M Night Shyamalan

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

I've never been a fan of this chap - perhaps it doesn't help that I lived for several years with a woman who was a huge fan and dragged me to see THE LADY IN THE WATER at the cinema, also subjecting me to repeated viewings of THE VILLAGE. I will also add that I think THE HAPPENING is one of the worst films I've seen in the cinema during the past decade or so: I went to see this one with my crazy, drunken Irish lodger, and after chuntering through the first half hour, we both found ourselves in absolute stitches at the death-by-shotgun business (and Wahlberg's prolonged scream of 'Nooooooooooooooooooooo!') and all the stupid nonsense about the bees. Much to the annoyance of the other members of the audience, it seems, who seemed to be taking the film deadly seriously.

I remember seeing THE SIXTH SENSE at the cinema and thinking it was a pale shadow of DEAD AND BURIED (from which the film's famous twist ending seemed to have been pilfered); I haven't seen that film since.

However, the other week I bought a cheap boxset of SIGNS, UNBREAKABLE and THE SIXTH SENSE on Blu-ray. Scanning through SIGNS and UNBREAKABLE, I'd forgotten how entertaining these two films are. SIGNS has its moments, I think; I dismissed it during its initial release, despite a friend's assertions that it was a strong picture, but I've grown to like it (largely because of Phoenix's performance). On the other hand, UNBREAKABLE is a genuinely good film - perhaps Shyamalan's only 'good' picture. It's remarkable how rapidly his work deteriorated after SIGNS, I think. I find it odd that he still gets the go ahead on pictures like AFTER EARTH (which I've no interest in seeing, to be honest).

The burning question: now that 14 years have passed, should I rewatch THE SIXTH SENSE? And does anyone else like UNBREAKABLE?

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

I much prefer JACOB'S LADDER to THE SIXTH SENSE. Something borrowed (JACOB'S LADDER) mixed in with something new mixed in with something else borrowed DEAD AND BURIED).

UNBREAKABLE is excellent. A refined and sophisticated super-hero film. It's the only time Shamalyn's temperament works in favor and not against his material.

I also like SIGNS although it fell apart in the third act. I knew as soon as the baseball bat was brought up at the beginning that it would figure in the ending. The alien can't live up to the build-up and as soon as it's shown, the film is over. One of the SCARY MOVIE entries ripped SIGNS to shreds. Schamalyn should have sued.

I want to like Shamalyn as a genre director, but his films just don't hold together.

[Mark Tolch Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark Tolch]

I really didnt like UNBREAKABLE the first time I saw it...a revisit proved me mostly wrong. the ending is still terrible. Sixth sense is decent....SIGNS is terrible. good director, mediocre writer.

[The Silly Swede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Silly Swede]

There is an English/american expression I feel applies to him perfectly. "One Trick Pony". Never Before has an expression been so perfect a match for someone.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

I much prefer JACOB'S LADDER to THE SIXTH SENSE. Something borrowed (JACOB'S LADDER) mixed in with something new mixed in with something else borrowed DEAD AND BURIED).

I haven't seen JACOB'S LADDER in years either, Richard. I should correct that soon.

SIGNS was frustrating, but there was enough in that film for me to stick with the premise and grudgingly accept the direction in which it was carried. I think UNBREAKABLE was quite remarkable, on the other hand - like Mark, I find this film has grown on me in the years since its first release. If, as Chris says, Shyamalan is a 'one trick pony', UNBEARABLE is the proverbial pony - not THE SIXTH SENSE.

However, given his fairly abominable output since the early 2000s, I don't understand how Shyamalan manages to get these big productions off the ground.

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

Shyamalan is one of those directors that I never go out of my way to see but I wont necessarily change the channel if his films are on tv. Because of this I'm not sure if I've ever actually sat down and watched one from start to finish but some of them have sections I might have seen 3 or 4 times and I can piece them together mentally as whole movies. Not ideal obviously but I'm not sure he warrants more attention than that.

Anyway never made it through much of Unbreakable. It just so dour. I find a film that's so monotonal hard to get though. You want to grab these people, give them a good shake and tell 'em to cheer the hell up.

The Sixth Sense is a good enough film I guess. Low key dramas are just not really my thing. It's good, professional work though.

The Happening. Well I like it. Not saying it's good because it's got some horrible moments but I think there are some genuine scares in there and it's strange and bewildering enough to keep my attention. The Exterminating Angels finale was an odd touch to finish it on though. It hints at a few things not touched on at all during the film and confuses things a good deal.

[sukebanboy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sukebanboy]

Three words for you all....

THE LAST AIRBENDER

He wrote and directed it...

Enuff said

SIXTH SENSE was ok....the TWIST was obviously the best part..well done for what it was...

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I had The Sixth Sense figured out early on, so I never got sucked into it the way a lot of other people did. I loved Unbreakable, bad ending and all. Everything else... meh. I'm with Dom, I don't go out of my way to see his stuff but if it's on TV and there's nothing else to do...

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

Three words for you all....

THE LAST AIRBENDER

He wrote and directed it...

Enuff said

I've not seen it, but judging by the bulk of his output I can guess it's pretty dreadful

[Alex K. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alex K.]

Unbreakable is his only good film. It's a damn good film though. After that he became a parody of himself.

Also, I'm about to watch the Rifftrax version of The Happening.

[Zane C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Zane C.]

I may have mentioned this before, but it have a friend with whom I have a running argument with about Shyamalan. He says Shyamalan is the next Hitchcock, to which I have told him he is dreaming.

MNS is a one trick pony, and I'm actually shocked ANYONE bankrolls ANY of his movies.