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The deplorable events that occurred on the fateful day of September 11, 2001, have left not only a country, but the entire world in an enduring state of sorrow and paranoia. The cinematic medium, in response to the attacks’ pervasiveness and its inherent characteristic of visually presenting life, has given filmmakers an avenue to express the unexplainable emotions they have felt. At a time when the world was barely over 9/11, M. Night Shyamalan released a film that on the surface, seems to portray an already tired trope: the typical arrival of hostile aliens on Earth looking to enslave the human race. However, his alien-invasion flick Signs is much more than that. It is a suspenseful picture that encapsulates the fearful state of mankind, barely making its way out of an intensely traumatic situation. While containing signature Shyamalan trademarks, Signs uses the imagery of these alien invaders to paint a picture about the specter of terrorism, and the lingering fear of something that might come from the sky.
What Is ‘Signs’ About?
Signs tells the story of Graham Hess (Mel Gibson), a former pastor who left the religious order after his wife died in a car accident. Hess presumably loses faith in an omnipotent being. Together with his younger brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix), they take care of his two children, Morgan and Bo at their Pennsylvania farm. Suddenly, mysterious crop circles appear in their cornfield, to which they mistakenly attribute to vandalizing rascals. Strange noises are also detected by their baby monitor, and the news erupts with a plethora of reports of lights appearing from the sky. Initially skeptic, Graham finally accepts the presence of aliens when he sees a moving foot in his cornfield one night, along with news footage of the actual alien being. As the aliens start to arrive, they barricade the doors and windows, and lock themselves in the basement. Morgan suffers an asthma attack in the middle of the night, and he barely survives. The next morning, they go upstairs after radio reports indicate that they have left the earth due to the presence of water, which is toxic to them. Graham comes back from the kitchen and sees the alien holding Morgan hostage. Merrill grabs a bat and as the alien sprays toxic fumes directly into Morgan’s nose, he swings furiously and knocks it towards a couple of glasses of water, killing the creature. Morgan miraculously survives, and Graham comes back to the church as his belief is restored.
‘Signs’ Creates Constant Paranoia
The most notable thing about Signs is how it creates a consistent brooding atmosphere, leaving the audience in a constant state of paranoia. One can note that during this period, people did not have the confidence to step out of the comfort of their own homes. Essentially, the general population felt a genuine un-easiness lingering over their heads. Signs understands this discomfort and uses the extra-terrestrials to further milk the audience’s fear. For instance, Shyamalan displays a masterful understanding of the concept of “less is more”. Instead of drowning the audience with images of the creatures, he lets out tiny glimpses, like snapshots that only uncover a fraction of the scares. As a result, the viewers are left waiting, begging, and practically screaming for answers as regards to the unknown force that stalks them. It acts as a filmic representation of the “unseen” threats brought upon by the fear of 9/11.
Moreover, the parallels between the notion of terrorism and the alien life-forms are more than just coincidences. It is a clear and symmetrical manifestation of the world’s failure to comprehend what they have just experienced, and the subsequent fear and anger. One sequence that effectively presents this is the children’s birthday party in Brazil. While the Hess family had their suspicions, they were never 100% sure about the identity of these strange intruders. It was this moment that confirmed, in terrifying fashion, the existence of beings that only materialized in cultural productions and our nightmares. The same could be said about our perceptions. For most, these heinous acts could only be observed in television news reports, films, and other cultural productions. This scene is the exemplification of our worst dreams coming true, the stories from the old books coming out to finally confront us and instill the fear directly to our hearts. It has an inherent understanding of society’s predicament: that we have not really moved on from the harrowing attacks of 9/11, and the picture exploits it. Shyamalan, through Signs, takes our traumatic experiences and makes the viewers relive them once more, albeit through a different lens.
Keeping the Faith
Aside from the reliving the distressing occurrences, it can be noted that another of the film’s inherent messages is moving past one’s own trauma, and having the will to live amidst extraordinarily troubling times. The immediate aftermath of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center has been one of immense grief and loss. Consequently, it may lead most to let go of the things and beliefs that they hold true. If there is indeed an omnipotent, powerful, God that is merciful and loving, how did this ever come to pass? Take Graham Hess in the film for example. He has gone through arguably the most painful thing a husband could ever experience, the loss of a spouse. This leads him to lose his way, distancing himself from the belief that gave him fulfillment, so much so that he asks those that sought counsel from him to stop and move on with their lives. Normally, it takes a miraculous situation to make oneself believe again, and in the ending of Signs, that is exactly what happens. When the asthmatic Morgan is poisoned by the alien, Graham prays for a miracle from God, asking him to save his son. It is at the moment where Morgan breathes that the poeticism of the film shows. God does not only save Morgan from certain death, but also breathes new life into Graham’s faith. It urges the viewers, and in turn the entire world, to do the same. Just keep the faith, even amidst catastrophic circumstances, and everything will soon be alright.
Lastly, perhaps the most encouraging message Signs imparts is to continue fighting. Merrill’s story is one that pushes this narrative the most. As a failed minor league Baseball player, he revels in his solitary record: a 507 foot home-run, and the bat that he hit it with hangs on the walls of their home. As they face the alien, Graham remembers her wife’s dying words and tells him to “swing away”. It is in this sequence where a post 9/11 message is put front and center: failure does not mean that we lose purpose. As a whole world, it is imperative that humankind rise again, and never let the past and its accompanying traumatic events get the best of you.
In essence, Signs possesses a keen understanding of the terrible disaster that is the 9/11, and uses this to draw out the emotions from its frightened viewers. Through the appearance of extra-terrestrial creatures, Shyamalan activates the recent traumatic memories of the audience much like a fever dream, and brings them a sense of hope, strength, and resiliency. Like Merrill, it is only right to rise up against our troubles, grip the bat that resembles hope, and swing away.
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