The Signal Netflix Review: Capable of Expertly Mixing Science Fiction, Family Drama and Important Existential Questions
Cast: Florian David Fitz, Peri Baumeister, Yuna Bennett
Created By: Florian David Fitz
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4/5 (four stars)
The Signal, (Original title: Das Signal) a 4-part German miniseries available on Netflix from March 7, represents a very pragmatic and concrete approach to the topic of close encounters of the Third Kind. An approach that is all too plausible, so much so that it involves us as if we were faced with a true story. From the beginning to the unexpected conclusion. SoFlorian David Fitz, Peri Baumeister, Yuna Bennett Genremething or someone is preparing to land on planet Earth, but no one seems to know what it is and, above all, what its intentions are. What is certain, however, is that the new German miniseries The Signal will be able to keep the Netflix audience in suspense throughout all four episodes that compose it. At the center of the narrative is the mysterious disappearance of Paula, an astronaut and scientist who vanished into thin air after returning from the International Space Station.
Her husband Sven and daughter Charlie will have to venture out in a desperate search for a truth that will prove more dangerous than expected. As we will see in our review of The Signal, the show created by the protagonist Florian David Fitz himself is a fascinating story full of mystery, capable of expertly mixing science fiction, family drama, and important existential questions. All are enriched by suggestive and hypnotic images of space. created by director Sebastian Hilger and screenwriter Nadine Gottmann. In the role of the protagonist Sven, we find the actor Florian David Fitz, famous for his performances in “Jesus Loves Me” (2012), “The Most Beautiful Day” (2016), and “100 Dinge” (2018), while as co-protagonists we have Peri Baumeister, known for “Blood Red Sky” (2021), “Neuland” (2022) and “Therapy Crashers” (2014), and the very young actress Yuna Bennett in her first important role in ‘inside of a miniseries.
The Signal Netflix Review: The Story Plot
German astronauts Paula Groth (Peri Baumeister, Skylines) and Hadi Hiraj (Hadi Khanjanpour, The Covenant) leave for the International Space Station, financed for a private mission by Indian billionaire Benisha Mudhi (Sheeba Chaddha, Permanent Roommates). Paula leaves on Earth her husband, Sven (Florian David Fitz, Welcome to Germany!), and her daughter Carlotta, known as Charlie (Yuna Bennett, Last Track Berlin), an adorable deaf little girl who can hear thanks to an innovative hearing aid when wears it. While on board the ISS, Paula picks up a signal, the origin of which she cannot trace. From that moment, her entire life and that of her family turns into a nightmare of secrets and espionage. Until, after returning to Earth by landing in Chile with the capsule, Paula disappears on board the scheduled flight that was supposed to take her home to Germany, to her family.
The Signal Netflix Review and Analysis
The Signal is an excellently crafted, quality series. The staging is accurate and the special effects are excellent. The cast also gives us excellent surprises, starting with little Yuna Bennett, who at just 10 years old can make her interpretation credible and intense. But the best is undoubtedly Florian David Fitz, the true protagonist of the story together with Charlie. A story that also tells us how fickle and influenceable public opinion is, ready to draw – naturally guided by the media – premature conclusions and to change its mind just as quickly. The very fulcrum of the story is the relationship of love and trust that binds Sven and Charlie. And, before that, the one that linked Sven and Paula. A family like many others has found a way to truly communicate, to transform the word love into concrete gestures. In hugs. In support. In understanding. And immense trust is the only thing that can make the people who love each other truly free.
Through the innocence of Charlie’s gaze, the love of Sven’s gaze, and the trust that Paula has placed in them, The Signal gives us an experience that is engaging, moving, emotionally mature, and worthy of interest. The choice to put a little girl and her father at the center of the plot allows us to see how trust is the means to understand even something that our age or our preparation would not allow us to understand. The desperation of a man who gathers the courage to give strength to his little girl is a great example of how to be a parent. Even the choice to assimilate, in different sequences, our sound experience to that of Charlie, who loses sounds and pieces of speech but certainly not the meaning of everything that happens around her, brings us further closer to the family and the events that concern her. The plot of The Signal revolves around an event that could change the history of the world, and how the world itself reacts to that event.
While we cannot find a serious agreement even to save our planet, we are perfectly capable of reaching a definitive, immediate, and unanimous decision when it comes to thinking about something that could change its history, its destiny, and its very meaning. The depth of The Signal is based on a story set mainly on Earth, in a historical moment that demonstrates our fragility as human beings, imperfect and incapable of stopping killing each other, as well as guaranteeing a peaceful future for our children and grandchildren. Through a reconstruction of the events surrounding Paula, unknown until the finale, we follow the lives of Sven and Charlie and their gradual discovery of what happened on board the International Space Station. The approach to a theme widely exploited by science fiction is original, plausible, and effective in an almost unexpected way. The slow construction of the narrative, in a crescendo of drama and tension, leads us straight to the only possible solution.
That is, the conclusion that we are neither ready for something new nor deserving of what we have and mistreat, showing how humanity and its desire for peace and harmony are nothing but an epochal failure. The Signal is a breathtaking journey to space and back that will keep viewers glued to the screen until its unexpected ending. First of all, because it is characterized by a well-paced narrative full of mystery and suspense, it will often lead its audience to believe that they have reached a truth which, instead, seems to move away as they continue watching the show. Secondly the suggestive and hypnotic images of space that the series offers, are capable of making the viewer feel a sense of smallness and insignificance in the face of something so much bigger than us that it appears almost indescribable in words.
