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Shyamalan: shaman or schmuck?

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Shyamalan: shaman or schmuck?

Tom Huddleston assesses the career of M Night Shyamalan, whose latest film 'The Happening' is in cinemas now

As M Night Shyamalan’s latest apocalyptic twistfest ‘The Happening’ opens in theatres (and internet rumours of its unwatchability continue to flourish), it seems appropriate to take a look back through the man’s work, and ask the question- has M Night lost it? And did he, in fact, ever have it to begin with?

Shyamalan’s early films ‘Praying with Anger’ and ‘Wide Awake’ have never received a UK release. Both films focus on faith and spirituality in modern America, closely personal themes for Shyamalan, the child of a Hindu family raised in a Catholic school. Christian themes resurface in Night’s breakthrough film ‘The Sixth Sense’, which deals with a loss of faith as much as it does with ghosts and the paranormal.

It’s easy to underestimate the impact ‘The Sixth Sense’ made on its first release, perhaps because with time the film has revealed itself to be little more than an effectively crafty chiller, utilising the sad eyes and icy pallor of unnerving man-child Haley Joel Osment to superb effect, but sorely lacking in genuine character development or emotional staying power. That much-trumpeted final twist – look away now if you’re one of the few living people who’ve not managed to rumble it – actually undermines much of what has gone before, turning what seemed to be an intriguing study of spousal estrangement into a rather simplistic ‘ha! fooled you!’ moment of cheap revelation. But the film certainly has its fair share of effective scares, aided by an impressively clammy atmosphere and some solid central performances.

Shyamalan applied the same dourer-than-thou aesthetic to his next big-budget genre reappraisal ‘Unbreakable’, attempting to do for the superhero flick what ‘Sixth Sense’ had done for the ghost story – namely, make it as depressing as possible. The film has its share of compelling scenes, and the set-up is intriguing and excellently handled. But then it doesn’t actually go anywhere, Shyamalan seems bent on keeping things as small-scale as possible, assuming that this will somehow result in something affecting and personal. It’s a mistake – films like ‘Superman’ and ‘Spider-Man 2’ have shown that it’s possible to showcase grand-scale thrills while still remaining true to your characters, but Shyamalan’s perspective is far too narrow, and the film suffers for it.

Arguably the director’s best film, ‘Signs’ utilises a simple central conceit – an alien invasion viewed through the eyes of a single, remotely located family – to exemplary effect. It’s clear that Night had seen and enjoyed Kenneth Lonergan’s masterful, Oscar-nominated indie drama ‘You Can Count on Me’, and decided to apply the same low-budget, ultra-personal aesthetic to a grander scale apocalyptic sci-fi piece (he also pinched standout child actor Rory Culkin, and would’ve cast Mark Ruffalo in an almost identical role if an injury hadn’t forced Joaquin Phoenix to step in). Though its plot is vague and its climax somewhat ludicrous, ‘Signs’ has a terrific atmosphere, luxuriating in soft afternoon sunlight and treating its characters with wit, genuine warmth and humility. It’s also surprisingly nerve-racking, keeping the villains out of sight in favour of a series of eerie symbols and off-screen activity – those creepy crop circles, a mysterious tapping on the roof, an extraordinary scene involving a breadknife and a locked door.

Combining the creepout-with-a-twist narrative of ‘The Sixth Sense’ with the effective character drama of ‘Signs’, ‘The Village’ is a film which tends to get a bad rap, but contains some of Shyamalan’s finest writing and a few wildly unsettling setpieces. Okay, so the ending doesn’t work even slightly, and Shyamalan the scriptwriter ties himself in knots trying to reach it, but this can’t completely undercut some superb work earlier in the film, most notably from a sterling above-the-line cast including William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Brendan Gleeson, Adrian Brody, Joaquin Phoenix again and a simply luminous Bryce Dallas Howard. A scene midway through the film, in which the mysterious wolves from the wood invade the titular community, is as good a suspense sequence as any in recent memory, combining heart-in-the-mouth action, relatable characters in genuine peril and a deeply disconcerting and pervasive sense of the unknown.

