The Signal

The Signal

Year: 2008

Runtime: 103 min

Language: English

Directors: David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry

Sci-FiThrillerHorror

As the New Year's Eve celebrations begin in the city of Terminus, a strange signal disrupts all communication, triggering unsettling primal urges and fears among the population. The film presents three interconnected stories, exploring how this mysterious event affects different individuals and revealing a disturbing truth about the darkness that can reside within people. It’s a horrific journey into the depths of human nature.

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The Signal (2008) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

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In the bustling city of Terminus, the countdown to New Year’s Eve is interrupted by a strange broadcast that seeps into every screen, speaker and handset. The signal, an uncanny tonal hum, wraps the metropolis in a palpable unease, turning ordinary conversations into static‑filled whispers. The film’s atmosphere is a thin‑skinned blend of dread and dark humor, as the ordinary rhythms of daily life are suddenly edged with a primal tension that feels both familiar and alien.

The story follows three strangers whose lives intersect under the signal’s influence. Mara, a night‑shift nurse weary from endless emergencies, begins to notice the world around her slipping into a strange, irrational rhythm. Eddie, a cab driver who spends his evenings charting the city’s hidden corners, finds his routes suddenly echoing the same disquieting pulse. Dr. Larkin, a media analyst tasked with decoding the broadcast, watches the city’s collective anxiety rise like a tide, each data point hinting at something deeper than mere interference. Their perspectives anchor the narrative, offering glimpses of how the unseen transmission reshapes perception, desire, and fear.

As the three transmissions unfold, the film keeps a steady cadence of unsettling visuals and satirical undertones, suggesting that the greatest horror may lie not in the signal itself but in the latent darkness it awakens within ordinary people. The tone oscillates between oppressive silence and sharp, almost absurd commentary on how media can manipulate the mind. By the end of the opening act, Terminus feels both familiar and eerily transformed, leaving the audience perched on the edge of a mystery that promises to unravel the fragile veneer of civilization.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 09:21

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The Signal Summary

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The Signal Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Signal

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Signal

More About The Signal

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