Poor M. Night Shyamalan

[TheWickerFan]

Sorry Sistinas; couldn't resist the temptation.

Poor M. Night Shyamalan. I think it's safe to say his name has become box office poison. What went wrong? I personally think (and I know I'm not alone in this) that his overinflated ego is getting in the way of him admitting to himself that his talent is in directing and not in writing. He definitely has a talent for ratcheting up the tension in a horror film. However, this talent is wasted when the story doesn't live up to the tension created.

Now, confession time. I do enjoy most of M. Night Shyamalan's films. The Sixth Sense was good (though not the masterpiece a lot of people seem to think it is); there were some genuine scares and Toni Collette and Haley Joel Osment generated a lot of sympathy for their characters. Really liked Unbreakable. LOVED Signs. Liked Lady In The Water; I guess it was pretty corny, but I still felt people were way too hard on this film. I enjoyed The Happening up until the second half (or whenever it was they reached Mrs. Jones' farmhouse) then it just ground to a halt (and of course had one of the biggest "WTF?!" endings in movie history). The Village was the only one I really couldn't stand. It had one of the most obvious "twists" I've ever seen, and after all was said and done you realized pretty much nothing happened.

I still hold out hope that M. Night has another great movie, like Signs, left in him. I haven't seen Devil, but it looks truly awful so I guess I'll wait until it comes on TV.

How many M. Night haters and how many defenders?

[Elliot Robertson]

I've watched most of his films and 'Signs' and 'The Happening' are my two favourites of his. I don't hate him.

[massacre man]

He should just re-release Unbreakable every year. I'd see his movies then.

[BH14]

I don't understand why Shyamalan gets such a bad reputation when I have liked a lot of his movies like the sixth sense, unbreakable, signs, even the village and the happening. I didn't care for lady in the water that much. I have to say that he is one of the few people who can make an interesting plot. Sixth Sense and Unbreakable were really great movies.

I will definitely see the devil but probably wait until it comes on netflix or redbox.

[roshiq]

There is a fine line between having an interesting idea or a good concept for a story and then finishing or writing it properly with a satisfying or suitable ending. Like many other modern storytellers in the business Nigh Shyamalan is a fine example regarding this matter. I think he is moderately good with in developing or establishing a premise & few characters for a 'sounds like interesting' story but then starts to lose it gradually. Other than Unbreakable I didn't enjoy his other films.

6th sense is a decent film but the overrated twist at the end didn't surprise me at all. I hate Signs & The Happening and sometime somewhat feel glad that I still haven't seen Lady in the Water & The Village.:)

[Sistinas666]

I'm withe roshiq, Unbreakable was the only M Night movie worth a crap.

[TheWickerFan]

Originally Posted by Sistinas666

I'm withe roshiq, Unbreakable was the only M Night movie worth a crap.

The only film of his I would defend strongly (besides Unbreakable) is Signs. I really enjoyed it.:o

[endo]

Signs was a good movie IMO. I find it hard to feel sorry for the guy though. Most of his stuff has stunk to me, but Hollywood keeps handing him the reigns, not to mention millions of dollars to do what he does.
If I were him, I'd laugh all the way to the bank. I don't feel sorry for anyone with millions of dollars, as a general rule.

There are exceptions, but he isn't one of them.

[benny02]

I found some of his movies quite impressive while others were lacking substance.

[TheLostEyeball]

For my Shyamalan ended at Signs. What a twist!