The Visit Review

2015 in film

Sep 9

Written By Rendy Jones

Preview

PG13: Disturbing Thematic Material Including Terror, Violence, Grandma Booty, and For Brief Language

Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Studios

1 hr and 34 Minutes

Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Peter McRobbie, with Deanna Dunagun, and Kathryn Hahn

Editor’s Note: This review was originally published during my adolescence. Outdated language might be seen in these old posts. Since then, my thoughts and values have grown. This review is being presented as they were originally written, grammatical errors, shitty sentence structure, and typos galore. Because to do otherwise would be that same as claiming these flaws never existed.

BACKSTORY: Tuesday August 18th I took some friends to a screening of the new M. Night Shyamalan film the Visit that he wrote and directed. Because of his bad rap for the past years (and how I felt personally offended from Last Airbender in 2010 which was the first film I said fuck you to) I was ready to tear this film a new one. As much I wanted to bash this film, I'm not ashamed to say I had a great time watching this film.

STORYLINE: The terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents' remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip. Once the children discover that the elderly couple is involved in something deeply disturbing, they see their chances of getting back home are growing smaller every day.

REVIEW: You think Wayward Pines brought back M. Night Shyamalan into form, well you got another thing coming! The past several years we were always appalled by M. Night films for being both humorless and complicated with nothing but exposition. Usually he fails at character and depth in the story elements the film sets itself up in. In The Visit, HE GETS RID OF ALL OF THAT. Surprisingly he manages to write a story that's simplistic, comedic and meaningful. Even the twist itself is so simplistic that you didn't see it coming cause you expect it to be a mind fuck thats so ridiculous because HE'S SHYAMALAN!

*DISCLAIMER* THIS MOVIE IS A COMEDY IT'S NOT HORROR IT'S A COMEDIC THRILLER

In the form of found footage, we get to know Rebecca and Tyler who have fun personalities playing with their cameras. You don't only like the characters but you like the kids playing them, because they both have a lot of charisma especially Oxenbould ( Alexander fromAlexander and the Terrible Horrible you know the rest) who is a riot. The way Shyamalan uses the found footage for interviews actually help explore the siblings and their mom that explain their abandonment issues. The rest of the film besides exploring characters is dark comedic scenes that chillingly builds up to a rather crazy third act. The film moves fast and every scene is engaging whether you're getting to know the characters or having the kids see grandparents are more messed up than they seem. Where a lot of comedies with dark tones mess up in transitional tonal shifting, the tonal shifting in here is natural. When the movie has to get intense, it's as if the script says "okay the fun and games are over let's get this shit done." The way the film ends though is extremely strong where it has a great message of not holding grudges. The film has several flaws such as editing choices. If you have a movie that is filmed in found footage be consistent with your style which means no cross fades to establish the next day. The only thing that slightly gives it a pass is the cool looking title cards that establishes how many days the kids have visited. Another complaint is the humor. You are expected to laugh with Shyamalan in his script, but he introduces super duper small characters just to make a joke specifically the train conductor in the beginning. The result with him is funny, but entirely unnecessary. As the film goes on several comedic moments are head-scratchily awkward, but still funny. It's unnecessary humor for some parts, but still very humorous.

LAST STATEMENT: The Visit is M. Night Shyamalan's triumphant return back to 90s style cheap horror thrills and chills that is written very humorously with a great message and likable young characters.