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The Signal

Play trailer Poster for The Signal PG-13 2014 1h 37m Mystery & Thriller Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
60% Tomatometer 87 Reviews 39% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A surprise awaits three college students (Brenton Thwaites, Beau Knapp, Olivia Cooke) who think they have tracked a rival computer hacker to a shed in the Nevada desert.
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The Signal

The Signal

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Director William Eubank clearly has big ideas and an impressive level of technical expertise; unfortunately, The Signal fritters them away on a poorly constructed story.

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Critics Reviews

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Mark Kermode Observer (UK) 03/29/2015
3/5
It's a movie of ideas rather than spectacle (Philip K Dick's dreamy electric sheep are inevitably invoked) with some well realised visual effects (a la Ex Machina) giving it genre legs. Go to Full Review
Leslie Felperin Guardian 03/26/2015
3/5
Sadly, this flubs the landing with a banal and credulity-stretching finale that feels like a bad Twilight Zone episode, but the first hour or so is terrific. Go to Full Review
Sophie Monks Kaufman Little White Lies 03/26/2015
2/5
Pity the poor actors trapped in a cinematographer's world. Go to Full Review
David Bax Battleship Pretension 03/04/2021
For a movie full of surprises in its narrative, there are none beneath its surface. Go to Full Review
Brent McKnight The Last Thing I See 07/07/2020
B-
What The Signal lacks in character development and standard plot mechanics, it more than makes up for in mood, tone, and atmosphere. Go to Full Review
Julian Lytle Punch Drunk Critics 01/11/2020
4/5
Here is something new and original on the screen with fresh faces that didn't cost the GDP of a small country to make. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Sean M @RT17477714 Aug 27 This movie was absolute trash. I changed my password on my account because I forgot it so I could log in and say how bad it was. Movie made 0 sense. Nothing tide together. Ending was garbage. This movie legit made me mad how much time I wasted watching it. Don’t watch this movie it’s horrible. See more Host A @tommmmmmm Aug 26 A genuinely interesting premise and engaging plot, talent actors. In a movie that goes nowhere, with a second half set in the desert because it was basically free but horrible to look at. The writer put alot of effort into hacking research and nmap ing. But forgot to check that you wont run very fast for long with robot knees without robot hips as well. My guy you just had to add the grewn screen cgi sock up to his waist. That guy shattered is body on the first kick See more Daniel M @RT36182645 Aug 19 Interesting movie, not sure why it doesn't have more positive reviews. See more Shane G @Goodfellow Jun 13 The Signal is an earnest attempt to make something character-focused and different. Our main characters are Nic and Haley, a couple, and Nic's best friend Jonah. They're on a road trip to move Haley to Pasadena so she can attend Caltech. The problem is that each character wants something different from the trip and none of their goals are compatible. As a result, we never see them acting like people who genuinely care about each other. This makes it difficult to become invested in their relationships. Nic is the lead of this film and his mobility issues are about the only meaningful character development the film gives him. The movie uses his crutch AS a crutch, relying on it to generate sympathy for Nic, instead of writing a than developing an actual likable protagonist. What was once an interesting storytelling device has become such an overused trope that it feels less like a conclusion and more like another crutch. See more Steven P @RT06348510 Jun 5 Just watch it. The movie has great ideas and leaves you thinking. It's not great but it's a movie every movie lover should see. (Do NOT watch trailers or read any more reviews before seeing it) See more Alex D. @alex3429 May 17 [Español] Definitivamente el trailer promete más que la película en si, la idea no iba mal pero no la terminaron de desarrollar, varias cosas quedaron sin explicación, las actuaciones fueron pobres y los efectos también, hay un giro al final, pero la sensación en general es que la película es mala. See more Read all reviews
The Signal

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis A surprise awaits three college students (Brenton Thwaites, Beau Knapp, Olivia Cooke) who think they have tracked a rival computer hacker to a shed in the Nevada desert.
Director
William Eubank
Producer
Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Tyler Davidson
Screenwriter
William Eubank, Carlyle Eubank, David Frigerio
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Automatik, Low Spark Films
Rating
PG-13 (Some Thematic Elements|Language|Violence)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 13, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 9, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$597.4K
Runtime
1h 37m
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