M Night Shyalaman has had hits. He has had duds.. He has had the LADY IN THE WATER..
This year, he’s back, and as usual, a mixed bag of fans and foes are beginning to study each second of the trailer for the new film THE VISIT..
From what we know, the movie’s premise revolves around children going to see their grandchildren at a rural Pennsylvania farm.. After some strange goings on, it becomes clear that things get weird after 9:30..
The trailer for the movie is here:
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1
Showcasing the multitude of viewpoints on the new film’s potential, we can offer up links to two alternative sources of information with varied opinions on the trailer. Laura Bradley writes that the trailer is unintentionally hilarious in SLATE.. She writes,
Anyone who sat through The Happening might not be able to believe it, but Shyamalan has managed to make a horror movie about something even less scary than plants: grandma and grandpa.
Mike Schuster with IFC takes a different approach, asking if this could be Shyamalan’s first ‘good movie’ in over a decade—though some true and tridents fans may see that opening question as a false narrative, it’s clear that the box office successes of SIXTH SENSE and SIGNS didn’t translate into future success for the HAPPENING, THE VILLAGE, or LADY IN THE WATER. Schuster says this about the trailer, which appears to be promising to him:
It might get your hopes up that Shyamalan’s back in the game. And God knows we’ve been burned before
My take..
The movie showcases some of what Shyalaman does best, in my thought. He sets a peaceful and quaint location with brilliance. He startles with simplicity.. And he knows how to make Pennsylvania look like Pennsylvania, as someone from the same state he made famous with his Philadelphia films.. The trailer doesn’t give much away, obviously. I think the trailer is actually weak—maybe I agree more with Bradley’s SLATE thoughts than I do the IFC viewpoint..
I never judge a Shyalaman movie until it’s over. Completely over.
Call me nuts, some have, but I thought certain aspects of LADY IN THE WATER were beautiful and amazing. Same with the VILLAGE..
I think most would agree the HAPPENING just wasn’t happnin’..
But THE VISIT?
We will see when the autumn leaves begin to change and September 11 rolls around. His movie will be in theaters.. for better or worse..