And then it all goes to hell. ‘Lady in the Water’ is pretty much as bad as every critic claimed, with its Narfs and Scrunts the centre of a generally woolly mythology and a wretched, pitiable desperation to inspire wide-eyed wonder that’s worse than Spielberg at his most cloying. Poor Paul Giamatti just looks lost, wondering, like his character, what the hell is going on, particularly when Night himself appears as a pseudo-mystical storyteller and attempts to untangle this unholy mess. A labour of love, its this film more than any other that exposed the manifold shortcomings of a heretofore largely successful writer-director: a fondness for cod-spiritualist whimsy, a deeply simplistic moral attitude and a tendency towards self-indulgence and egoism which rivals that of filmmakers of a far grander stature (such as Peter Jackson and Shyamalan’s hero, Spielberg).

So we find ourselves at a crossroads. There’s no doubt that Shyamalan isn’t (yet) the master filmmaker and storyteller he believes himself to be, and if he continues on his current downward trajectory such a goal seems increasingly unlikely. But neither is he anything like the hack some critics would love to paint him as – this is a director with ambition, even if he often falls short; a man of vision, even if that vision is often skewed and rather too personal. His finest moments – the scares in ‘Sixth Sense’ and ‘The Village’, the lovely character work in ‘Signs – speak of a writer and director possessed of genuine talent, an attentive student of film history with a sure grasp of his audience. It’d be nice to see what Shyamalan could achieve with a more straightforward genre piece – an attempt to work within genre boundaries, rather than narcissistically transcend them, preferably working from someone else’s script. So ‘The Happening’ could prove to be make-or-break – if it works, Night is back in the Hollywood fold. But if it fails – as many seem to believe it will – this could spell the ignominious end of a troubled, inconsistent but staunchly entertaining film career.

