Old

A strange movie that certainly has many flaws but still one that makes you think. There is some cringy child acting and some of the horror (the broken bones lady) is over the top, but it's an original story that holds your interest for the runtime of the film. Not one of Shyamalan's best but it's a pretty good film and one that is at the very least different from the endless action flicks that are produced these days.

The latest madcap offering from the filmmaker who has made a career out of coming up with truly insane & ambitious ideas over the years (whether he is able to make them work or not in execution being a whole another debate), Old finds the (in)famous writer-director once again experimenting with a crazy concept but the end result is a mixed bag as the film fails to make the most of what was up for grabs.

Written & directed by M. Night Shyamalan (Signs, The Village & The Visit), the story follows a group of tourists who find themselves ageing rapidly on a mysterious & secluded beach. With a lifetime passing in the matter of a single day for all the involved characters, the possibilities worth exploring are endless. However, Shyamalan's erratic direction & bland characterisation prevent the key events to blossom to their full capacity.

There are nonetheless hints of brilliance scattered throughout the picture. It just never unifies into a satisfying whole. The rapid ageing & its debilitating effects is rather unsettling to watch but then the dialogues & performances are so idiotic & over-the-top that we aren't really sure what tone Shyamalan was going for. The film is silly yet serious, fun yet terrifying, thrilling yet amusing, ludicrous yet genius, and is often a cinematic ride of sharp contrasts.

Overall, Old features a premise that not only exhibits promise & potential on paper but is also instantly appealing & downright ambitious. Still, Shyamalan is unable to explore his zany idea to its fullest by failing to weave a compelling narrative around it, thus resulting in a frustrating & confusing experience. He tries to do too much yet only ends up doing too little. All in all, Old has its merits & moments but the ride as a whole feels more or less underwhelming in the end.

... and select every film you watch accordingly. Because you never know when you might get the chance to visit Fantasy Island (not the one in Skegness) and live your life like Ben Button, but a bit faster and in reverse. Not the worst film from the genre and would have been a cult classic if made as a 'B' Movie in the 1950s.

Interesting premise with a contrived letdown of a finale. The film does keep you engaged--just that I was expecting so much more from Shyamalan.

I have read several really bad reviews about this film, and the last film or two I watched from Shyamalan were average at best, but there was something about this film that I did enjoy.

It flew by, it wasn't slow or dull, nor was it particularly scary, instead it relies on the primal fears many have (self included) about the ageing process, and the passing of time, if you are someone who has the slightest worry of time passing, this will resonate.

The location work is awesome, and the production values are superb. Great acting throughout, it's always great to see Rufus Sewell's cheekbones.

Not sure if it was my ears, but I found some of the dialogue a little muffled at times.

All in all, this was good, 7/10.