M. Night Shyamalan is back with “an original thriller” that he wrote and directed. Not since The Happening has he attempted a return to his roots of providing us something chilling with a twist that changes everything. And the poor folks (I am one of them) who had to sit through that one may leave pissed off after becoming a victim of The Visit. Here’s a hint: When the audience is laughing as if it’s a comedy, something has gone awfully wrong somewhere in the transformation from the page to the big screen.
With that said, comedy does play a part in the movie and that is smart on Shymalan’s part, however, where in the hell did all of the astute, hair-raising scenes go?! Surely, he wrote a few of them. The story is a simple one. A brother and sister go visit their grandparents who they’ve never had a relationship with. The sister (Olivia DeJonge) thinks this is the perfect premise for a documentary. She takes herself a little too seriously while her brother (Ed Oxenbould) is the only intentional comic relief. He also can rap on cue.
Before you know it, the kids start to see some weird stuff occur after their 9:30 pm bedtime. Nana (Deanna Dunagan) is running around the house trying to climb the walls and has a real obsession about cleaning the oven….with her grandchildren inside of it. Then there’s Pop-pop (Peter McRobbie). Let’s just say he spends a lot of time in the shed. Oh and on one occasion he is caught with a gun in his mouth. So there’s that. At this point, we can all agree you can’t really blame the kids for being a little freaked out. The best part of this nonsense is the only real defense that is used throughout the entire movie to explain why the grandparents are so nuts is because, well, they are old. Of course! So logical! Everything makes sense!
Now to the part you are all waiting for. Is there that big signature M. Night twist?! Well there is a scene showing an old woman’s ass and another involving a dirty diaper. Wait. Let’s start over.
There’s a surprise that stitches all the craziness together, but honestly, most of you either will have already figured it out or you won’t care at all. Pain is in my heart when I say M. Night may want to just stick to TV. This comes from a guy who loved The Sixth Sense all the way to Lady in the Water. That’s right! I highly enjoyed Lady in the Water! Years have passed and he is simply unable to surprise or entertain us anymore. The Visit is a second-rate attempt from a once determined, audacious filmmaker. An original thriller? Not a chance. An unbelievably deplorable thriller is more like it.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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