“The Visit”
Starring: Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Universal Pictures / Rated PG-13
I am not sure if this is M. Night Shyamalan’s return to glory or not. He’s had a pretty long string of misfires that just by sheer numbers he’s bound to make a decent film.
And “The Visit” is a decent film. But it’s not a sophisticated horror movie as I would expect from Shyamalan. This is more of a ‘training’ horror film.
In the film, a single mother sends her daughter and son to their grandparent’s home for a week-long visit. Grandma and Grandpa have been estranged form the mother and have never met their grand kids. In an effort to rebuild a relationship and to get to know their family the kids agree and take off to the family farm.
But then the kids begin to notice some pretty odd behavior and as the week goes on, stranger and stranger things begin to happen.
The film offers up its story with an adequate pace and decent direction. But telegraphs too much and within the first 15 minutes of the film, most people have figured out the plot.
“The Visit” does offer up a few good laughs and there are a couple of shocking moments, but it pretty much boils down to jumping at the camera and yelling “boo.”
What “The Visit” lacks is a truly terrifying psychological feel to bring out a lingering ‘creepy’ feel. I think Shyamalan has replaced ‘terror’ with ‘shock.’ The difference is ‘shock’ happens fast and ‘terror’ takes its time to grow.
“The Visit” gets a C+ and is rated PG-13.
