The Story: Two kids spend a week with their estranged grandparents. Weirdness runs in the
family.
Expectations: M. Night Shyamalan wrote and directed this
movie. I feel like I have to
ignore that, because Shyamalan movies come
with either ridiculously high or ridiculously low expectations these days. Personally, I still get enthusiastic
when I see his name above the title—because I genuinely like THE SIXTH SENSE,
UNBREAKABLE, SIGNS, DEVIL and even (to some degree) THE HAPPENING. On the other hand, I was disappointed by THE VILLAGE, LADY IN THE WATER, and AFTER EARTH.
But THE VISIT is also a Blumhouse
release—and they’ve had a pretty good track record lately (see
THE GIFT, HUSH, and CREEP).
Reaction: Patrick Bromley, over at F This Movie!, has been running
his own annual Scary Movie Challenge, prompting listeners to write and post
7-word reviews for every film they watch in the month of October. I have not been participating very much, because
I can’t write 7-word reviews. I’m
just not clever enough. But a
7-word review inadvertently popped into my head while I was watching this
movie:
“Old people are scary. Especially when naked.”
Conveniently, this review also sums up THE SENTINEL (1977).
What else can I say about THE
VISIT? I found it alternately unsettling and obnoxious (which I supposed is inevitable for any film that combines found footage and 12-year-old whiteboy
rapping). Thankfully, toward the
end, the film gets more unnerving and less obnoxious. I love the scene where grandma introduces the phrase “the deep darkies.” The vague weirdness of that phrase is
emblematic of the film as a whole.
What exactly is the threat?
I’m not going to spoil it…
but I will say that the film remains unnerving even once you’ve figured out Shyamalan's “twist”
ending.
Most Nightmare-Worthy Moment: Grandma's oven.
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