4/5 The Visit I have this theory that no real cumulative score can accurately judge this movie - Metacritic has it at fifty-three. With recent catastrophes like The Last Airbender and After Earth, Shyamalan may have ruined his reputation beyond repair. Now it’s almost fun to hate on the poor guy. No matter how good or bad The Visit was, the internet is lousy with critics who were going to hate. Could my surprisingly high four stars be the result of the opposite effect? Was I looking for a return to critical acclaim too eagerly? Possibly, but that does not change the feeling of satisfaction and terrible glee I had leaving the theater. So put me down as saying The Visit, about two kids spending a week with their strange(?) grandparents, is simply a good movie. One of the queerest things about the film is the notion that Shyamalan would make his artistic resurgence in a sub-genre as saturated as found-footage horror. Paranormal Activity, this is not. Be thankful, for once, that Shyamalan has a bit of inventive pretension about him. You can tell that he thinks he’s too good for found footage, but the wonderful images and angles he uses to tell his story made me not want to change a thing. Using eerie transitions like crossfades keep the ninety-four minute film feel fresh, well-paced, and effective. | Director: M. Night Shyamalan Starring: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Kathryn Hahn Writer: M. Night Shyamalan |
The director sells us finesse by making his leading lady, Olivia DeJonge’s Becca, an aspiring documentarian. Her use of ten-dollar word and stuffy technical jargon makes it completely believable that her doc would be this visually interesting. DeJonge and co-lead Ed Oxenbould (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) should get much credit for making the film as watchable as it is; especially Oxenbould, whose jubilant presence and adorable lisp makes The Visit a certified comedy. Many directors cannot balance their screams with the laughs, but Shyamalan’s film is as frightening as it is funny, believe it or not.
Eleven films in, the Shyamalan twist has almost become a gimmick, each one growing more grown-worthy than the last. The Visit has an inevitable third-act shocker, but it isn’t as outlandish as some of the director’s late-career work, much to the film’s benefit. It may not be as game changing as The Sixth Sense’s big reveal, but it is believable without being predictable.
Though it is artistic and surprising in a few key areas, the film falls back on the trusty jump scare when nothing else seems to work. You will jump out of fear, but it may leave you wanting when it comes to truly chilling moments. The Visit is in no way going to ignite a Shyamalan-issance; I know this. However, I think he has earned the word “comeback." We should be thankful that he has given us a scary movie in a landscape so short on them, but I don’t think I am quite ready to forget After Earth. I need more time and at least one more good movie, but this is a great start in the right direction.
Eleven films in, the Shyamalan twist has almost become a gimmick, each one growing more grown-worthy than the last. The Visit has an inevitable third-act shocker, but it isn’t as outlandish as some of the director’s late-career work, much to the film’s benefit. It may not be as game changing as The Sixth Sense’s big reveal, but it is believable without being predictable.
Though it is artistic and surprising in a few key areas, the film falls back on the trusty jump scare when nothing else seems to work. You will jump out of fear, but it may leave you wanting when it comes to truly chilling moments. The Visit is in no way going to ignite a Shyamalan-issance; I know this. However, I think he has earned the word “comeback." We should be thankful that he has given us a scary movie in a landscape so short on them, but I don’t think I am quite ready to forget After Earth. I need more time and at least one more good movie, but this is a great start in the right direction.