The Signal Reviews
I really loved this little gem! Honestly, it checked a lot of important boxes for me. It didn't need a bow tied up at the end but I'm glad it was there. And it was a simple fun horror flick for absolute guiltless pleasure.
The segmented, dream-like style this is broken into may be off-putting to some, especially with its lower budget, but it's a unique and cool way to portray this descent into the Apocalypse. I used to not care for the comedic segment in the middle, but it may be my favorite part now.
Like nothing I've ever seen before. It's bloody, disgusting & sometimes humorous.
This film was initially 3.25* imo but when I learned that it was made for $50,000 it automatically got a boost to 3.5*. What it manages to accomplish with that sum of money is nothing short of extraordinary. The performances in the film are great, namely AJ Bouyen (who happens to be in 4 of my fav horrors, The Sacrament, The House of the Devil, You're Next and The Guest) and then the very talented Cheri Christian. The characters in this film are very believable given the developments in the plot (which happens to be my 2nd fav part of this movie). It was ahead of it's time in 2007, and the issue the movie revolves around is now central to our everyday lives: our reliance on electronics and what could potentially happen if some party hacked the signal and flooded the airwaves with subliminal images that turn us into maniacs. It's far-fetched, obviously, but are you telling me that you don't think China, USA and/or Russia haven't studied possible applications of this? OK enough conspiracy theory, which no I don't believe in, but it makes the movie so much better if you can suspend your disbelief re that. It's a splatter fest that has dark humour and a very good plot with above average performances/ I definitely recommend this to horror fans.
Illogical. Plot poor and ending worse. Fishburne wull obviously do any movie now.
It started off great...very intriguing! Then derailed SO completely halfway through...by the end you didnt even think you were watching the same movie it was SO bad!
Watch the first entry only, then turn it off and use your imagination, because I can guarantee that whatever you come up with will be a million times better than what you're about to witness.
Oddly upbeat and very refreshing. Story is told in three segments that are unique to one another while still telling continues story. It's quirky, charming, and overall different. Second segment is by far my favorite. This is a strong seven, so I will bump it up to an eight as I nearly lost it. Eight strange transmissions out of ten.
The Signal succeeds in it's incessant determination to bewilder it's audience through it's unconventional execution of what could have been a typical apocalyptic horror/thriller movie.
Take a boring episode of outer limits and stretch it out and this is what you get. One of those movies that is so enthralled with its shock ending that the rest of the movie takes the back seat. One of those movies with a lot of staring. Boring.
While not expecting anything, I was pleasantly surprised. Good idea for a plot; a little gruesome; gets a little silly (especially the end); but entertaining for a rainy afternoon. NOT FOR KIDS.
Most low-budget, straight-to-DVD horror flicks like this are either really fun or boring as hell. But occasionally, like this film, they sort of get lost somewhere in the mix. This movie had the perfect freaky set-up to be awesome with all the key horror ingredients; blood, carnage, large body count & violence with dark humour mixed throughout, however the overall feel of the movie was almost overbearing & at times stupidly irritating - especially in its second half. Plus it has one of those 'did it happen, or not' endings that makes you wanna smash your TV in a fit of rage. Or was that the point?
After a strong first segment, the film descends into incoherence. I get that it's showing the characters' struggle to maintain their thoughts and stay sane but it simply doesn't make for compelling viewing. Side note: the short film at the start only makes for more confusion.
Kinda reminded me of a cheaper 28 Days Later/The Crazies. It starts out really promising, then it's as if the director gives up as the longer the movie goes, the slower it gets which ended up being boring. Flip side for gorehounds is it's filled with cruelty and senseless ultra-violence.
Made with $50,000 this film proves that low budget is not a problem in creating a fresh and cult class horror flick. Even though this film may be uneven at times and confusing due to some editing sequences but it's still be able to deliver the thrill, tension, violent, and even its humor well with its unique concept and plot. There are lots of violence here and some GORY scenes that's still in a satisfying level to its potential budget here as well as some SCARY and creepy performance. Overall, if you are looking for a FUN low budget horror film to try out, this film is definitely will be one of the top choices out there really fulfills its premise. [B]
Great premise, a shame it's so poorly put together. I made it an hour in, but there was no suspense or thrill. "Though it does boast a few intriguing sequences, The Signal suffers from unevenness. The film slowly but surely squanders the good will established by its admittedly effective opening half hour to become an unexpectedly tedious piece of work. There's little doubt that most of the movie's problems stem from the ill-advised decision to allow three separate filmmakers to tackle a third of the story individually, with the disjointed atmosphere that inevitably ensues exacerbated by the almost hopelessly low-rent visuals and production values." -David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
What a mind-funk. The Signal is a crazy film which sets up showing a collection of people who become homicidal maniacs, but it's from their perspective as their perceptions of events are twisted and contorted while they have moments of realization and regret only to return to complete insanity as they kill and mutilate again. It's a fascinating concept of a movie. The only problem is, it goes on and on, and it turns us into pretzels trying to keep up to the point that we don't know which way we are going and begin not to care.
Very underrated. The Pulp Fiction of crappy horror movies
Still a fantastic movie! If you haven't seen it, you should do so ASAP. Fun, exciting, and suspenseful.