct targets, but really anything that the characters mention about the aliens is conjecture. I don't remember him saying anything about food.
The low-tech nature of the visitors themselves didn't really bother me. If you have amazing agility, skin like a chameleon and natural poison (or were they implants?), I would imagine gadgets would be less important to you. As Furn mentioned, their tech may be completely different from our own. I agree that it was a bit absurd that these aliens, who seem to have a strength at least comparable to our own, couldn't get through a barricaded door. The real question I guess would be how bad do I want to get through that door? I might be able to reach into the burrow of a wild badger easy enough...doesn't mean I'm going to do it, especially if shes protecting her young. I might be more inclined to go after something easier.
In the end it was faith that was the real focus here. The news reports were spartan, telling you that earth is being invaded by martians in five words or less. There were no scenes of panic in the streets. Even in the final showdown, there was more screen time on Mel and his dying son - his brothers fight with the creature in the livingroom was almost an afterthought, seen briefly through the window, or reflected in the TV. Not to mention that the struggle was over in seconds. The aliens were a means to an end.
Added comments: it was mentioned how you often see the aliens through reflections or near reflections...like the knife and the tv screen. Or through filters or lenses...the tv images, through the window, through the glass of water..
Shyalaman likes to put a gimmick like this in all his movies. In 6th Sense, he uses the color red in any scene with the ghosts or anything influenced by ghosts. In Unbreakable, any major event or revelation regarding Bruce's power is hinted with something upside down: his son watching TV upside down when the breaking news of the train wreck comes on. You see Bruce's face upside down I think when he's pumping iron. Upsidedown comic book...stranger with the gun...seen upsidedown.
I must say I really enjoyed this movie. Shyamalan unfolds the story beatifully. I tried to know as little as possible before seeing it and I'm glad I did.
Just a couple of questions that some of you very observant types may be able to answer:
1) I understand that the crop circles were an important part of the true plot, but the characters in the movie seemed to agree, after it was clear they were made by the aliens, that the circles were being used for geographic markers for an invasion. If I got this right, this aspect makes very little sense to me. Again, this is a question of the technological advancement of beings that can travel the universe...why do they need visual clues? I keep picturing an alien looking out his little window for crop circles: "Hey Fizbrak, there's the field we're looking for! Take a hard left!"
2) I can't remember seeing the "transmitter" half of the baby monitor. Was it in there somewhere?
3) I wish the showdown with the baseball bat was a little more "active." I don't recall the alien doing anything particularly aggresive, and if he wasn't going to attack, why didn't he just run away?
Just a couple of questions that some of you very observant types may be able to answer:
1) I understand that the crop circles were an important part of the true plot, but the characters in the movie seemed to agree, after it was clear they were made by the aliens, that the circles were being used for geographic markers for an invasion. If I got this right, this aspect makes very little sense to me. Again, this is a question of the technological advancement of beings that can travel the universe...why do they need visual clues? I keep picturing an alien looking out his little window for crop circles: "Hey Fizbrak, there's the field we're looking for! Take a hard left!"
2) I can't remember seeing the "transmitter" half of the baby monitor. Was it in there somewhere?
3) I wish the showdown with the baseball bat was a little more "active." I don't recall the alien doing anything particularly aggresive, and if he wasn't going to attack, why didn't he just run away?
Furn_Darkside
First Post
Unbreakable possible spoilers..................
Color is also a big gimmick in that movie as well. Most of the colored clothing worn by npc's is rather bland. Only the two main characters wear bright colors- and ones that line up with the colors of the costumes lined up on a lot of the comic book covers- all iirc.
FD
Droogie said:
Color is also a big gimmick in that movie as well. Most of the colored clothing worn by npc's is rather bland. Only the two main characters wear bright colors- and ones that line up with the colors of the costumes lined up on a lot of the comic book covers- all iirc.
FD
Furn_Darkside
First Post
Joust said:
Most of the characters agree the aliens read minds as well- but that seems not to be the case.
Here is what I wrote in another topic:
I don't recall seeing it, but does it matter? It is picking up aliens signals- not the sounds at the other end of the monitor.
I have only been hit with a large wooden chair- but if it is similar to a baseball bat- it kind of hurts. When that bat is swung by a guy known to hit homeruns- I would imagine it would hurt a lot.
As for the lack of 'active' nature of the final scene- It would have detracted from the whole movie to have a big fight scene in the end.
FD
TheStiegler
First Post
This is definetily one of the scariest movies I have ever seen.
Something tells me Shymalan doesn't like water. In Unbreakable, water was Bruce Willis' kryptonite. In Signs, it was acid to the aliens. I'm surprised no else I've seen discussing this movie hasn't mentioned that.
Something tells me Shymalan doesn't like water. In Unbreakable, water was Bruce Willis' kryptonite. In Signs, it was acid to the aliens. I'm surprised no else I've seen discussing this movie hasn't mentioned that.
