Plot
A horror film told in three parts, from three perspectives, in which a mysterious transmission that turns people into killers invades every cell phone, radio, and television.
Release Year: 2007
Rating: 6.1/10 (11,209 voted)
Critic's Score: 63/100
Director:
David Bruckner
Stars: Anessa Ramsey, Justin Welborn, Scott Poythress
Storyline A horror film told in three parts, from three perspectives, in which a mysterious transmission that turns people into killers invades every cell phone, radio, and television.
Writers: David Bruckner, Jacob Gentry
Cast: Anessa Ramsey
-
Mya Denton
Sahr Ngaujah
-
Rod
(as Sahr)
AJ Bowen
-
Lewis Denton
Matthew Stanton
-
Jerry
(as Matt Stanton)
Suehyla El-Attar
-
Janice
Justin Welborn
-
Ben Capstone
Cheri Christian
-
Anna
Scott Poythress
-
Clark
Christopher Thomas
-
Ken
Lindsey Garrett
-
Laura
Chad McKnight
-
Jim Parsons
(as Chadrian McKnight)
Claire Bronson
-
Sightless Woman
David Bruckner
-
Screaming Man
(as Dave Bruckner)
Dan Bush
-
Screaming Man
John Clifton
-
Maintenance Man
Opening Weekend: $144,836
(USA)
(24 February 2008)
(160 Screens)
Gross: $249,905
(USA)
(16 March 2008)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The entire film was made and filmed in Atlanta, Georgia.
Goofs:
Continuity:
The collar on Mya's jacket switches positions between shots after the car crash.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Ben:
What was that? That was strange. Mya Denton:
[in bed]
Come back. Ben:
The TV turned itself on. Mya Denton:
[reaching out]
Come back. Ben:
Okay.
User Review
21st Century paranoia horror at its very best...
Rating: 9/10
From time to time, I stumble across movies that I know nothing about,
and under normal circumstances probably wouldn't be that inclined to
see. Even as an avid horror buff, low budget titles like this tend to
slip through the net usually simply due to their lack of big name
distribution.
Let's hope that with "The Signal" however, this doesn't happen.
Why? Because this movie is powerful, thoughtful and downright
terrifying in its execution.
The movie opens with a young couple, Mya and Ben, in a tryst where it
soon becomes apparent that Mya is married but very much not in love
with her husband, Lewis.
Suddenly the TV is blasted on, transmitting a noisy psychedelic signal
which is echoed throughout every other media form from radio to mobile
phones.
Mya leaves Ben to return home to her husband only to find everyone
going crazy... possibly even her own husband. Thrown into a violent and
chaotic world, the story focuses on the three of them and the truth
about their intertwining relationship as the city of Terminus literally
goes to hell around them.
The film's three directors each take on board a different aspect of the
overlapping narrative, with the running time evenly divided into 3
parts. Transmission 1 examines the initial outbreak and its effects on
the main protagonists. Transmission 2 looks at the ensuing madness from
the perspective of one of the afflicted (a very creepy concept which is
notoriously tough to execute, but is worked to almost perfection here),
and laces it with more than just a smattering of very black humour.
Transmission 3 ties up the loose ends of the plot and weaves them all
together in order that all main characters collide in a chaotic but
much needed denouement.
Brutal, dark and completely absorbing, this grainy DV effort is always
believable and therein lies its power. In a society where media has
taken over every facet of our lives, technology is rife for abuse, and
this movie exploits that paranoia to great dividends.
This original chiller is the American equivalent of "28 Days Later"
mixed with Romero's "The Crazies" via Stephen King's novel "Cell".
Some visual and plot aspects may have suffered due to budgetary
constraints, but therein also lies its charm.
"The Signal" will surprise, thrill and terrify. In short, another
example of modern horror at its brutal and most thoughtful best.
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