5 Reasons The Visit Is M. Night Shyamalan's Best Movie in Years

Updated on Sep 16, 2015 at 7:30 PM

While I was initially excited upon watching the trailer for The Visit, a little part of me couldn't get past the fact that it was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. On the one hand, Shyamalan made The Sixth Sense, one of the most shocking horror/thrillers of the '90s. On the other hand, he's also the same guy behind The Happening, The Last Airbender, and After Earth, some of the most heavily mocked movies of the past decade. Given his track record, The Visit really could have gone any number of ways. Thankfully, it's a shocking crowd-pleaser with more to offer than just a good twist — though it does have one. Allow me to make a case for why you need to see it, and don't worry, I'll keep it spoiler-free.

It's a Simple Premise

Costing a mere $5 million to make, The Visit is arguably Shyamalan's easiest movie to follow, well, maybe ever. There's no mysterious woman in the pool or evil plants causing a plague; it's just about kids who go to visit their estranged grandparents. The girl, Becca (Olivia DeJonge), is an aspiring filmmaker, so she's documenting the experience. She also gives her younger brother, Tyler (Ed Oxenbould), a camera, so while there is a "found footage" feel to the movie, it's not too overwhelming because there are only two cameras at any given time. When Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) start getting weird, we can only see it through the lens of what the kids are seeing.

The Kids Are Played by Engaging Young Actors

Young actors can be a big gamble, and fortunately these two were the right bet. DeJonge, 17, nails some intense scenes as the emotionally grounded Becca, and Oxenbould is maybe the funniest 14-year-old you'll ever see. He does impressions, he raps on the fly, and he's completely believable as a kid with moderate OCD. You'd never guess from their stellar American accents that they're actually Australian!

It's Funny

Shyamalan actually cut three versions of the movie, one as a comedy, one as a horror, and a combination of the two — the one we actually get to see in theaters is the hybrid. I'd be curious to see what the other versions are like, but this one is an ideal mix. There are plenty of laughable moments (mostly thanks to Oxenbould and his rap skills), plus some lines that you're not quite sure how to take. Case in point: Nana asks Becca to climb into the oven to clean it. Laugh or cover your eyes? It's really up to you.

There Are Quality Jump Scares

When they're not making you laugh, the characters are scaring the crap out of you. Just when you think the kids might be overreacting to their grandparents' weirdness, Nana and Pop Pop do something truly bizarre. Most of the scares take place after bedtime (9:30 p.m. sharp), but there is a particularly chilling sequence that occurs during the day, when the kids are playing hide-and-seek under the house.

There's a Genuinely Good Twist

It may not be as good as the twist from The Sixth Sense, but there's a fairly mind-blowing revelation in the final act. I won't spoil it for you, unless you want it spoiled. In that case, here are all the details.