The Signal is a series starring Florian David Fitz, Peri Baumeister and Yuna Bennett. It is directed by Sebastian Hilger and Philipp Leinemann.
A German mystery series that skillfully collects and summarizes the latest successes of science fiction cinema by adding a touch of sentimentalism and giving us four excellent chapters of unsolved enigmas and mysteries. The series cleverly uses elements reminiscent of Interstellar, such as a landscape of farmers, without taking any visual risks, and instead focusing on the safety of a sentimental and mysterious story, while maintaining the familiar tone of science fiction films from the 1980s. It is well-made in terms of cinematography.
Plot
The disappearance of an astronaut sparks a desperate search for answers by her family. However, as they delve deeper, the danger escalates not only for them but for the entire world.
About the series:
“The Signal” is a series that knows its limitations: it does not have Christopher Nolan’s budget nor does it play in the Hollywood league. To create a spectacular space series, one needs millions of dollars. In this series, there is a story to entertain, a more limited budget, but a team willing to make the best out of its limitations. The series turns out well, always relying on the safety factor, presenting a family-friendly series with good feelings and no moral or philosophical conflicts, while doing an excellent job in all its technical aspects and choosing not to be original by taking ideas that already worked and, once again, are successful without being surprising.
The modern era of space travel began with Kubrick, we all know that. He surprised us with a work that was a mix of philosophy and psychedelia, with overwhelming effects for its time. A film that wanted to surprise at all times. It was cold, without feelings, with that first artificial intelligence called HAL and its confusing plot. Don’t expect that from “The Signal”: it is no longer like this first space incursion, neither in its risks nor in its production, which is much more familiar and sentimental.
Good performances, but not outstanding, because the screenplay is not exceptional or impactful. It is written to entertain and, without attracting too much attention, leave a good taste in a film that will not go down in history. The screenwriters knew this from the beginning and did well, without complicating their lives with extravagances.
By the way, it is said that Interstellar cost more than the recent Indian space mission. In this series, it is a millionaire Indian woman who funds everything, having made her fortune from scratch by lending money only to women because, according to her, men would spend all their money on beer.
Our opinion:
Overall, it is well-made, telling a family-friendly space story, entertaining at all times and knowing how to capture the essence of a soft, entertaining and sentimental story. Suitable for the whole family.
Where to Watch “The Signal”
The Cast
