The Signal

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The Signal

PG-13

Released Jun 13, 2014

1h 37m

Mystery & Thriller

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

60%

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88 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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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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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

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.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 29, 2015

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Leslie Felperin

Guardian

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.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 26, 2015

Full Review

Sophie Monks Kaufman

Little White Lies

Pity the poor actors trapped in a cinematographer's world.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 26, 2015

Full Review

David Bax

Battleship Pretension

For a movie full of surprises in its narrative, there are none beneath its surface.

Mar 4, 2021

Full Review

Brent McKnight

The Last Thing I See

What The Signal lacks in character development and standard plot mechanics, it more than makes up for in mood, tone, and atmosphere.

Rated: B-

Jul 7, 2020

Full Review

Julian Lytle

Punch Drunk Critics

Here is something new and original on the screen with fresh faces that didn't cost the GDP of a small country to make.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 11, 2020

Full Review

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Dan D

Trippy film that keeps you guessing until the end.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

Full Review

Gianluca R

as someone said before, "it's a really good b-movie" Slow but intriguing, with a good ending (open to a possible sequel too). Worth a watch, for sure.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/19/24

Full Review

Audience Member

An underrated and under-appreciated sci-fi gem. Incredible vision and tension, an engaging mystery, outstanding music, and the ending floored me. Just straight up gobsmacked. I absolutely LOVE this movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/18/24

Full Review

Philip S

Great atmospheric first half badly let down by a really clunky ending. It just got a bit silly.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/08/24

Full Review

Waniya S

Oh well, i didn't enjoy it a single bit

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/28/24

Full Review

Webb V

Good Sci-fi starts off with a believable premise: Check Good Sci-fi bonds on screen characters to viewers: Check Good Sci-fi answers are incomplete and spawn more questions : Check Good Sci-fi leaves the viewer feeling not 'as full' as the want to be: Check It's storyline holds up from beginning to end. The Signal is good Sci-fi.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/09/24

Full Review

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William Eubank

Director

Brenton Thwaites

Nic

Beau Knapp

Jonah

Olivia Cooke

Haley

Laurence Fishburne

Dr. Wallace Damon

Lin Shaye

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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: Low Spark Films, Automatik
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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