Joss Whedon's deconstruction of the horror genre is interesting and, at times entertaining, but in the end it falls flat. Whedon raises an interesting question: Is horror, in so far as it satisfies the human desire for violence in a 'safe' sanitized manner, something positive and beneficial, or is it simply an excuse to indulge in our lowest urges? I would argue (and have) that the genre can and should fulfill a loftier purpose and speak to higher spiritual realities, and dangers, that threaten the human person both from without and within. In any case, films like this, which seem content to be about art rather then about life, tend to come across as insular and elitist, tackling questions that are removed from the day-to-day lives of ordinary people.
6.8/10
16. The Sixth Sense (1990)
Shyamalan's masterpiece came out of nowhere in 1999. In some ways, an interesting companion piece to his earlier (underrated) Wide Awake, The Sixth Sense explores grief, domestic strife and spiritual terror and does it so brilliantly and effortlessly that it puts similar efforts (Jacob's Ladder for example) to shame. Perhaps inadvertently, Shyamalan illustrates the basic reasoning behind the doctrine of purgatory. The dead people who haunt young Cole (Harry Joel Osment) do so because they have unresolved business and hence attachment to this earthly plane. It is through Cole's intercession, as it were, that they are allowed to pass on. The now famous twist ending holds up not because it is shocking but because, in retrospect, the whole film makes more sense in light of it.
9.4/10
Though he could, perhaps, never live up to the expectations set by The Sixth Sense Shyamalan gave it a heck of a try in this, his second major effort behind the camera. He continues to prove himself a master of mixing drama and suspense, the scene involving Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark) and his father's gun being a brilliant case-in-point. The director is always at his best when exploring the family unit, and David's relationship with his wife and son anchor what might otherwise be a dreary, existential piece exploring ideas about destiny, heroism and ambition.
8.6/10
18. Signs (2002)
Though the weakest of Shyamalan's three great successes, Signs is, perhaps, the one that speaks to me the most. Not unlike Hitchcock's The Birds it uses the structure of a disaster movie to explore a family unit, one struggling, as in so many of the director's films, to keep it together. Graham's loss and regaining of faith, even if hackneyed at times, gets at something fundamental to religious belief: whether we see order and purpose in the sufferings and challenges of life or, seeing only meaningless chaos, despair and rage against God.
8.4/10
The director's first critical failure, The Village is a much better film then its reputation would suggest. Featuring great performances from Bryce Dallas Howard and Joaquin Phoenix and beautiful cinematography from the great Roger Deakins, the film explores some really interesting ideas about the relationship between truth and morality and the struggle to maintain both in an increasingly immoral world. What is missing, notably in comparison with the director's earlier work, is an idea of the transcendent, which makes the film less satisfying than the director's best. But, given the ambiguities the The Village deals with. perhaps that was point.
8.2/10
20. Lady in the Water (2006)
Lady in the Water is Shyamalan's first real failure. Though its admirable that he had the integrity to tell stick to his guns and tell his story his way (supposedly it is based on stories he told to his own kids) it seems more than likely that his previous successes may have gotten to his head. The result is confusing and, oftentimes, bizarre. In contrast to all of his earlier films, Shyamalan makes no effort to make us believe in the whimsical world he presents. He also relies, far too often, on lengthy exposition to communicate both story and theme.
5.8/10
A vastly underrated movie, and a refreshing one after the tedious and pretentious Lady in the Water, The Happening a wonderfully stripped done disaster movie. Is it cheesy? Of course! Shyamalan was clearly trying to make a throwback to corny old b-movies like the blob and, even if he is less successful the Hitchcock was with The Birds, he still manages to craft an incredibly entertaining movie whilst injecting his own sense quirkiness. Mark Wahlberg's line delivery, while admittedly bizarre and not good acting from an objective standpoint, only serves to make the film that much more enjoyable.
7.4/10
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