Waiter, I'd like to order a good zombie flick please... but hold the zombies.
Tools:
Recommend review to a friend »
When you stand back and take a good listen, sounds are our slaves. Day in and day out, they tantalize our eardrums with acoustic melodies on our iPods or on MTV, and they never once ask for anything in return. But what if noises had a more sinister side to them? Sure, most sound innocent enough, but maybe that's just what they want us to think. After all, the right pitch does withhold the potential to shatter glass, and some people even believe there's a certain frequency that temporarily causes total loss of bowel control. I'm not kidding, look up "Brown Note" on Wikipedia if you don't believe me.
In the case of the horror film, "The Signal," the airwaves are overrun by a strange signal transmitted via televisions, radios, and phone lines. At first it just appears to be some sort of technological glitch, but soon we discover that there's something eerily unsettling about the broadcast. Somehow, the signal rewires the brain to distort our perception by exploiting our desires and amplifying our fears. As a result, those under its spell eventually lose touch with reality.
"Do you have the crazy?"
Perception is a strong theme within "The Signal." For instance, we get to see the perspective of ordinary people as they watch the world around them erupt into chaos and go completely insane. We also get to see the twisted viewpoints of those affected by the signal and how they justify doing the horrific things that they do. If that wasn't enough, the story is presented in three acts, with each one focusing on one central character and the three "transmissions" are written and directed by a different filmmaker. It's an ingenious concept that takes the story into three very unique directions.
Transmission 1: Crazy in Love
The first transmission, or act, is written and directed by David Bruckner and primarily focuses on the character Mya (Anessa Ramsey). Mya is married to Lewis (AJ Bowen), but her unhappiness has driven her to have an affair--right into the bed of Ben (Justin Wellborn). Both have fallen madly in love with each other and dream of leaving Terminus (the fictional city where the film takes place). But during their latest encounter, Ben's television switches on by itself and we get a brief glimpse at the mysterious signal before Ben quickly shuts it off.
Bruckner does a fantastic job at slowly building the suspense and creates tension so thick that you'd have to really put your back into it to slice through it with a chainsaw. Not only from the widening effects of the signal, but also by incorporating an element of awkwardness when Mya returns home where Lewis is waiting and knows something is up. His suspicions are cranked into overdrive after the signal gets to him, too.
I was also very impressed with the performance by Anessa Ramsey. She's not a glamorous actress by any means and she's probably best classified as the girl next door, but I say that as a compliment. It's so much easier to connect with someone that most of us could know in real life, yet she still has a natural beauty and this alluring quality about her that drew me right in. I could see her curiosity blossom with the onset of what was going on in her world and watched it morph to shock and finally into a look of sheer terror. She didn't have to say much of anything for her eyes said it all.
Transmission 2: The Jealousy Monster
Jacob Gentry pens and directs Transmission 2, which completely flip-flops the story and takes it down a dark comedic path. Most of this act occurs in the apartment of Anna (Cheri Christian), who is merrily preparing to host a New Year's Eve bash when her neighbor and landlord, Clark (Scott Poythress), enters the picture. Clark is somewhat paranoid and delusional, and tries to convince Anna that the party is the last thing on everyone's minds right now with the strange shit going on out there. That's when Lewis unexpectedly shows up searching for Mya, which puts three psychotic lunatics together under one roof, all with varying levels of insanity. You just know in your gut that this isn't going end pretty.
The second transmission was my favorite, as it enables the viewer to get inside the scrambled heads of signal victims and experience their twisted mindset. The bizarre interactions between the three unstable characters are a riot, and the hilarity takes a giant leap when Jim Parsons (Chad McKnight) rings the doorbell to join the fun of the party. McKnight's role is short and sweet, and easily one of the most memorable in the film.
Transmission 3: Escape from Terminus
The final transmission is by Dan Bush, which pulls a bit of the suspense and humor from the first two acts and intertwines them for the grand finale. The intensity returns as this time Ben races against the clock to find Mya before something terrible happens to her. While Ben is under the influence of the signal like everybody else, there's a twist as he not only knows it, but he's found a way to concentrate hard enough to keep it in check for at least part of the time. I don't want to say too much more because I don't want to spoil anything, so let's just say that Bush wraps up the story with a few surprises leading up to a powerful and effective climax.
Average user rating (1-5):
Not yet rated.
Not yet rated.
[release]23515[/release]