4K Blu-Ray: Signs

The Film

Originally released back in 2002, Signs was the first, well, sign that audiences were expecting M. Night Shyamalan to be a completely different director than he actually was. Where audiences went expecting twists, Shyamalan provided deep introspection into his faith and worldview.

Naturally, the results were mixed. While Signs was lauded for its incomparable tension and world-building, most felt the climax and lack of War of the Worlds style spectacle were significant downfalls. Which is as odd of a complaint today as it was twenty some years ago.

That's because Signs isn't a film about terror, but about faith. It's a story of a man learning to believe in something greater than himself and rediscovering the act of worship he had previously lost. For a film released just a year after 9/11, it's a surprisingly daring and provocative call for healing in a country that would never regain its composure in the decades that followed.

If there is something to gripe about today, it's that Signs is held together by Mel Gibson, an actor now most known for his horrific tirades, alleged acts of violence, and wholehearted support for Donald Trump. It leaves the film in an awkward place, as every minute of Gibson's compelling and nuanced performance is marred by who he is as a person. Which is a shame, as this is one of his best acting roles in a career filled with iconic turns.

Supporting him, Joaquin Phoenix is subtly funny as the aimless brother who just wants his older sibling to be proud of him. Shyamalan has always been good at writing families, and Signs is no different. He understands the internal dynamics between broken people beautifully. In one of the finest sequences of the film, Gibson's character tries to force normality as the world breaks apart around them, and it's a heartbreaking moment when he realizes nothing can be as it once was.

Signs is a masterclass in creation tension, too. Whether it's in the scene where Gibson goes to search for trespassers in his field or where Phoenix first sees the alien invaders on a grainy home video, Signs contains some of the best scares of Shyamalan's career.

But above all, Signs is a heartwarming story of family. One that opts for soul searching instead of big bombast, and delivers a quietly perfect finale that lingers in the soul far longer than any big action set piece could.

Technical Specs & Presentation

There's very little to write about here. The Nordic release is a single disc and as bare as they come.

Video

Like The Sixth Sense, Signs looks gorgeous in 4K and really does a great job transferring the luscious shadows into HDR. The night time sequences in the cornfield are a particular standout, but my favorite moments are the ones in the basement, where Gibson and Phoenix comfort their frightened family during the darkest moments of the film.

Here, the inky blacks and stark contrasts from flashlights look sublime, and skin texture makes it appear as if the TV was a window into another world.

If there's anything to complain about, it's the early 2000s CGI, which hasn't aged as gracefully, and stands out as the 2K mastering in these sequences is a little softer than the others, which are 4K. It's a minor, minor nitpick, and most won't even notice it, but it's still worth mentioning.

Audio

Signs has one of the best film soundtracks ever made, and it comes through the disc sounding crisp and clear. Every single moment of James Newton Howard's masterpiece is rendered beautifully, and it's especially in the final sequence where The Hand of Fate plays out in its entirety that the film really shines.

Elsewhere, small details like how the corn bristles in the night wind or how footsteps fall on creaky wooden floors that Signs shows how much you can do with an "old-fashioned" 5.1 mix. There's no need for a Dolby Atmos upscale when the Master Audio is this terrific throughout.

Extras

Signs was never stellar on the bonus materials front, but even the old Blu-Ray came with the 480p extras from the DVD. Here, everything is missing, and the disc doesn't even come with a trailer.

Overall

Signs is one of my favorite M. Night Shyamalan movies, and I wish it would see more love on the physical media front. The disc itself looks and sounds gorgeous, and if that's all you want out of your home video, then there's no reason to miss out on this one.

But for film geeks and students, Signs is another frustratingly sparse release which is empty of anything extra. It doesn't show in the price either, as the 4K version costs a premium here in the cold north.

That said, if it's been some time since you last saw Shyamalan's great thriller, this is the best possible way to revisit it. It has never looked or sounded better, and that does count for something.