X
- 2008
- R
- Magnet Releasing
- 1 h 43 m
- 2008
- R
- Magnet Releasing
- 1 h 43 m
Summary It's New Year's Eve in the city of Terminus, and chaos is this year's resolution. All forms of communication have been jammed by an enigmatic signal that preys on the fears and desires of everyone in the city. Told in three parts from three unique perspectives by three visionary directors, The Signal is a horrific journey toward discover...
Directed By: David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry
Written By: David Bruckner, Jacob Gentry, Dan Bush
- 2008
- R
- Magnet Releasing
- 1 h 43 m
- 2008
- R
- Magnet Releasing
- 1 h 43 m
The Signal
63
6.6
Where to Watch
Summary It's New Year's Eve in the city of Terminus, and chaos is this year's resolution. All forms of communication have been jammed by an enigmatic signal that preys on the fears and desires of everyone in the city. Told in three parts from three unique perspectives by three visionary directors, The Signal is a horrific journey toward discover...
Directed By: David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry
Written By: David Bruckner, Jacob Gentry, Dan Bush
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 Critic Reviews
63
53% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
37% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
11% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 Critic Reviews
63
53% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
37% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
11% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
If you’re tired of zombie films or rabid people films, Signal is like a cool drink of water on a hot day. It’s got all the goodness from the best of those genres while creating its own niche at the same time.
The Signal has its share of things to say about urban paranoia, road rage, addiction - whether to sex, drugs or, more dangerously, consumerism. But it stands apart from other pictures of the same ilk by using its apocalypse as a backdrop to a bitter-sweet love story.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 User Ratings
6.6
53% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
37% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
11% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 User Ratings
6.6
53% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
37% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
11% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
The Signal is perhaps one of the best horror films to be released in recent years. It's highlighted by both its experimental nature and its frightening message, that the media will slowly drive us crazy. Well, not slowly, not in this movie. While watching television, making phone calls, and/or listening to the radio, the citizens of Terminus are susceptible to becoming violent raving lunatics thanks to a mysterious signal. It's reminiscent of body snatcher and zombie films, but there is an eerie sort of twist: those affected by the signal have no idea that anything is wrong with them. Instead, they view others as threats to their life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. As one of the Affected states, "It's telling me what I should do, what I should want. I want my wife, and I want my home, and I want all you people to stop bothering us." Of course, this is first and foremost a horror film, and The Signal never gets too heavy-handed in the delivery of its message. It's actually quite scary and funny, and often at the same time. The film follows several characters through three loosely-connected chapters (called transmissions, each created by a different director) that vary wildly in delivery. The first transmission is arguably the best, crafting horror around uncertainty and building suspense with a surreal atmosphere. The second takes pitch black humor to the next level, yet also manages to include the film's single most disturbing scene. The third transmission turns the film into a psychological thriller about losing one's mind. Despite this, the film works; it feels like a whole (much more so, in fact, than many other films with just one director). Sure, there are shortcomings; two of the actors are not exactly good enough to carry the dialogue-heavy climax, which will lose some audience members, and the film's budget is apparent in several scenes. Of course, these are minor complaints when looking at the film as a whole. It's an excellent horror film that takes a jarring look at the messages of fear we receive from media sources almost every day: the outside world is a dangerous place, those whose views differ from ours are inherently an enemy of sorts, and we must do what we can to protect the ones we love. With this fear semi-constantly drilled into our minds, how long will it take for people to finally snap?
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Now this is a something special, this movie is extremely original, it is entertaining, well-acted, well-paced, creepy at times and mostly fascinating. I don't wan't to spoil anything, but in maximum 30 minutes you will get what the movie is really about if you dig up a little and it is excellent in that aspect. If you are looking for a scary ride, this is not what you'll wan't to watch, this mostly a romantic, dark-comedy piece of art. And keep in mind that this flick was made with a 50 000$ budget!
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Unlike traditional zombie romps, these crazies don't stumble around mindlessly, noshing on human flesh. They look and act like normal people - until the second they go bonkers.
Borrowing heavily from the current trend in zombie comedy and apocalyptic horror but shifting it away from the usual undead norms, pic carves out a fresh angle in the crowded indie horror universe while blatantly stealing ideas from Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Pulse."
The movie has grand (and Grand Guignol) bits and pieces, but despite the hype it’s no big deal. By horror standards, the premise isn’t especially outlandish.
In a movie about perception, misperception and the ramifications of misunderstanding, it's a bit ironic that the directors can't get out of one another's way.
The Signal combines the inconstancy of an omnibus film with the blandness of art by committee. The end result feels less like a blend of distinct styles than an opportunistic hodgepodge, a second-hand premise wedded to an attention-grabbing gimmick.
An entertaining low-budget entry in the non-zombie zombie-apocalypse sub-genre that close-focuses on a small set of characters, which, to some extent, keeps us guessing about who has "turned" and who hasn't. The story benefits from a non-linear telling. The fx are not overly gory but sufficient to be convincing. Overall the film tells a decent story and wraps it up with a satisfying conclusion. Give it a try.
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What a strange and unique movie this was. Something rare to see done. It certainly stands out enough to be interesting but in others ways can just feel like a repeat of films like "The Crazies".
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Production Company
POP Films,
Shoreline Entertainment
Release Date Feb 22, 2008
Duration 1 h 43 m
Rating R
Tagline Do you have the crazy?
Awards
Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
Film Independent Spirit Awards
• 1 Nomination
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards
• 1 Nomination
