The Signal

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Shane G @Goodfellow Jun 13 The Signal is an earnest attempt to make something character-focused and different. Our main characters are Nic and Haley, a couple, and Nic's best friend Jonah. They're on a road trip to move Haley to Pasadena so she can attend Caltech. The problem is that each character wants something different from the trip and none of their goals are compatible. As a result, we never see them acting like people who genuinely care about each other. This makes it difficult to become invested in their relationships. Nic is the lead of this film and his mobility issues are about the only meaningful character development the film gives him. The movie uses his crutch AS a crutch, relying on it to generate sympathy for Nic, instead of writing a than developing an actual likable protagonist. What was once an interesting storytelling device has become such an overused trope that it feels less like a conclusion and more like another crutch. See more Steven P @RT06348510 Jun 5 Just watch it. The movie has great ideas and leaves you thinking. It's not great but it's a movie every movie lover should see. (Do NOT watch trailers or read any more reviews before seeing it) See more Alex D. @alex3429 May 17 [Español] Definitivamente el trailer promete más que la película en si, la idea no iba mal pero no la terminaron de desarrollar, varias cosas quedaron sin explicación, las actuaciones fueron pobres y los efectos también, hay un giro al final, pero la sensación en general es que la película es mala. See more Evwon K @RT54266969 Dec 13 I would like to echo @"S P"'s review. I came in with low expectations, seeing the reviews, but the clip I saw via YT Shorts sparked enough intrigue to give it a watch on a lazy night just now. I was pleasantly surprised, everything ended up making sense with an intriguing & enjoyable conclusion; and I am someone who loves physics & tech (the SciFi genre), loathes plot holes, & is super critical of movies that rely too heavily on a viewers Suspension of Disbelief. I distaste the ridiculousness of most Cape movies, this movie was not ridiculous even though it basks you in that feeling throughout. A particular detail I enjoyed was the portrayal of terminals/hacking. That being said, it wasn't perfect, a bit of a slow sizzle at some points but it works for this movies feel, with one or two dialogues feeling out of place, & some polish missing likely due to a small budget. I believe this movie is incredibly underrated, & for that I will give it a 4.5/5 instead of a 4/5 stars. See more Marco L @decatur555 Nov 23 (CASTELLANO) Hay películas que llegan acompañadas de tanto "tienes que verla" que ya empiezas la partida perdiendo. La señal es de esas. La llevaba arrastrando desde hace años, como esa cosa que guardas para cuando toque… y claro, al final pasa lo de siempre: te montas tal película en la cabeza que luego la realidad no llega ni de lejos. No es que esté mal, pero tampoco es esa maravilla que me habían pintado. El arranque juega bien sus cartas. Tiene ese tono de misterio juvenil, como si te fueran dejando migas de pan hacia un sitio que no ves del todo, y eso engancha. Visualmente es llamativa: planos cuidados, texturas curiosas, un uso de la luz que le da cierto empaque. Se nota que el director tiene ideas y que, con poco dinero, sabe vestirlas para que parezcan algo más grande de lo que son. El problema es que The Signal va abriendo puertas sin pensar mucho en cómo cerrarlas. Mezcla ciencia ficción, thriller y drama sin terminar de rematar ninguno. Hay momentos que funcionan, otros que te sacan de la historia porque parecen de otra película. Esa sensación de "¿pero esto hacia dónde va?" se repite más de una vez, y no siempre para bien. Laurence Fishburne tiene esa presencia que llena el plano sin hacer nada, solo con mirar, pero ni así consigue tapar que la película va de intensa sin tener tanto fondo. Y los chavales ponen ganas, eso sí, pero el guion no les da nada con lo que crecer; hacen lo que pueden, pero no llega a importarte del todo lo que les pasa. El final busca un golpe de efecto, y sí, sorprende un poco, pero también te deja esa sensación de "vale… ¿y ahora qué?". Es de esas películas que lucen más en el tráiler que en el conjunto, brillantes en ideas sueltas pero torpes al tejerlas. Aun así, tiene su encanto. No aburre, tiene personalidad y se agradece que apueste por algo distinto. Pero si la ves con demasiadas expectativas, es fácil que te quedes igual que yo: pensando que podía haber sido mucho más. (ENGLISH) Some movies come with so many "you have to watch this" warnings that you start off at a disadvantage. The Signal is one of those. I’d been dragging it along for years, saving it as if it were something special… and of course, what always happens happened: I’d built it up so much in my head that the real thing didn’t even come close. It’s not bad, but it’s far from the wonder people had sold me. The opening plays its cards well. It has that youthful-mystery vibe, like someone leaving breadcrumbs toward a place you can’t quite see yet, and that pulls you in. Visually, it’s striking: neat shots, interesting textures, a use of light that gives everything a touch of weight. You can tell the director has ideas and knows how to dress them up, even with little money. The issue is that The Signal keeps opening doors without thinking about how to close them. It mixes sci-fi, thriller and drama but never really lands any of them. Some moments work; others take you out of the story because they feel like they belong in another film. That "where is this going?" feeling pops up more than once, and not always in a good way. Laurence Fishburne has that presence that fills the frame just by standing there, but even he can’t hide the fact that the movie tries to look deeper than it actually is. The younger actors give it their all, sure, but the script doesn’t give them anything solid to grow from; they try, but it’s hard to really care about what’s happening to them. The ending goes for a big twist, and yes, it lands a bit, but it also leaves you with a "okay… and now what?" vibe. It’s one of those films that shine more in the trailer than as a whole: great ideas in isolation, clumsy when it comes to stitching them together. Still, it has its charm. It doesn’t bore, it has personality, and you can appreciate that it tries something different. But if you go in with high expectations, it’s easy to end up like me: thinking it could have been so much more. See more farley p @RT17363957 Jul 5 Movies like this make me think long form media was a mistake. See more Read all reviews

The Signal

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