Jenarita Plante
Anchor Staff Writer
Anyone who is into thriller movies is familiar with the name M. Night Shyamalan. Known for films such as "The Sixth Sense", "The Happening", "Signs and Lady in the Water", Shyamalan’s films have been keeping movie watchers in suspense since the early 90s. Although I can be quite picky when it comes to horror/thriller genre films, I generally can at least tolerate films by Shyamalan; I often even enjoy them.
Unfortunately for M. Night, his most recent film, "Old", did not seem to get the hype surrounding it that most of his others have had. I had not even realized that it had been released last year, most likely due to the pandemic and lack of marketing. I had not even seen it advertised on one of the many streaming platforms, but my husband actually happened upon it sitting on the library shelves and brought it home.
The premise of the film is that a struggling family is vacationing in the tropics. The mother and father, Guy and Prisca, are at odds with one another from the start; their marriage failing because of an illness the wife is hiding from their children. The trip is one last hurrah before they separate. Their children, Maddox and Trent are eight and six years old. The family is invited by the resort they are staying at to enjoy a secluded beach. They are promised they can be picked up as soon as they want or be or in the evening if they don’t call. The family soon realizes that they along with other guests are stuck there; they pass out every time they try to leave. After struggling to find a way out for several hours, the adults notice that the children are now teenagers and that time seems to be moving very quickly where they are; each half hour is like a year of life. The beachgoers must race time, and fight fate to save themselves and one another.
Although the premise was a little out there, as many Shyamalan films can be, I found it to be suspenseful and enjoyable. I am not a huge fan of gore, and while it could be graphic in some scenes, it was tastefully done enough that I didn’t need to turn my head. As with all of M. Night’s films, there are many twists that keep you on your toes and waiting to see what comes next. If you like a good thriller, I recommend picking up a copy of "Old" at your local library, as the only other way to find it is by purchasing.