| Posted by: chinton at February 23, 2008, 6:33 pm | | Topic: The Signal Forum: JoBlo | | What an interesting film. For those of you who don't know it deals with a mysterious electronic signal that is broadcasted out on all electronics that turn people into homocidal maniacs. The film follows Maya who is sleeping with her lover as the films starts. She goes back home but when she gets there her jealous husband Lewis is affected by the signal. The movie mainly deals with her and her lover trying to get to the train station to get out of the city while the obssessive husband chases after them among other dangerous infected people. Whats fascianting about the film is that its told in the three different parts all written and directed by three different people. All the sections follow the same story and sometimes overlap by they have completely different tones and aims. What also really sets this film apart and probably one of the best creative decisions they made was to not make the people who are infected by the signal into raging zombie maniacs. Once you are infected by the signal you are still rational and coherent but can snap at a moments notice. Nobody really knows if another person has the crazy and if you defend yourself to another person it may look like youre the one with the crazy. Really smart decision and makes for a lot of tense scenes. There are three sections. There is the first section that introduces the characters and the signal. It does a very good job of introducing the characters and setting up the signal essentially exposition but in a compelling way. The bulk of this section concerns Mya trying to escape from her apartment complex as everyone has been affected by the Signal and her crazy husband is right behind her. Very tense well-done opening. The middle section is the one that everyone seems divided on as it takes a bizzare right turn into dark comedy concerning some neighbors who have their New Years Eve Party turned upside down by the Signal. Lewis crashes their party while on the hunt for Mya and things get really weird. To be fair a lot of people have compared this section Shaun Of The Dead humor which I dont think is really fair. The main character in this section, Clark, is funny, but I dont think its tone is nearly as broad as Shaun and as the section does come to a close and Lewis starts to get out of hand things get very dark again. The section is more dark comedy than slapstick funny. Although as ambitious and daring as the tonal shift is I dont think it works 100 percent. The last section deals with all the stories coming together and it goes back to its dark tons again. Still unlike the expository first half the last half is far more ambitious. Clark and Mya's lover run to the train station to find Mya and Lewis isn't far behind. Eventually there is a showdown between all of them. Whats interesting is at this point all the characters have been affected by the signal and the good guys are doing everything they can to keep their psychosis in check. They aren't entirely successful as this section deals with their hallucinations, things that happen but then might not happen, and shifting realities. Now before you guys take my grade the wrong way please please understand that this is a flawed film. As ambitious and interesting as this film is there are times when it doesn't completely hold together particuraly during the second act. Still, it does a lot of things right and I have a lot of admiration for this film. Much like 28 Days Later it takes an old premise and makes it new and interesting again by doing something I've never seen in a horror film. In fact its one of the most ambitious horror film I've seen since The Blair Witch Project( a more successful film IMO). Also, the characters are likable and engaging. The actress who plays Mya is particuraly compelling. You dont learn much about them as it all takes place over a day, but all the actors make very strong impressions with their characters. Its been forever since I actually liked the characters of a horror film. Also, for a low budget indie film its very well- shot and well-done for first-time filmakers. Finally, the last section really bumped it up a grade. I love how it all came together and provides a grim but very satasfying resolution. Or maybe its not grim. It depends how you interpret the crazy last 10 minutes. Anyway, in a time when most horror film suck I am always supportive of new and fresh horror films that genuinely try to do something different. Its not a perfect film but its very good and memorable. Go see it. 8/10 |
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