The Visit

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!

It's hard to talk about any M. Night films these days without discussing his career trajectory, how he started off incredibly strong with a triple knockout of The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs, only to have his potential squandered, or at least questioned, with films like The Happening, The Last Airbender, and After Earth. As a fan of Shyamalan myself, even I had to admit that he may have lost his luster. With that being said, I'm overjoyed and elated to say that The Visit is Shyamalan's best film since The Village over 10 years ago (my personal favorite). And it's not so bad it's good. The Visit is a legitimately good film, with great performances, terrific setups and even better payoffs, and an overall simple but satisfying story, which is all Shyamalan needs right now.

It's difficult to say much about the story without revealing too much, because The Visit is essentially the type of film where it's better the less you know going in. It's not to say the film is filled with plot twists left and right, but how cleverly it subverts expectations, especially based on the film's misleading marketing campaign. Let this be known: The Visit is a horror AND comedy. It's downright hilarious (intentionally so) during a majority of the film but also equally scary and creepy, which is what M. Night is known for. I was laughing hysterically and screaming, sometimes at the same time! The success of the film is how effectively it jumps in between the two genres and frequently on the dime. The third act showcases this in the best possible way and in full Shyamalan fashion.

Though there are plenty of laughs and screams to be had, The Visit is also filled with surprising moments of drama. There are, at the very least, three genuinely beautiful scenes. One of those involves a zoom in of a certain character, and it's utterly heartbreaking. Credit must be given to Shyamalan who manages to get great performances from his actors, a welcome change after the stilted and wooden performances in his last few films. Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould play the leads, and they're completely likable in their roles. Oxenbould, in particular, steals every scene he's in, providing many of the film's biggest laughs. Seriously, the jokes in here are funnier than most comedies released these days. Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie are also rightfully creepy as the kids' offbeat grandparents. Last but not least, Kathryn Hahn leaves a great impression, despite the limited screen time she has. She's truly wonderful here.

Overall, The Visit is ridiculously entertaining and a total crowd pleaser. It's the film we were all hoping for Shyamalan to make to get him out of the slump. No, it's not as great as his first four films, but it's a step towards the right direction. Recently, it's been revealed that he'll reunite with producer Jason Blum and Joaquin Phoenix for a new project. If it's another low budget feature like The Visit, which it most likely will be, we might be witnessing an era of Shyamalascance. After all, going back to basics is his greatest asset right now. Who says horror/comedy can't work?

UPDATE: The film is even better the second time around, and I noticed a lot of details I missed during the first viewing. There's even clever meta humor sprinkled throughout that might not be apparent at first. Additionally, I'd like to put a spotlight on Deanna Dunagan, who I didn't give enough credit to beforehand. She was fantastic. How great and fulfilling it is for an actress her age to have a role that is complicated and complex as is the character of Nana, to be sweet and motherly in one scene only to switch (convincingly) to creepy and insane the next. In one especially dramatic scene, you will even ache for her. Only if you stop to think will you notice the many layers Dunagan has to play with, and for that reason, she should be praised.

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.

The Good: The most surprising thing about this movie was how it uniquely found a way to be scary, but still include funny moments throughout the film. It knew when to be funny, and when to be scary, without mixing the two together. The scary parts will provide quite a few jump- scares, and in some scenes they will simply disturb you. The young boy, "Tyler" (played by Ed Oxenbould ), will quickly become a favorite in this film with his various remarks, "swearing", and "skills". I think it's fair to say that "Nana", played by Deanna Dunagan, does a really good job of playing the crazy grandma given all the versatile things she did in the movie. For some, the plot twist in the story will be mild, but good nevertheless.

The Bad: As we've come to know from director M. Night Shyamalan (The 6th Sense, Signs), the "big twist" is to be expected. Because of that, if you're an over-analyzer of movies like me, you'll probably see the twist coming from a mile away. So in that aspect, the story is mildly predictable. (That doesn't ruin the movie though) Many of the scary scenes you'll see coming, and for the most part are not terrifying to the point that will give you nightmares. It's very generic horror and scare tactics that we've seen before.

The Reason: Okay, so here's the real deal about this movie. M. Night Shyamalan is known for having a really bad reputation for putting out movies like Lady in the Water, The Village, The Happening, and others. He started off great with The 6th Sense and Signs, but since then, audiences have been generally disappointed. Luckily for The Visit, this movie was not one of his bad films. It was disturbingly funny and scary at the same time. This film is like his "makeup movie" to audiences. For example, in a relationship, if a guy messes up and constantly disappoints his girlfriend, he may give her flowers as an apology. Now the girlfriend may like the flowers, but that doesn't mean the boyfriend is completely forgiven. Shyamalan is in the same boat. The Visit is his "flowers" to audiences. We'll take it, but he's still got a lot more work to do to make up for all the other not-so-great movies he's given us.

Take caution if you decide to see it. It's a unique movie. Not a Hollywood blockbuster by any means, but I wouldn't be surprised if many would enjoy it. To see this movie I recommend: Go in with low expectations, pay the matinée price, and go with a friend or date. (You'll want to talk about it afterwards)

The Rating: 7/10

For more of my reviews visit: www.EmansMovieReviews.com

I almost didn't see this film because of all the hate for it on this site. I was going to skip it - considering it wasting my time, but my wife insisted. Afterwards, I was pleasantly surprised and glad we watched it.

It's not really a very typical horror film. It's not even a typical M. Night film. It is scary at times, but mostly creepy. It leaves you glued, wondering what's going to happen next. Which is what a film is supposed to do.

It's low-budget. There isn't anybody in it you would recognize. Which, to me, made it seem more "real." It's not perfect. It does have some clichés, some jump out and "BOO!" kind of scares, which turn some people off. It is NOT a 'found footage' film. Reviewers who labeled it that don't know the definition. The young girl is trying to shoot a documentary and SOMETIMES you look through the camera lens as she's filming. But it's NOT the whole movie and nobody finds the footage. The camera is sometimes shaky, but they are kids, not pros, and it doesn't do that very long. It does have very few plot issues that you kind of have to "go with." What horror film doesn't?

But - I've certainly seen worse thriller/horror type movies. I've even seen worse M. Night movies. This is the best from him in years. The acting was decent and the characters seemed real and flawed. The story was intriguing and it kept you guessing. Just when it seemed like it might be getting long, it was over. Not my favorite movie, but certainly not as bad as people are panning it. It's worth your time if you like this sort of movie.

I'll make you a deal -- If you don't like horror thrillers, don't watch them or review them and I'll do the same for romantic comedies.