"Signs," released on DVD and VHS on Tuesday, arrived on the scene a little too late. Sure, M. Night Shyamalan's alien invasion picture has moments of pure suspense, but had it come out 25 years ago, it might have actually harbored some original ideas.

Not that it's wholly lacking in originality, but far better films with a similar theme already have been released, most notably Steven Spielberg's classic "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

"Signs" is the story of farmer and renounced reverend Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) who awakes one morning to find massive crop circles in his fields. He, his children (Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin) and live-in brother (Joaquin Phoenix) dismiss the markings as a prank, until the news reveals the same markings have appeared simultaneously in fields around the globe. Soon, hovering lights appear above the markings and things start going bump in the night around the secluded Hess farm.

Shyamalan does not put a focus on the global events. We just see images on the news and hear updates on the radio as Hess and his family wait to see exactly what they should do and if the visitors are hostile. Gibson is brooding as the kindly ex-preacher whose lack of faith disturbs his family as they look to him for spiritual guidance during a time of crisis. The children, particularly the son, are somewhat creepy, which seems to be a motif for the director of the hugely popular "The Sixth Sense."

The film, unlike Shyamalan's other films, interjects bits of humor, particularly through the gifted Phoenix. As Graham's younger brother Merrill, Phoenix shows a knack for subtle comedy as he consistently attempts to be threatening but comes off childish.

There is something lacking in "Signs." Shyamalan is obviously influenced by Hitchcock, but instead of exhibiting the master director's influence, Shyamalan produces a steady stream of "gotcha" scares. More often than not, the director sets up cliché "oh, it was just a cat" type scenarios rather than genuine scares.

Despite some truly suspenseful moments, the sum of "Signs" does not add up to a very good whole. The characters are unrealistically calm as their home is breached by aliens. Plus, for some reason, they refuse to arm themselves with even the simplest household items. The film's conclusion seems anticlimactic given its buildup. It seems to settle for less and expects the audience to do the same.

To top it all off, Shyamalan chose to cast himself in a small role that is pivotal to the film's minor emotional impact. It is not that Shyamalan is not a decent actor, but it seems his role is one better suited for a more highly trained actor. His performance is mildly effective, but a better actor could have supplied the emotional punch he was seeking.

The DVD transfer is, as usual, beautiful. As far as extras go, however, the release is lacking. The deleted scenes included are of little worth, even to die-hards. They are mostly comprised of dialogue-free clips that average less than one minute. True, there is a reason they were deleted, but why include a 25-second shot of a dead bird that seems more like a production still than a scene?

Also included on the DVD is a throw-away "making of" special and the typical theatrical trailers. The quality of the DVD pales in comparison to that of the director's last film, the commercially unsuccessful "Unbreakable," which was released as a two-disc special edition loaded with worthwhile extras. With its blockbuster status, "Signs" should have been given similar home-viewing treatment.

The DVD does, however, have one saving grace. Titled "M. Night Shyamalan's First Alien Movie," fans of the director are treated to a crude camcorder-made short featuring a young Shyamalan being chased by an alien (a stuffed monster mounted on a remote-controlled car). The short is quite funny and it shows a goofy side to a director who seems to take his work very seriously.

If you enjoyed this film, you should also see: "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," which set the mark for rural alien invasions, and "War of the Worlds," the original alien invasion classic.

Suggested Viewing: Good to watch in a dark room with some friends, especially if you startle easily.