4/5 Do Not Attempt to Adjust Your Set--We Are in Control
  by Chris Pandolfi (Los Angeles, CA)
"The Signal" is the work of natural independent filmmakers, and it shows because they focus on actual storytelling instead of unimportant details. You watch it without analyzing anything--you just let the story happen, and you take it for almost everything it's worth. The surprising thing is that it achieves all this despite being a supernatural thriller, a genre notorious for trying to explain everything; here's a story that explains virtually nothing yet still manages to be both understandable and frightening. The basic idea seems unnerving enough, if a little too reminiscent of Stephen King's "Cell": in the fictional city of Terminus (whose very name must be symbolic), a signal sent through television sets on New Year's Eve makes anyone watching it irrational, paranoid, psychotic, and homicidal. This signal, wherever it came from, distorts perceptions of reality and makes the victim see things that aren't there and understand things that make no sense. As a result, people kill each other left and right for no apparent reason. They have The Crazy in their heads.

In the midst of this chaos are three main characters caught in a bizarre love triangle, and this is fitting since the film is divided into three distinct sections, or in this case, transmissions. The first, called "Crazy in Love," introduces us to Mya (Anessa Ramsey) and Ben (Justin Welborn), who are secretly having an affair. Ben awakens in the middle of the night and notices his TV, which he thought had been turned off; not only is it on, the screen shows nothing but patterned white static, as well. Then Mya awakens, and when she realizes what time it is, she hurriedly dresses and heads for home. She knows something's wrong as soon as she enters the building because almost everyone is awake, and they argue with one another as they wander the halls. When she enters her apartment, she first sees two of her husband's friends struggling to fix the TV's reception (they want to watch the baseball game). She then faces her husband, Lewis (AJ Brown), and at that point, we immediately know two things: (1) Lewis has already been affected by the signal; (2) his need to domineer was amplified--but not created--by the signal.

The second transmission is called "The Jealously Monster," and it's the weakest because it relies on quirky comedy instead of subtler moments of satire. This is when we meet Anna (Cheri Christian), and we immediately see that she has killed her husband. We also see that she's disappointed over not being able to throw a New Year's Eve party; as her husband's body sits across from her, she tells him that, when the guests arrive, she'll just tell them to leave. Her neighbor, Clark (Scott Poythress), stops by before long, as does Lewis, who uses his profession as an exterminator as an excuse to enter. Lewis is now on a mission to recapture his wife, a mission so obsessive that he doesn't trust anyone. He also sees Mya in place of Anna and kills almost anyone who comes near her. Even when he realizes who's who, he remains convinced that Anna knows where Mya has gone. He also has a powerful influence over Clark, who shifts between understanding the signal and being its unwilling pawn.

The third segment is called "Escape from Terminus," and if you think that title gives away the ending, you've got another thing coming. This segment wisely veers away from intentional humor, focusing once again on the desperate situation the characters are in. There are two notable exceptions, and while I won't describe them in detail, I will say that one involves aluminum foil and the other involves a severed head. By now, Clark and Ben are trying to intercept Mya before Lewis can, which will be difficult since all three men have been affected by the signal to a certain degree. It's really a question of will power, of knowing what to focus on and how to push irrational thoughts aside. Clark and Ben theorize that the signal is a kind of programmer, sending messages that trick the brain into believing what it shouldn't believe. It's pretty likely that this is a social commentary on television in general. Let's look at the obvious example of reality shows: they influence viewers into a primal state of competition, encouraging votes for the best singer, or the best dancer, or the best model.

It's also pretty likely that the film is a commentary on the state of humanity in general. Consider the fact that it opens with footage of a schlocky exploitation film, much like Wes Craven's "Last House on the Left": we slowly begin to realize that the needless violence of that footage is being echoed in the plot of "The Signal," with numerous, brutal murders that are justified only in the minds of the Crazies. The only way this film departs from films like "Last House on the Left" is that it focuses more on the aftermath than on the actual killing. Yes, violent deaths are featured, but we see more spilt blood than blood being spilt, if you get my drift. I suspect that the three writers and directors--David Bruckner, Dan Bush, and Jacob Gentry--did this on purpose, which is fine by me; lingering shots of blood and gore may be fun to look at, but they don't really add much as far as the story is concerned. But story is exactly what "The Signal" focuses on, making for one of the more original thrillers of recent memory. Instead of going for obvious, cheap thrills, it's ambitious enough to be unnerving and unpredictable. That's exactly the way a supernatural thriller should be, even with the occasional lapse into unnecessary comedy.

5/5 Genius!
  by Tiffany Chohfi (Westminster, CO USA)
Its hard to decribe a movie so thought provoking, creative, intelligent and beautiful. The music is beautifully written and thrown into each scene flawlessly so that you can get a perfect feel of what the characters were experiencing throughout the story. Definitely a heart and mind trip. Watch the signal, and you will know what I mean.