Also significant is the theme of silence, understood as that of the universe – in which sound, in the absence of matter, cannot vibrate and therefore propagate – but also Charlie’s world: deaf since birth, despite having an implant cochlear the little girl often chooses to put it aside and let herself be enveloped by the quiet. Only in this way, in fact, can she turn up the volume of her brilliant thoughts. The Signal is not just a science fiction miniseries. It is also, above all, a human and family drama, which brings to the screen the silent suffering and the sense of perpetual waiting that the families of those who leave for space feel. An unbridgeable distance comes into play in which it is not enough to cover kilometers to put an end to a distance made up, instead, of layers of atmosphere and communication difficulties. Sven and his daughter Charlie thus spend their daily lives torn between being proud of the important work done by the woman and the profound sense of lack; a feeling expressed in particular by the little girl who, several times, raises the doubt that her mother prefers to live in space – a place of peace and perfection – than on planet earth, where the woman instead would like to change everything.
And, perhaps, Charlie isn’t wrong after all. We see how Paula, despite her immense love for her family, experiences a profound internal conflict between being content with a life on Earth surrounded by the affection of her loved ones and aspiring to an existence spent exploring among the stars. But what the woman will discover among those stars will overshadow any free choice of the woman. The miniseries “The Signal” emerges as a compelling and meaningful cinematic work that goes beyond the boundaries of simple entertainment. The series offers a penetrating look at the social and psychological dynamics of humanity, highlighting the persistent presence of negative feelings such as fear and hatred, which hinder the path toward universal peace and harmony. A theme that emerges as the thriller delves into mystery. Through an intelligent interconnection between fiction and historical themes, the series draws an eloquent parallel between the Cold War and current geopolitical tensions, revealing the persistent polarization and lack of mutual understanding in the world.
The book oriented on the Cold War and the space race between the United States and Russia, which little Charlie constantly reads, represents a bridge between the past and the present, inviting the viewer to reflect on the lessons not learned from history and on the current challenges that humanity must face. The inclusion of the story of the Voyager 1 and 2 space probes, containing a message of peace and love aimed at extraterrestrial beings, adds an element of hope and universality to the narrative. This symbolic gesture embodies humanity’s will to overcome cultural and linguistic barriers to communicate a message of unity and brotherhood to potential alien life forms. However, the series also suggests that before extending its hand outward, humanity must face and resolve its internal conflicts, overcoming divisions and embracing diversity as a source of enrichment and mutual understanding.
Because if, first of all, humanity is unable to abandon its hatred, then it will never be able not to fear the unknown but will always have terror and hatred toward what it does not know. “The Signal” emerges as a miniseries that embraces an interesting mix of genres, fusing conspiracy thriller, science fiction, and family drama. The narrative structure, divided into two intersecting periods, offers the audience a broad vision of the dramatic events in progress, helping to maintain gripping suspense and a fast-paced pace. However, despite its effectiveness in capturing the attention of viewers, the series suffers from predictability in its narrative development, especially in the conclusion, depriving it of that much-desired surprise and originality. Furthermore, although the family drama is well characterized, the narrative arc set in space is poorly developed, depriving the story of the interpersonal dynamics that could have enriched it further.
Despite these critical issues, “The Signal” shines for its thematic value, transmitting a message of universal peace and love, while highlighting the persistence of fear and hatred within the human race. Paula finds herself involved in events that risk compromising the situation of her and her family, her husband Sven, and her little daughter Charlie, an intelligent and loving little girl, born deaf, who can hear since she has been able to use a special hearing aid. But Charlie hears more with his heart than his ears and her innocence is the perfect filter for a story of espionage, cruelty, secrets, and persecution by ruthless people. People who demonstrate how the world is neither ready to take a leap forward in the evolutionary process nor to commit to saving itself. Humanity has failed, in every way. And the way The Signal tells it to us is effective, unexpected, and noteworthy. Giving us a very different message from what we expected given the narrative premises, and surprising us in a very positive sense in its simplicity.
The Signal Netflix Review: The Last Words
The Signal is a fascinating story full of mystery, capable of expertly mixing science fiction, family drama, and important existential questions. All are enriched by suggestive and hypnotic images of space. If you enjoy character-driven mysteries with a touch of sci-fi, “The Signal” might be worth a watch. However, if you crave a mind-blowing space epic with deep dives into alien encounters, you might be disappointed. In-depth analysis of the main characters, in particular Sven and Charlie, who experience a conflictual relationship with Paula, adding emotional complexity to the plot. Relevant and current themes covered by the series, such as fear, love, and understanding of others, convey a message of peace and tolerance.
The Signal Netflix Review: Capable of Expertly Mixing Science Fiction, Family Drama and Important Existential Questions - Filmyhype
Director: Florian David Fitz
Date Created: 2024-03-07 12:49
4
Pros
- Effective mix of film genres, including conspiracy thriller, science fiction and family drama, which keeps the viewer involved and interested in the story.
- In-depth analysis of the main characters, in particular Sven and Charlie, who experience a conflictual relationship with Paula, adding emotional complexity to the plot.
- Relevant and current themes covered by the series, such as fear, love and understanding of others, which convey a message of peace and tolerance.
- Original setting in space and inside the space station, which offers an interesting and fascinating perspective to the story.
Cons
- Predictability in the plot and in the conclusion of the series, which is understandable from the second episode, limiting the impact of suspense and surprise.
- Underdevelopment of the period spent in space, with the astronaut characters having little narrative value and the interpersonal dynamics lacking in depth.
- A screenplay that could be stronger and well written to surprise and amaze the audience, missing that "something extra" that elevates the story.