Author: Tom Huddleston


User comments on this story

  • Richy said...
    I think that Shyamalan's films have been excellent on the whole apart from Lady in The Water and the awful Happening - where nothing really happens - and he does need a twist at the end - it works in his other films. Sixth Sense is superb and if people don't like his films then don't go and see them - people are over critical - they should try makeing films themselves - yes he does deserve cirtiicims now - but not all films are fast paced action movies - you should know by now what you see in one of his movies and there's nothing wring with slow films if they are well done - On the plus side he created great atmopshere in his films and against the modern trend of lets show over the top gore scenes - his work is different and to some boring but to many thought provoking - He needs to make something different and yes he has become self importqant I think - I think he should direct someone elses script and the Global warming thing - the plants talking to us - he needs a new trick . Signs was excellent - if everybody made films the same it would be boring - things like Spiderman 2 - good films - but choice is needed at the cinema - If you don;t like his films - don't go to see them - see something else - I will give him 1 more film. Posted on Jul 03 2008 04:21
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  • derek said...
    It's all very simple. M Knight is an a potentially very fine director, but a a merely adequate writer. His belioef in his own genius hasn't helped him. It's time someone called a halt and told him to direct someone elses work. He'd do a fine a job, His nonsensical writing, and his inability to rise above anything more than a pathetic dependence on coincidence and narrative nonsense however, well.... Posted on Jun 21 2008 19:14
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  • ShiningTed said...
    I agree with the comments about The Village - silly premise but so beautifully made, filmed, acted etc that anything can be forgiven.
    Unbreakable was, imho, better than Sixth Sense - Unbreakable was flawless, every scene a work of art - but Sixth Sense will always be more popular because its more accessable. Everyone loves ghost stories, not everyone loves comic books. Very few people will have time for Lady In the Water - you'll either love it or regard it a complete waste of time. I loved it and regarded it as Shyamalan hitting top form again after the disappointing stories (but brilliant filmwork) of Signs and The Village.
    Haven't seen the Happening: Ebert adored it, everyone else panned it. Sounds like I will enjoy it. Posted on Jun 21 2008 02:19
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  • Jo said...
    M. Night is a fantastically talented film-maker. I disagree with the reviewer 'Lady in the water' is one of my favourites. The Village, Sixth Sense, Unbreakable - all brilliant! Posted on Jun 20 2008 08:11
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  • Dan Bradshaw said...
    I decided to read this review having seen the Happening recently, as I knew, predictably, that the reviewer would again miss the point to any of his movies. People saw Sixth sense, and now expect a twist at the end of every movie he does, but in fact i think his films are more about telling a story - the trouble with people reviewing films is that they try to define the movie as a specific genre, when in fact his movies are about the process of telling and a realisation at the end - NOT a twist. The reviewers comments about Unbreakable falling down because the director should have made it more 'big budget' is flawed - again its about realisaion, slowly at first, so there is no need to have whizz bangs every where. His themes and stories are always subtle, well constructed and played out (ok Walhberg is a little plastic). just enjoy them for what they are... You'll never look, or think about a long grassy field the same again. Posted on Jun 19 2008 08:45
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  • 3901 said...
    I accept that Signs was a well made film and, in truth, I also found it suspenseful and touching in parts. But, come on! Why in the wide wide universe would predatory beings with a fatal allergy to hydrogen dioxide chose to invade a planet that's 70% water. Not to mention the tonnes of water vapour that waft around every molecule on the planet. Does this Ha! Ha! Clown think we're so dumb that we'll accept this nonsensical drivel as an oh so clever denouement. As far as I'm concerned M Night owes me 8 pounds (plus interest) and a considerable apology, the monumental grade A schmuck! Posted on Jun 18 2008 15:56
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  • Chris said...
    Schmuck, without question.
    The Sixth Sense - boring, slow and intolerably mawkish right up until the twist (which almost redeems it)
    Unbreakable - boring, slow and intolerably predictable right up until the twist (which fails to redeem it).
    After that, I avoided everything he's since done. Posted on Jun 18 2008 12:13
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  • usman said...
    can you imagine michael haneke making a big budget movie ,after funny games flopped in u.s,a ,he will go onto do french /german cinema ,were indiana 4 and happening any less violent then funny games ,yet critics seem to ignore these as benign ,while the sophisticated satire on the spectacle of violence is ignored or savaged by critics in an intelligent movie like funny games -even wachowski brothers are making crap after matrix which was quite novel ,i do not think we will have any big productions now with an intelligent concept -the last biggie to do that was atonement and blood diamond ,the good makers will make small movies seen by a few and forgotten even before they are released on dvd .
    i cannot see a movie like LEOPARD being made in todays market -do you ? Posted on Jun 15 2008 11:03
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  • usman khawaja said...
    SHAYAMALAN AND SPIELBERG HAVE SIMILARITIES ,THEY ARE SENTIMENTAL SHMUCK and they have no idea how to portray kids yet they compare themselves to hitchcock and kubrick,just look at the indiana 4 and happening -mediocricy without any vision ,silly acting and laughable events inadvertently comic and still they both have staunch fans ,both the movies have had decent grosses for the budgets ,while indiana was 200 million ,the happening is worth about 12 million ,it is shot on his farm in penn.,which is relly cheating .
    both mns and spielberg have made crap for too long and we need a break from them .
    as for woody allen just see that cassandra nightmare .
    the reason cinema is so mediocre in mainstream genre is because there are no mkers with the vision of wyler,wilder ,cukor ,welles or selznick today ,it seems to be all about sfx and cgi and why blame MNS as he is playing the game too -as for finance he will get it just like woody allen does -what a shame for cinema as antonioni cannot get it -nauseating Posted on Jun 15 2008 10:43
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