M. Night Shyamalan has always had an eccentric aspect to his work, usually in the mode of the supernatural and occult. However, what was once a defining flair to his films seems to have become their downfall.
His most recent, Trap, is currently at a 2.9 rating on Letterboxd, while his prior release, Old, is at a 2.4 overall. The change to his reputation is saddening, and though I can agree with criticisms of his newer work, I cannot agree with his aptitude as a filmmaker being clouded over because of it. The brilliance of his earlier films, such as Signs (2002) and The Village (2004), should at least oppose his recent controversy, and if not redeem his name.
The first film of Shyamalan’s I watched was Signs, with Joaquin Phoenix and Mel Gibson. This was years ago and as a teenager, it certainly took my mother a lot of convincing to get me to watch this old film I had heard nothing about. But after seeing it, I understand her demands for my full attention. Shyamalan has the most incredible grasp on perspective and detail, and it is one of my favourite films to this day.
Signs tells the story of a priest, Graham (Gibson), his two children and his brother Merrill (Phoenix), all struggling with the concept of religion and their changed family dynamic. The detail of the characters, flaws and all, gives the family an imperfect charm, and arguably the film could have been great without the introduction of the supernatural—in the form of an alien invasion.
A slightly later film by Shyamalan, The Village, has similarly strong characters. Set in 19th Century Pennsylvania, it follows the lives of families who are surrounded by woods which harbour terrifying inhuman creatures. The storyline, however, is fueled by a romance, and Shyamalan writes one of the most beautiful confessions of love between the two leads—one generally ignored in favour of Darcy’s speech in Pride and Prejudice or Anna Scotts’ in Notting Hill when considering great romantic on-screen moments. With the grounding notions of love and conventional situations within familial relationships, Shyamalan’s supernatural themes are less of a witless extravagance and more of a storytelling tool that expands his film and showcases his talent.
This other-worldly nature of his work is a source of criticism, yet it exists both in his award-winning films and his least popular. I don’t believe, therefore, that the bizarreness in his films is its downfall; rather it is the balance it has against the film’s naturalism. The melodrama of the aliens in Signs, for example, is countered by the families’ pragmatism and deep care for each other. In The Village, the fear sparked by the unknown beings and a leading theme of secrecy are balanced by a simple romance story. We can partly suspend our belief in the film when there are grounding notions and sufficient attention to the ordinary, but when the abnormal supersedes sense the audience becomes lost in the oddness.
To people who are unconvinced by this defence, I highly encourage giving Shyamalan’s earlier films a watch. He is, of course, the director of The Sixth Sense (1999), one of the most famous thrillers made, but the films mentioned here are just as good in their twists. If you get disillusioned by the extravagance, turn to the world Shyamalan caters to outside of the supernatural. There is incredible dialogue, scores, and visuals, along with a plethora of believable, intricate characters, that deserve your attention. If you give them a chance, I’m sure you will see how what can be initially seen as unrealistic or mindless, becomes brilliance.
Words by India Gwyn-Williams
Support the Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.