5/5 Obviously, the Work of a Diabolical Genius, or Three!
  by Spinetinglers Committee (Ballygowan)

On New Year's Eve 2007, regular programming has been indefinitely interrupted.

A signal is being transmitted to every TV, cell phone, and radio. This transmission has a powerful effect on anyone who watches it or listens to it. It strips away self-control, plays on your paranoia, and makes even the most brutal of murders appear rational. Three people--a wife, a husband and a lover--all deal with this feral disorder in three, very different ways. This film brilliantly and brutally tells each of their stories. After the various transmissions of The Signal, chaos, murder, and mayhem ensue.

Usually, when you are about to watch a low-budget horror movie, your excited anticipation at watching a new horror flick is very often marred by a bit of dread. Almost invariably, the viewer is going to have to overlook bad acting, stilted dialogue, and clichéd plot twists. Unfortunately, these pitfalls have come to be synonymous with moderately-financed movies. Having said this, now and again, a movie comes along which changes your mind about low-budget filmmaking. The Signal is one such movie, the acting is superb, the writing is innovative and compelling, and the dialogue delivers many a quotable line:

"Do you have `the Crazy?'"
Transmission 1 - Crazy in Love, directed by David Bruckner.
This part of the film tells us the story of Mya, the wife, and her story becomes, by far, the darkest part of the tale. This section is shot in such a way that it has a voyeuristic quality to it. The viewer does not feel as if they are watching a film, but rather, that they are observing Mya, as the initial effects of The Signal are startlingly revealed.

"You're not my husband, you're a homicidal maniac."
Transmission 2 - Jealousy Monster, directed by Jacob Gentry.
This is the most surreal part of the film, as we see the world through Lewis's eyes. Of course, he is the jealous husband and is most obviously affected by The Signal. Gentry's transcendent use of nonlinear storytelling, along with his dark humour, gives us a gruesome glimpse into the mind of a maniac. And, even though Lewis has a habit of killing people by battering them to death with a fire extinguisher, you do, kinda, feel for the guy.

"You are aware that you are having a conversation with a decapitated head."
Transmission 3 - Escape from Terminus, directed by Dan Bush.
And, finally, there is Dan's story, aka the Lover. In the final transmission, the line between good and evil becomes the most blurred that it has been since the start of the film. This epilogue hammers the message home, that no one is safe from The Signal. Viewers find themselves asking, "Who is the bad guy, who is the husband, who is the lover, who is dead, and who is alive? To all these questions, there is no definitive answer. The optimists among us will interpret the ending as a "love conquers all, kind-of," deal. And, cynics will view it as just the beginning of the last, great apocalypse, one in which man's inherent fears and paranoias, with a little help from some malevolent technology, will destroy all humankind. Transmission 3 is a very suitable, ambiguous ending to a first-rate horror film.

Each transmission has a very different style, and some viewers may think this adds up to a disjointed narrative. However, I wholeheartedly disagree with this conclusion. As each story is told from a different perspective, it makes sense that the filmmakers should employ different techniques to portray their characters' personalities and varying descents into madness.

The Signal is the most original, thought-provoking horror movie of the past decade. This film is wickedly witty and pleasingly perverse. Its writers and directors are very adept at their craft, and this film is a shining example of its genre, regardless of budget. In short, The Signal is a sublime example of filmmaking and is worthy of major distribution.




5/5 I've got the crazy!
  by Jenny Smith (San Diego, CA USA)
This was an interesting story told from three different perspectives. Very original and entertaining. I would not underestimate this film, probably one of the best thrillers/horrors I've seen to date.

5/5 The Next Horror/Comedy Hybrid Cult Hit!!!
  by JBizzle (Under A Rock)
Right off the bat, EVERY ONE'S GOTTA SEE THIS!!! This's gotta be one of the best independent horror flicks that I've seen in a loooooong time. The plot in a nut shell (as not to give away too much) is basically about a mysterious "signal" broadcast over television, phone, radio, etc, etc that turns anyone who watches or listens into paranoid homocidal nuts. This is truely a well acted, frightening flick (props to the director)that'll have you at the edge of your seat through out the entire film. The other thing I loved about the movie is that as scary as the movie is, it's hilarious at the same time. I was literally laughing out loud one minute & then terrified the next. The movie shows you the perspective of the crazies & it's great. For all you gore hounds out there the movie lets the red stuff flow liberally, so no fear there (and it's not the amatuer kool-aid stuff you see in most low budget horror flicks today). For anyone that's ever enjoyed goofy/gorey horror flicks, you'll wanna check this one out ("Evil Dead 2" anyone?), I'm absolutely adding this one to my collection & I think you should too. BUY THIS MOVIE!!!