The Signal

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The Signal

PG-13

2014

1h 37m

Mystery & Thriller

Sci-Fi

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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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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)

Mar 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.

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Leslie Felperin

Guardian

Mar 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.

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Sophie Monks Kaufman

Little White Lies

Mar 26, 2015

2/5

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

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David Bax

Battleship Pretension

Mar 4, 2021

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

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Brent McKnight

The Last Thing I See

Jul 7, 2020

B-

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

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Julian Lytle

Punch Drunk Critics

Jan 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.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 18, 2026

The Signal = a 2.5 star Movie!

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B P

@Bradster69 Sep 5, 2026

Not Bad, but Not My Favorite

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Sean M

@RT17477714 Aug 27, 2026

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.

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Host A

@tommmmmmm Aug 26, 2026

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

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Daniel M

@RT36182645 Aug 19, 2026

Interesting movie, not sure why it doesn't have more positive reviews.

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Shane G

@Goodfellow Jun 13, 2026

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.

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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: 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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