Film & TV

Film Review: The Visit

Siblings Becca and Tyler are sent to stay with grandparents they have never met only to find strange things are starting to happen.

M Knight Shyamalan is well known as a director of classy horror/sci-fi films, such as The Sixth Sense, Signs and The Village. His latest outing, The Visit, stays true to the horror aesthetic, whilst delving into psycho-thriller territory.

And yet, it’s a comedy.

In the tradition of Shaun of the Dead, Shyamalan has chosen to make a very funny movie, in a usually un-funny genre. This was the result of three, different cuts: a horror, a comedy, and a mix-up. His decision to go with the latter is a brave one, and has paid off.

Siblings Becca and Tyler are sent off by their mother to stay with the grandparents they have never met and who have been estranged from their mother since before their birth. After a day of bucolic bliss on the Pennsylvania farm, strange things start happening, and they begin to wonder if their grandparents are quite as benign as they seem.

Playing the leads are two young Australian actors, Olivia de Jonge and Ben Oxenbould. Their on-screen chemistry is remarkable and much of the humour comes from Becca’s attempts to make a documentary of their visit whilst battling Ben’s pubescent hormones and self-appointed role as chick-magnet.

Peter McRobbie and Deanna Dunagan, give suitably creepy performances as the grandparents, whilst Kathryn Hahn is delightful in the smaller role of Paula, the kids’ mom.

This is sharp, witty, creepy and deliciously camp film-making, from a master of the genre.

Reviewed by Tracey Korsten
@TraceyKorsten

Rating out of 10:  8

 

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