The Watchers is an unpolished M. Night Shyamalan film

I remember when M. Night Shyamalan was touted as an Alfred Hitchcock for a new generation, and he proved it with three blockbusters one after the other.  The stories, cinematography and twist endings made the Shyamalan name synonymous with thrills and mystery.  The Watchers however, is not directed by M. Night Shyamalan but his influence can be felt throughout the entire movie.

25 years after M. Night Shyamalan’s  breakout film debut his daughter, Ishana Shyamalan, is at the helm of a big budget Hollywood movie.  Do I hear the groans of Nepo baby?  Of course! How can we not go there, think Sofia Coppola before she became an esteemed director.  Nevertheless, the real question should be does this young Shyamalan have the talent?  To be clear The Watchers exceeded my tepid expectations.  Based on A.M. Shine’s cult gothic novel the story takes place in the Irish woods where a group of four find themselves trapped and observed on a daily basis.  While escape from the woods is forbidden, the consequences for not falling in line are even more dire.  Immediately my curiosity was piqued and it stayed in that state for more then half of the film.

With all the hallmarks of the Shyamalan style there was much to enjoy.  The acting is superb with breakout performances by Georgina Campbell and Olwen Fouere.  The pacing and visuals are intriguing, from the initial caged bird’s perspective to the image of Dakota Fanning up against the two-way mirror.  The flow of the storytelling seems familiar however, with the use of lingering memory flashbacks reminding me of Signs and Split. Nevertheless, the biggest problem with this movie is the lacklustre ending.  M. Night Shyamalan’s most recent movies such as Glass, Old and Knock at the Cabin have all fallen flat due to blah finales.  Ishana Shyamalan falls into that same fate with a climax that is confusing, muddled and stitched together haphazardly.  While the journey begins enjoyably, the ending destroys much of its potential and will have the viewer seeking out the novel for a more satisfying experience.

I found it almost impossible to discern which Shyamalan was at the helm of The Watchers.  I want to believe that Ishana Shyamalan has talent and there were moments throughout the film that felt fresh.  Even if we are to believe that M. Night Shyamalan  did not help his daughter we can all agree that she had the best of movie making talent at her disposal.  From cinematographers to camera men and script writers to special effects crew, The Watchers had an advantageous start.  My hope is that with more experience Ishana Shyamalan’s future projects will find their own distinct appearance thus rising her to ranks of other prestigious father-daughter directing combos.  *BTW I saw the trailer for M. Night Shyamalan’s The Trap (coming out in August) and it looked intriguing, with a homage to Anthony Perkins that will make your skin crawl.