The Visit

Firstly, I apologise for the predictable caption, but it was too tempting. Also, if we do view this movie in light of Shyamalan's, Sixth Sense, then it seems almost casual by comparison. But in its own right this film is both fun and really quite scary!

The film does a great job of misleading us, making us think that we're in for something altogether more light hearted than it actually is, and for that reason the horror moments are all the more effective. Yet it also doesn't push us too far, providing comic relief just when things get a bit too disturbing.

However, despite its well placed scares and cleverly formulated creepiness, its just a bit too much like a ghost train ride to make it worth more than a mention . The scares it uses are for scares sake alone and the director uses his ingredients well but the movie lacks any real meat.

Best watched without first viewing the trailer I believe.

when i heard the new shyamalan movie was going to be a horror comedy, i was a little down since I have really liked his approaches to the horror and specially his close analysis to family interaction, and sociology in general, for example I do not believe that "the village" was about the creatures at all, it was a deep exploration of the American red fear, and in general all his movies have been amazing for me for that simple reason, he doesn't try to deliberately scare people with the popular way of making you jump in your sit, but tries to make you understand, using horror as an excuse, the way humans think, and what scares us the most of all, in this movie, the excuse is simple, gain the strength to overcome the fears of the past, and using them to overcome an even more difficult situation in present, emotional as it might be, and scary as it might be, a director that can fuse all these elements, in such a scary way, will never be a bad one, and i do consider him a very good indie director...

So this is the movie that has made me finally get an IMDb account and start reviewing film. I have seen so many 1/10 reviews and statements on here suggesting this film is trash and I find that Ridiculous. While this is no Sixth Sense it is still a step back in the right direction for a very interesting director. I found the story line very intriguing once it got going and was actually very creeped out by some of the eerie scenes. I admit the first 5-10 minutes I thought the child stars were a little annoying, especially the rapping teenage boy lol just no! But as we got into the tale I grew to like the two characters more and started to feel a sense of dread for the predicament they are in. The acting is quality throughout and the two older actors who play the grandparents are legitimately quite scary. I had to stick up for this film as some of the reviews are so extreme. I enjoyed this movie so much more than a lot of others out right now. Also the found footage aspect of this film is good, I normally hate the shaky, blurry found footage movies. I don't care if the camera work being poor is more realistic I like to see what's going on at all times. So if you like M Night's movies aren't stuck up and just want to enjoy a creepy film with a nice twist at the end. I say give it a go!

This is Shayamalan's second film after the Last Airbender fiasco. It's a return to his light horror and small, contained story roots. The acting and script were good, and combined with the hand-held mockumentary conceit it felt very real. If you like Shayamalan movies and scary movies about crazy old people, give it a try.

After having spent years squandering the studio money & garnering the wrath of film critics in his past few outings, M. Night Shyamalan takes a break from big-budget productions and decides to return to small-scale projects constrained by shoestring budget in an attempt to rediscover his creative side and with his latest feature, I'd say he has found it.

The Visit tells the story of two siblings who decide to spend a week with their grandparents at their farmhouse while their mother is planning a vacation with her current boyfriend. The two kids, having never met their grandparents in person before, find their company strange at first but as the days pass, they discover a deeply disturbing secret about their hosts.

Written & directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Visit finds the director away from all sort of studio involvement, thus allowing him to rely on his creativity to overcome the restrictions imposed by its low budget and he does a really good job at it. The film makes use of all his trademarks and successfully blends different genres & shooting techniques into one solidly crafted thriller.

Shyamalan's screenplay isn't bad either. The plot is quite simple, the number of characters are kept to a minimum and all have relevant roles to play in the outcome and it's effectively brought to life on the film canvas. The found-footage camera-work is nicely carried out and its tight editing only helps in establishing an increasingly tense & suspenseful atmosphere, which is brilliantly sustained till the end.

The expected Shyamalan twist is also there, following which the movie becomes somewhat predictable and the pay-off isn't much rewarding. The performances are a definitely plus for the kids waste no time in becoming a nuisance, especially that 13-year old rapping douche, but it's actually their grandparents who leave the most lasting impressions with their eerie renditions, which only gets more menacing as the story nears its end.

On an overall scale, The Visit is a welcome return to form for M. Night Shyamalan after his lengthy string of critical & commercial failures and is a strange mix of horror & comedy that is able to balance the elements of both genres quite nicely. It does create a friction at times but for the most part, the narration is smooth. The few bad decisions taken in the picture lie within the characterisation range and as a whole, The Visit succeeds in delivering a thrilling movie experience, that comes loaded with odd laughs in between.