‘The Visit’ is scary, but not entertaining
Thursday September 24, 2015 | By:Tony Baksa |
M. Night Shyamalan has to be admired for his sheer perseverance. As writer and director of 14 films and several TV series spanning 23 years, Shyamalan manages to get movies produced based on his 1999 blockbuster success “The Sixth Sense”. He has never matched the quality of “Sixth Sense” and it looks like he never will. His newest offering, “The Visit”, has so much wrong with it that it is difficult to know where to begin with my criticism.
The set-up is enticing. Siblings Becca and Tyler are sent off by their single mom for a week’s visit with their grandparents at their Pennsylvania farm. The kids have never met their mother’s parents due to a 15 year estrangement. Secrets abound and the fun of the movie should be uncovering these secrets. No fun here as predictable events follow each other to a sordid and most unpleasant conclusion. The unpleasantness comes from watching a 15 year old girl and a 13 year old boy being terrorized by, frankly, disgusting methods.
A horror film should be scary but fun and above all else entertaining. None of the above applies. From the moment the kids set foot on the remote farm, the anticipation is stolen from us by obvious signs of trouble. We are then taken through the week as the screen‘s graphics announce the passing of each day leading up to the inevitable Saturday showdown. And you see it all coming from the first reel. There is one major plot twist that is fantastic and may have been the selling point to the movie’s producers. Would that it had inspired a better backstory.
“The Visit” is scary but not in a compelling way. It is atrocious and repulsive in the way it forces you to avert your eyes! It fails to set up rules for us to believe in. It is more than anything else – annoying. The script is pretentious. There are so many holes in its logic. I wish I could point them all out to you but for this genre that wouldn’t be fair. I am opposed to spoiler alerts. Just to say, the only spoiler here is M. Night Shyamalan. How could this movie come from the same person who gave us the hauntingly beautiful “The Sixth Sense”? How does he get money to make films? His track record is abysmal. What is especially pathetic is that Shyamalan steals unashamedly from low budget movies like the “Paranormal” franchise and can’t even up the ante.
On a positive note, the unfamiliar cast is appealing given the circumstances. I’d like to see Olivia DeJonge (Becca) in future projects. She has a natural quality that makes you care what happens to her.
Directed with no wit or vision, the movie avoids much needed special effects. The same can be said of the script. Rod Serling would have had a field day with this story.
At the risk of being obvious, don’t visit “The Visit”. It is a trip you will regret.
The set-up is enticing. Siblings Becca and Tyler are sent off by their single mom for a week’s visit with their grandparents at their Pennsylvania farm. The kids have never met their mother’s parents due to a 15 year estrangement. Secrets abound and the fun of the movie should be uncovering these secrets. No fun here as predictable events follow each other to a sordid and most unpleasant conclusion. The unpleasantness comes from watching a 15 year old girl and a 13 year old boy being terrorized by, frankly, disgusting methods.
A horror film should be scary but fun and above all else entertaining. None of the above applies. From the moment the kids set foot on the remote farm, the anticipation is stolen from us by obvious signs of trouble. We are then taken through the week as the screen‘s graphics announce the passing of each day leading up to the inevitable Saturday showdown. And you see it all coming from the first reel. There is one major plot twist that is fantastic and may have been the selling point to the movie’s producers. Would that it had inspired a better backstory.
“The Visit” is scary but not in a compelling way. It is atrocious and repulsive in the way it forces you to avert your eyes! It fails to set up rules for us to believe in. It is more than anything else – annoying. The script is pretentious. There are so many holes in its logic. I wish I could point them all out to you but for this genre that wouldn’t be fair. I am opposed to spoiler alerts. Just to say, the only spoiler here is M. Night Shyamalan. How could this movie come from the same person who gave us the hauntingly beautiful “The Sixth Sense”? How does he get money to make films? His track record is abysmal. What is especially pathetic is that Shyamalan steals unashamedly from low budget movies like the “Paranormal” franchise and can’t even up the ante.
On a positive note, the unfamiliar cast is appealing given the circumstances. I’d like to see Olivia DeJonge (Becca) in future projects. She has a natural quality that makes you care what happens to her.
Directed with no wit or vision, the movie avoids much needed special effects. The same can be said of the script. Rod Serling would have had a field day with this story.
At the risk of being obvious, don’t visit “The Visit”. It is a trip you will regret.
With all due respect Tony, My daughter and I were very entertained and thought the boy was hilarious. We went in taking it for what was worth and did not expect much. I agree with a lot of your points, but if you go in knowing it's not going to be the Sixth Sense, you can actually have a pretty good laugh, with the exception of the diaper scene. That was completely disgusting and unnecessary to say the least. I love horror and thrillers and the one thing on a positive note I'll say is that it's refreshing to see a movie not use an overdose of paranormal scenes to scare people and for that, it made it somewhat realistic in parts. On the other hand, there were unnecessary scenes put in in an attempt to scare, which frankly did not. That's my take, but all in all, it was entertaining.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review, David - much appreciated.
DeleteI always want to like his films. I've seen them all. Only liked 3 - Sixth Sense, Signs and The Village.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. I don't know why he's made so many. I think the concept was good. I think I went in hoping to laugh to be honest. I felt myself waiting to see what the boy would do next more than anything else. I'm sure that wasn't the goal but I found him refreshing.
DeleteHis ideas are good but I feel that's the easy part. Did you see his "Lady in the Lake" ? It qualifies as one of the worst movies ever made by a major film maker.
DeleteI never saw that one. I didn't like the previews. I like horror movies that are quote end quote "Realistic". I believe that the paranormal exists through my own experience and like when movies touch on situations that could really happen. Not that I don't have an imagination, but it takes a lot to really Scare me if I don't think it could really happen if that makes sense. Movies I think that are truly scary are those that make you think when you get home " could that happen to me?" Lol
DeleteThat's why I love Hitchcock. He puts ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances - no stupid monsters just the all powerful fear factor.
DeleteI completely agree! Love Hitchcock.
DeleteOh, The Village, with the blind girl, I remember that one! Good one.
ReplyDeleteWas looking forward to this one! Why can't they make a good horror flick anymore ??? I've seen almost every horror flick in existence and am disappointed when they are predictable I A good scary flick does not need all the gore I'll save my money and wait til it's on Netflix !! Good review Godfather!!!
ReplyDeleteDamnit. He peaked at Sixth Sense.
ReplyDeleteSixth Sense was a wondeful and very emotiinal movie. It was clever but also very moving.
DeleteAnd well acted!
Deleteenjoy your writing immensely.
ReplyDeleteI personally found The Visit to be very entertaining.
It could've been the drive-in food however (I love popcorn!!).
Xoxo
just feel this could have been so outstanding if a different less obvious approach had been taken. Thanks, Amber, for reading. - t
DeleteAlways delighted to read anything you've written - you have a gift !!
DeleteNo popcorn needed either to be entertained by you :) xo
Thanks, Amber!
Delete