Y'know, there are many, many sub-genres in the world of horror films, such as haunted house films, chainsaw films, German impressionist cannibal necrophilia films. But a new category has risen in recent years. Yes, the 'crop circle' movie. And without further ado, I give you the latest in this field, SILENT WARNINGS.

Out in the desolate countryside stands the obligatory lonely farmhouse, surrounded by a sea of corn. The owner, a crazy vet named Joe, has the house encircled by an electric fence and battened down like a bunker, which is understandable since Joe firmly believes that something's 'out there' in the fields. He's gone completely around the bend because he keeps up a running commentary with his 'cousin' - a scarecrow propped up in his living room. When Joe hears thumping noises in the house, he realizes "he's broken out of the attic". Firing his guns wildly, Joe follows the something outside and into the cornfield, only to crash his truck and die in a horrible explosion. What the heck is going on here?

Several days later, Joe's real nephew Layne recruits several friends (Stephen, Katrina, Iris, Maurice and his own girlfriend Macy) to join him on a road trip to the farmhouse, ostensibly to fix the place up for sale. Layne first stops in his old hometown of Porterville (a real hick-ville) for supplies and to check in with the Sheriff, an old friend of Joe's. He tells Layne Joe was pretty 'out there' by the end. Which becomes obvious when the gang arrives at the farm - besides being fortified beyond belief, the inside is an absolute sty; rotten food, guns strewn everywhere, and the scarecrows. For several days the group cleans the place and makes repairs, but every night there are strange happenings - sounds that can't be explained, shadows in the windows of something vaguely human, and Layne finds the attic is full of weird artifacts and drawings of ...aliens? On day one at the farm, the friends discovered a crop circle in the corn, but that was just where Joe's truck blew up, yes? Well, soon more circles appear in the cornfields...and the lights start appearing at night...and no one may make it out alive. They've been warned...

SILENT WARNINGS is not a bad film, but I found myself disappointed in the end result. There are a lot of neat ideas in the script, but too much of the plot is obvious that the little nuances get overshadowed. It's a case of giving too much away to the audience (and if I sound hesitant to give examples, it's because I don't want to give too much away). The acting by a young ensemble is very energetic and believable - the writers took the time to flesh out Layne and his friends characters. The special effects are a mixed bag; some are very good (the light tunnels during the climatic fight), while some, like the aliens' costumes are rather underwhelming. There are several decent scares in several early scenes, but again, the effect is diluted once you know what to expect. The picture quality is decent; night scenes are shot well, and lighting is not a problem. The colors are muted, but that adds something to the feel of the film; an old-time creepiness. Audio is fine with clear voices and an adequate soundtrack. A tightened script and more left to the imagination would have made SILENT WARNINGS a fine little thriller; as is, the film passes the time well enough, but just isn't that memorable (remember the first time you saw "Alien"?)

The screener I viewed of SILENT WARNINGS had no extras, no chapter, nuthin'. However, Universal did release the final version with...alien art gallery, design sketches, the trailer (of course) and cast/crew bios. They also added a behind-the scenes featurette which I would have liked to have viewed; the gang in the film seemed to get along really well, and it would've been neat to see them as a group off camera. That's what ya get with promo copies...

The potential is there, waiting to come out. But SILENT WARNINGS just doesn't deliver. A good cast can't make up for a script that reveals too much too soon. So unless you're one of the crop circle fanatics, SILENT WARNINGS is o.k. for a rainy afternoon, but a disappointment in the pantheon of sci-fi thrillers.