Shyamalan has suffered like few other directors as a result of his later films not measuring up to the exacting standards set by The Sixth Sense and Signs. Part of this is self-inflicted, because he has refused to veer from the"M. Night Shyamalan" formula: modern fairy tale crafted to take an unexpected turn approximately two-thirds into the fun. When the twist fails to impress or the fairy tale is dull, the movie disappoints audiences on on two levels. Not only is the movie judged mediocre, but it is criticized for failing to deliver on the promise made by Shyamalan's earlier efforts.
The fairy tale and twist delivered by The Visit do not disappoint. Hansel and Gretel effectively employ today's media and technology for narration and exposition, leading the viewer down an increasingly foreboding path. The fear and anxiety caused by Nana and Pop-Pop's odd behavior appeal to our politically incorrect subconscious: we shy away and are even repulsed by displays of dementia and senility, no matter how clinically explicable we understand those displays to be. I was pleasantly surprised that the predicted twist was not predictable, and I felt a sincere surge of a-ha! at its revelation.
The Visit falls short with respect to the traditional elements of film-making. The children, particularly the brother, are portrayed as cloying, non-credible 1980s sitcom characters with cheesy lines. Attempts at humor come off like a toast at a Dirty Dancing era summer camp in the Catskills. The siblings show no sign of being actual teenagers from the 21st century until approximately 45 minutes into the film, when they interview each other for their "documentary" and reveal certain vulnerabilities. The forced nature of this scene serves to highlight the otherwise inauthentic personalities assigned to them by the director and script. The mother's character is painted with the same superficial gloss, a problem magnified by her limited time on screen. These weaknesses prevented me from empathizing with the family members and reminded me throughout that I was indeed watching a movie.
Perhaps Shyamalan was so focused on invoking his brand upon The Visit that he was distracted from maintaining its essential quality. Like many other viewers, I still look forward to the film where he regains that balance.
The fairy tale and twist delivered by The Visit do not disappoint. Hansel and Gretel effectively employ today's media and technology for narration and exposition, leading the viewer down an increasingly foreboding path. The fear and anxiety caused by Nana and Pop-Pop's odd behavior appeal to our politically incorrect subconscious: we shy away and are even repulsed by displays of dementia and senility, no matter how clinically explicable we understand those displays to be. I was pleasantly surprised that the predicted twist was not predictable, and I felt a sincere surge of a-ha! at its revelation.
The Visit falls short with respect to the traditional elements of film-making. The children, particularly the brother, are portrayed as cloying, non-credible 1980s sitcom characters with cheesy lines. Attempts at humor come off like a toast at a Dirty Dancing era summer camp in the Catskills. The siblings show no sign of being actual teenagers from the 21st century until approximately 45 minutes into the film, when they interview each other for their "documentary" and reveal certain vulnerabilities. The forced nature of this scene serves to highlight the otherwise inauthentic personalities assigned to them by the director and script. The mother's character is painted with the same superficial gloss, a problem magnified by her limited time on screen. These weaknesses prevented me from empathizing with the family members and reminded me throughout that I was indeed watching a movie.
Perhaps Shyamalan was so focused on invoking his brand upon The Visit that he was distracted from maintaining its essential quality. Like many other viewers, I still look forward to the film where he regains that balance.