The Signal

"The Signal" starts out a bit vague, but then the plot sets in. They manage to set everything up so that you can't be certain whether it's real or imagined. I read that the movie is partly based on Plato's Allegory of the Cave, in which people see a limited reality (also the basis of "The Matrix").

Laurence Fishburne's enigmatic professor is the best character in the movie, and Lin Shaye's* aging character. "The Signal" isn't any kind of great movie, but I thought that it was OK. Mystifying, more than anything. A similar movie is "The Quiet Earth" from New Zealand.

*She also played the sunburned neighbor in "There's Something About Mary" and the retiring flight attendant in "Snakes on a Plane".

Slow paced sci-fi. Interesting but if feels like it's only scratching the surface of a few good ideas they could have totally explored a bit more in depth.

"The Signal" is more horror film than sci-fi. It's about three people trapped in a threatening environment they do not understand. It is also about reality, and how our concept of it can easily be shaken by unexpected circumstances that are inconsistent with our past experiences and perceptions. In the early portion of the film there is a brief reference to Philip Dick, the master of reality tales, and to his book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," which became the basis for the film "Blade Runner." Later references capture some of the mystique of "The Matrix" and also an often overlooked film from 1997, "The Cube."

Comments posted here about "The Signal" seem to be sharply divided: viewers seem to either hate it or love it. The displeasure is easy to understand. Those who expected a sci-fi story with a lot of techno-gadgets and special effects are likely to be disappointed. The same applies to those who are uncomfortable with the concept of victimization, a common basis for horror films and a key element in "The Signal." But those who like to read Philip Dick or who enjoyed "The Cube" will find much to admire in this film, a low budget effort with a smart script.

The negative reviews are all so ridiculously nit-picky it's almost as if they were paid just to slam this film. It's a ride, not a thesis, just let it take you along all the twists and turns, don't bother trying to figure it out, and you'll have a good time. Isn't that entertainment?

The 'movie-snob' reviews almost kept me from watching this movie -- I'm glad I didn't listen to them. This was one of the most suspenseful movies I have seen in a long time. At one point I paused the movie to check outside because I thought I heard something -- the movie had me spooked and it takes a lot to get that kind of reaction out of me. There was an eerie feel that stayed with me through the entire movie and it had me guessing the entire time.

The movie could have been better -- there is an attempt to show some spiritual triumph for the main character and a love story that doesn't work, but the suspense and sci-fi elements alone make the movie a solid B and worth seeing.