The Signal (2014)
Directed by William Eubank
On a road trip, Nic and two friends are drawn to an isolated area by a computer genius. When everything suddenly goes dark, Nic regains consciousness – only to find himself in a waking nightmare.
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5 films that influenced The Signal
What critics say influenced The Signal
Director William Eubank has an eye for composition and a distinct sensibility, albeit one that borrows heavily from superior filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick and Duncan Jones, whose Moon was a much more inspired take on 1970s science-fiction ideas.
That’s what I meant about irritation; an irritation I didn’t feel about, say, Duncan Jones ’ maybe equally tricky " Moon ."
The Signal, like its brethren (which include, but are not limited to, Moon and Under the Skin ), prizes ideas over special effects.
This sci-fi puzzler by cinematographer-turned-director William Eubank often recalls the work of Shane Carruth (Primer, Upstream Color) in its low-budget resourcefulness and creeping, gnawing paranoia, though the fascination with the mechanics of the human body connects it to a much older sci-fi tradition.
Now in release from Focus Features, The Signal is a sci-fi head-scratcher that combines elements of The Blair Witch Project, District 9 and The Andromeda Strain.
The Signal marks out Eubank as having the cheek to mash-up elements of District 9 , Chronicle and The Blair Witch Project into something palatable for genre fans.
Indebted to both “District 9” and “The Blair Witch Project,” but unlikely to enjoy either of those films’ sleeper success, “The Signal” has absolutely no relation to the low-budget horror triptych of the same name that premiered in Sundance’s Park City at Midnight section seven years ago.
In a time where science fiction is struggling to hold solid ground, from an awfully forgettable Robocop to Johnny Depp’s abysmal Transcendence, is Focus Features ready to blow audiences away with the next District 9? No, not a sequel to District 9 – sorry to get your hopes up Wikus fans – but another lesser-known genre production that sweeps the sci-fi community off their feet.
Josh Trank directed Chronicle, a film whose success allowed him to get hired as the director of the new Fantastic Four as well as one of the upcoming Star Wars spin-off films.
The Signal marks out Eubank as having the cheek to mash-up elements of District 9 , Chronicle and The Blair Witch Project into something palatable for genre fans.
Add one dash of The Matrix, one part Chronicle and a little Dark City thrown in for good measure and you should have a sense of what kind of flavors The Signal is attempting to emulate.
And the movie sorta turns into “Chronicle.”
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Davidson, who lives in South Russell and runs the Chagrin Falls-based Low Spark Films, has produced several films in recent years, including the psychological dramas "Take Shelter" and "Compliance," and the coming-of-age comedy "The Kings of Summer."
Of course, in typical Davidsonian fashion and, as has been part of actors' meager wage scale for films that include "Take Shelter," "Compliance" and "The Kings of Summer," Patrick was not paid for his performance.