It’s no secret that director M. Night Shyamalan’s stock with moviegoers isn’t very high at the moment. After an amazing debut with THE SIXTH SENSE in 1999, and popular follow ups like UNBREAKABLE and SIGNS, his recent fare failed to perform well with critics or fans. Some films, like THE HAPPENING and THE LAST AIRBENDER, are considered by some to be laughably bad. I imagine there’s an immense amount of pressure for a man like that, especially after certain circles initially dubbed him the modern day answer to Alfred Hitchcock. His last big film was AFTER EARTH, which I actually somewhat enjoyed, but it didn’t perform well at all with audiences. Now he’s back with a low budget “found footage” horror entry called THE VISIT. Could this be a sort of comeback for the once highly respected filmmaker?

A single mother (Kathryn Hahn) has been contacted online by her estranged parents, who hoped to reconnect after a bad parting of ways many years ago. Though the mom isn’t quite ready to see them again, she decides to let her children Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) board a train to visit grandma Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and grandpa Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) for the very first time. Becca is an aspiring filmmaker and decides she’s going to document this little journey, hoping to find some sort of peaceful solution for reuniting her mother and the grandparents she’s never met. Tyler is an aspiring rapper, despite being awkward and white… oh, and he’s frightened of germs. Becca’s footage is what we watch as the story unfolds, a creative plot device to carry out the script using “found footage” instead of a traditional narrative style. At first it seems these unfamiliar grandparents are sweet people. Nana likes to cook and Pop Pop does his best to engage the kids. All is well until nighttime comes, and strange things start happening. The children witness odd things with Nana, making them wonder what is wrong with her. What is initially explained as old people having old people issues starts to get weirder as the days go by, and soon the children wonder if they’re actually safe staying there.

THE VISIT plays off classic stories like Hansel and Gretel, and even feels at times like a PARANORMAL ACTIVITY type of story, which makes sense as Blumhouse is one of the production companies releasing it. But the mystery of what is actually going on keeps things really interesting, and you might be surprised when certain reveals take place. There’s also an almost childlike wonder exhibited in the story, never feeling like straight horror or standard scary movie fare. The tone balances shocks and laughs in a smart way, keeping the overall feel like that of a fun and frightening ride. Part of what makes it work so well is the cast, particularly the two leads Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould, who come across as real kids and not Hollywood interpretations of youth. Their reactions to odd occurrences are carefully played in a natural way, and it’s refreshing to watch in a day where horror movies seem so very cliche. Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie are also excellent as the strange older couple. At times they’re sweet and endearing, and when the moments call for it they can be horrifying and almost monster-like. The performances are masterful and carefully executed, likely making them two 2015 film characters you won’t soon forget. The only person who suffers a bit is Kathryn Hahn, a recognizable face that seems out of place with the others. Hahn doesn’t have much screentime, and while I normally really enjoy her performances, she’s just oddly misguided in this role. Perhaps things would have worked better had that character been played by an unknown. I honestly can’t put my finger on why she didn’t click for me, though she is still likable as the mother.

Shyamalan’s supposedly took the money he made for directing AFTER EARTH and financed this production out of his own pocket, and it’s an impressive effort in the realm of PG-13 horror. In fact I was rather blown away at just how unnerving and disturbing it was considering the rating, not that it was over the top, just very effective when it needed to be. Night also uses smart techniques to compliment certain scenes, such as subtle sound design work or even background songs that just feel weird – one tune utilizing a theremin is particularly chilling. This is the kind of movie you see with friends and talk about later, and may even be destined to become a classic. There’s nothing that particularly feels like an M. Night Shyamalan film on display here, other than perhaps the effective scare moments and shocking twist, but it’s possible he wanted to show he could turn in a solid horror entry that just works for what it is. And speaking of the twist, please don’t let anyone spoil it for you, as it’s really great to figure it out organically and within the context of the film. If you’re brave enough for a fun and scary time, check out THE VISIT in a darkened theater… and gasp when the scares happen, we won’t judge ya.

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