Movie Review - The Signal

The Signal

(2014)

Automatik Entertainment / Low Spark Films / Signal Film Group : Focus Features / KVH Media Group

6.5 / 10

This is a solid science fiction story based on an extraterrestrial encounter our three protagonists while trying to track down the hacker Nomad, who has been recently plaguing their lives.

The start of the film is pretty slow and the soundtrack does feel a little depressing, given that we are on a road trip with three friends I thought the soundtrack could be a little more happy and carefree as it adds an unnecessary and incorrect feel to the film at this time.  However, as the film progresses the music melds better with the situations and feelings the writers, Carlyle Eubank, David Frigerio, and William Eubank (who also directed), wanted to portray, which is mainly a sense of loss, confinement, and hopelessness.  I really loved the way the Nima Fakhrara built up the entire soundtrack to a climax at the end of the movie, just like an electronic symphony.  Well thought out and respect due.

As previously stated, the film starts slow and I nearly turned off, but I have learnt to at least give a film twenty minutes as this could just be scene setting and character building.  In this case, it was just that.  You learn of the relationships between the three friends, Nic, Jonah, and Hayley; the reason for the road trip and their ongoing trials and tribulations.  This builds a realistic and credible storyline with characters you can relate to and believe in.

All the actors give good performances though it's Laurence Fishburne, who portrays the governmental figure of Damon, who steals the show.  No matter what happens, he always keeps his composure, never overreacting whatever the situation.  It's only Hayley's character, played sparingly by Olivia Cooke, that seems a little flat, maybe the male writers haven't got in touch with their feminine sides yet.

This is a slow burner of a film which builds slowly up to major reveals, action sequences, and the big reveal at the end, which you know is coming because in sci-fi something big has to be revealed.  All of this is handled superbly by the director William Eubank.  Once I got through the beginning I really enjoyed this tale, there are enough strange happenings to keep you enthralled and wondering WTF is going on?  However, there are also disjointed flashbacks, which only serve to confuse, but this may be the director trying to show Nic's confusion of the situation, though, this didn't work for me.

If you love science fiction then this film is worth at least one watch.