A lot can happen in 2 years 1 month 15 days which is how old this post is! Enjoy the post but be sure to check out the new stuff too!!
Last night I managed to catch the M. Night Shyamalan film “Signs” on television and whilst watching wondered why I don’t own it already on DVD or Blu-Ray (I don’t own it on Blu-Ray because it’s too bloody expensive on Blu-Ray) because I really love the film.
That’s right, I really love the film Signs.
Yes I know.
Water.
Okay for those of you who have not seen the movie Signs and don’t wish to be spoilt then you should really just go elsewhere right now. Or alternatively you should go rent the film now and watch it then return immediately.
Yes I know that the water is like acid to the aliens is pretty stupid. No actually it’s really stupid, around 70% of the Earth is covered by water. If water is like acid to you why would you go to a planet that is covered in the stuff. Then if you look at the idea that the aliens were harvesting people then why would they want a food source that was 55% to 78% bloody painful to them?
Talking about it on Twitter with the guys from the Geek Tragedy Podcast we likened it to the Xenomorph from Alien with the acid for blood thing. You go to a planet where it rains down acid, three quarters of the planet is under oceans of acid, the plant life is acidic, the main inhabitant sweats out acid?
So yes I am well aware of that fundamental flaw in the storyline and I think it is a remarkable shame as the rest of the film is pretty much awesomeness on toast.
But as my wife and I were discussing last night it never actually says that it is the pure water that does the deed, it’s an assumption that is made and admittedly not helped in the movie as they are vague regarding the defeat anyway. Even when I first saw the film I just imagined it was something in the water rather than the water itself but after hearing the theory over and over from many critics I also adopted the disdain for that aspect of the film.
So now I’m reclaiming the film.
See from now on I’m going to remember that the aliens are probably extraordinarily sensitive to chlorine which is generally added to our drinking water worldwide. I mean chlorine kills bacteria and other nasties so why not aliens? Maybe even the slightest trace amount reacts as it does in the movie with their bodies.
That’s my theory and I’m sticking with it.
I love that film too. It's so terrifying that you have to wait until later when you calm down to realise that the physics are all broken. ie. If its legs are powerful enough to leap over a house,.. they're probably powerful enough to kick a cupboard door off its hinges.
This is a fundamental problem with Shyamalan's films after you give them thought afterwards. The films generally serve as an experience whilst you are watching them but then when you dissect them later on very little holds up.
Unfortunately for the film The Happening though I started asking the questions during the film which really hampered my enjoying anything in that film!
I'd still rather watch Alien Nation (with burning salt water).
Didn't they drink sour-milk? I forgot that salt water was their weakness (that's right isn't it?)
Great movie, with great dialogues and lots of twists. Not to mention some humour, like “Bo: There's a monster outside my room, can I have a glass of water? “. I think it's a must-see, I've seen it four times by now.
I agree
I'll disagree with both of you. Stilted dialog abounded. The 'twists' were idiotic. God gave the kid asthma because aliens were going to invade the earth when he was twelve? Instead of a leaving-water-glasses-around habit, the girl would have been better off with a Super Soaker fixation. And the dead mom should have said “go to the lake” rather than “Swing away”.
It's full of inanity. The aliens can leap three stories, but can't break into a basement or out of a vet's office? They can travel vast interstellar distance, but have to carve crop circles? Water is a deadly poison to the aliens, but they don't seem to need exposure suits to deal with our atmosphere?
And remind me, how were they driven off of Earth in the end?
Mmmmmmm allow me to consider your position.
Nope.
Still disagree.
Excellent film.
Actually did you read what I wrote about the water? It was kind of the whole point of the post. It's never said that the water is it, I personally believe it was the chlorine that you find in a lot of drinking water that was the acid like substance.
Shyamalan is a hack. Even the supposedly awesome Sixth Sense doesn't hold up under the slightest scrutiny.
Signs is awful in every respect. Story, acting and directing style (the basement scene? 5 minutes of darkness does not equal suspense).
There is no redemption for Signs. It'd be easier to redeem Matrix: Revolutions than to redeem Signs. I could go on, but I won't. I'm just that nice a guy.
I disagree
see my response to the previous comment on this post to get the full impact of that response
If it wasn't for your admirable position on Big Trouble in Little China, I would severely be questioning your taste right now
This is another damned Guinness Moment.
*Drive-by comment*
I agree with Lee.
Since I don't know your stance on BTiLC, I can say that you've got bad taste
LOL Jeff is one with BTiLC so I can vouch for his generally excellent taste
Yeah, Lee called that one. I'm down with the Pork Chop Express.
Now that I've got a few more minutes, I can do more than a drive-by.
I still agree with Lee. Not sure I'm totally buying the chlorine thing, but that's one of those movie conceits I'm willing to live with from any angle.
Interestingly, I didn't like Signs as much after I first saw it. It was only after later reflection that I liked it more… possibly because some of the details had faded, and I was left with the basic story, which I quite liked.
I kinda missed the replying hype here…but I liked the movie. But then again most of the time I don't care too much for lapses in storylines etc.
I could agree with the chloride part btw.