It has been a while since I wrote on my blog, and even longer since I had written a film review. So no one is more surprised than me to find that it took a M. Night movie to have me sit in front of my desktop and type out my opinions. (Metaphorically put pen to pad)
Sixteen years ago M. Night Shyamalan became an overnight success with the Sixth Sense. The only theatrical experience I ever encountered where the audience sat in their seats past the closing credits and long after the lights had turned on. The legendary twist that made M. Night a superstar director/writer became his last crowning achievement. No one can argue the fact that every succession of film he created in the last 16 years have been almost degrading than it predecessor.
Welcome to M. Night's comeback movie. The audience weight-in is simple he created a movie that delivered a swerve, that was done in the same structure as Sixth Sense. M. Night's last project was the Tv series Wayward Pines that aired in the early summer; An All star cast with a promising start, with the buzz of Twin Peaks becoming a series on showtime the following year, The series was highly anticipated and was given the 3rd largest simulcast launch in history at that time. Airing in 159 countries worldwide for it's pilot episode. A Ten episode series with the big reveal or twist being discovered by the 5th episode in. To call the reveal ludicrous would be too kind, So the general viewing audience on The Visit's opening day weekend had low expectations, which might be why this film is heralded so greatly. On the surface, everything we are watching has a plausible logical explanation. Looking at the trailers and watching the movie and thinking there is a twist and trying to figure it out as I watched. Is in the audience as well as my own subconscious, a stigma of a M. Night film., but being a bitter audience member discourage by a decade of disappointments I was just looking for logical progression in the movie so I can justify paying to see this movie.
The Premise: Two kids go to see their estranged grandparents, for a week, uncover why their mother parted ways, and rekindle a family bond. The daughter decides to video document their journey; Which proves the basis of the audiences point-of-view. The Odd behaviour of the grandparents can be explained right to the very end , even the scenes of kids scared under the house, we as the audience know exactly what is going on and are ok with the understanding premise. M. Night's power of subtlety is almost overtly bludgeoning, if you pick up on the twist early, some say they caught-on within twenty minutes, others like myself discover the reveal at the end where the reveal is actually laid out. Thinking about the movie in hindsight you have deja vu of Sixth sense, and trace the movie backwards to see where we could have or should have caught on. Here is hoping we don't wait another decade for an excellent movie, that would and could be the worst twist of all.
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