Shyamalan does Spielberg in an allegorical alien invasion.

Coming early enough in his career that it wasn’t burdened with the expectations of a surprise twist at the end, Signs is perhaps the film that best encapsulates M Night Shyamalan’s ability to weave suspense, horror, and emotional depth into a narrative that resonates long after the credits roll. With its slow-build atmospheric tension and focus on family, the film is perhaps Shyamalan’s most Spielbergian work, drawing obvious inspiration from classics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind while delivering a unique and intimate take on the alien invasion trope that’s arguably more Spielbergian – in the classic sense – than the man’s own War Of The Worlds. Signs is the domestic corollary of events which we usually only see cinematically from the perspectives of the military or the government, as in Independence Day.

Graham Hess (Mel Gibson), who has renounced his faith and role as a priest after the death of his wife, lives a quiet life on his farm with his two children Morgan (Rory Culkin) and Bo (Abigail Breslin) and younger brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix). But their quiet existence takes a sudden and sinister turn when mysterious crop circles appear in his corn fields. What begins as an eerie, localized mystery gradually expands into a global phenomenon, as strange lights are spotted hovering above major cities.

Signs is studiously less interested in the spectacle of an alien invasion – most of the details are provided by the constantly-on television that plays in the background – and more in how it affects the insular world of the Hess family. Shyamalan’s direction is at its finest here, using the isolated setting of the farm to build tension and a sense of vulnerability. He masterfully crafts moments of dread and uncertainty, often leaving much to the imagination. The aliens are barely seen, and when they do appear, they’re glimpsed only in brief, heart-stopping moments—something else borrowed from the Spielbergian innovation that what we don’t see is often more terrifying than what we do, as developed through necessity for Jaws. There’s quite a bit in the film’s pacing and structure that feel like a spiritual successor to Jaws, with the Mayor Brody/ Mayor Vaughan dynamic concentrated down into the Hess family’s division over how to react to the unfolding situation.

It’s a reminder of Mel Gibson’s ability to deliver a performance of subtlety and emotional complexity when given the right material, a world away from his star-making turns as a wild-eyed wild-card (which turned out to be more in line with the man himself in real life) and he brings a deep authenticity to a man grappling with loss, both of his wife and faith, while trying to keep his family together during a moment of crisis. The dinner table scene on the eve of the invasion is particularly stunning, a tour de force from the entire core cast. Joaquin Phoenix’s Merrill, meanwhile, serves as the film’s everyman, bringing a finely balanced mix of humour and credulity that grounds the more outlandish aspects of the plot and gives the children – both of whom deliver excellent performances in their own right – freedom to react in genuinely childlike ways to an incomprehensible situation. Signs’ exploration of faith is deeply woven into its narrative, without ever becoming pious or preachy and Graham’s journey from cynical sceptic to pragmatic acceptance mirrors the broader theme of trusting in something beyond our understanding, something that’s underpinned by the retrospective importance of seemingly trivial details of the tragedy that struck his family, putting the intersection between faith and fate at the heart of the drama’s resolution.

While Signs is often categorized as an alien invasion horror movie, it’s really more of a meditation on human resilience and faith in the face of overwhelming fear. Shyamalan is less concerned with the aliens themselves and more interested in the characters’ reactions to that existential threat. This focus on character and emotion, rather than spectacle, sets Signs apart from your typical sci-fi fare. The film’s climax, in particular, is a perfect example of Shyamalan’s signature storytelling style, blending suspense with an emotional payoff that elevates the entire narrative. The film’s visuals are hauntingly beautiful, from the eerie symmetry of the crop circles to the oppressive isolation of the Hess farmhouse. Shyamalan uses tight, controlled shots to build tension, while the sound design amplifies every creak, rustle, and footstep and James Newton Howard’s score adds to the film’s unsettling atmosphere, with its minimalist, ominous tones perfectly complementing the slow build of dread.

There are those who laud The Sixth Sense or Unbreakable but for me Signs is Shyamalan’s masterpiece – a film that transcends genres, offering both an edge-of-your-seat thriller and a thoughtful exploration of faith, family, and the unknown.