Did you know M. Night Shyamalan's debut feature wasn't The Sixth Sense? He actually had two other movies that didn't do well at all before his big hit. This comes to mind when watching his daughter Ishana's debut, The Watchers. It's a fine start, though she might be following a bit too closely in her father's footsteps with a reliance on unnatural dialogue and a shocking twist.
The Watchers leans more into creepy vibes than outright scares. It won't haunt your dreams, but it'll definitely give you the chills. Personally, I dug the Twilight-esque color grading; it added a cool vibe to the movie. However, the excessive ADR felt slapped together, and there were some glaring continuity errors with people and objects moving between shots.
The first quarter of the movie is genuinely tense, with mysterious creatures lurking in the shadows and eerie sounds coming from the forest, creating some solid suspense. Unfortunately, a lot of the movie could've been trimmed without losing anything important. It often feels like it's going in circles, repeating the same stuff without pushing the plot forward. Despite all of the red herrings and elaborate setup, there's little payoff by the end.
I didn't find the initial reveal as disappointing as others did, though the CGI looks dated, like a 2015 video game. The inclusion of Irish folklore is cool, but the movie grinds to a halt for lengthy exposition several times. This would've been unbearable if not for the strong performances by the cast. Unfortunately the script is filled with unnatural dialogue. While this might add to the creepy atmosphere, it sometimes made me chuckle at the silliness.
The 25-minute epilogue could have easily been condensed into the third act, as it drags the movie out unnecessarily. While the movie starts strong with great tension-building, it eventually loses steam due to thin characters and dumb decisions. It's frustrating when characters forget crucial info just to serve the plot. Ishana has potential and could soar with better material, but this movie isn't quite there.
In a year with horrors like Imaginary, Night Swim, and a dreadful Strangers remake, The Watchers is far from the worst, but it's not among the best either.
The Watchers leans more into creepy vibes than outright scares. It won't haunt your dreams, but it'll definitely give you the chills. Personally, I dug the Twilight-esque color grading; it added a cool vibe to the movie. However, the excessive ADR felt slapped together, and there were some glaring continuity errors with people and objects moving between shots.
The first quarter of the movie is genuinely tense, with mysterious creatures lurking in the shadows and eerie sounds coming from the forest, creating some solid suspense. Unfortunately, a lot of the movie could've been trimmed without losing anything important. It often feels like it's going in circles, repeating the same stuff without pushing the plot forward. Despite all of the red herrings and elaborate setup, there's little payoff by the end.
I didn't find the initial reveal as disappointing as others did, though the CGI looks dated, like a 2015 video game. The inclusion of Irish folklore is cool, but the movie grinds to a halt for lengthy exposition several times. This would've been unbearable if not for the strong performances by the cast. Unfortunately the script is filled with unnatural dialogue. While this might add to the creepy atmosphere, it sometimes made me chuckle at the silliness.
The 25-minute epilogue could have easily been condensed into the third act, as it drags the movie out unnecessarily. While the movie starts strong with great tension-building, it eventually loses steam due to thin characters and dumb decisions. It's frustrating when characters forget crucial info just to serve the plot. Ishana has potential and could soar with better material, but this movie isn't quite there.
In a year with horrors like Imaginary, Night Swim, and a dreadful Strangers remake, The Watchers is far from the worst, but it's not among the best either.
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