The Visit

It must be a frustration after being an overnight sensation with your first major creation only to find your every subsequent work is unfavourably compared with that initial success.

M Night Shyamalan arrived with a bang with his third feature 'The Sixth Sense'. His next film was eagerly awaited but failed to match the impact of its predecessor and each subsequent film seemed to continue the decline. They were interesting films, each in their own way, but all were overshadowed by the brilliance of that initial success.

And now we have 'The Visit'. Two teenage siblings spend a week with maternal grandparents they have never previously met. The week starts well enough but soon the grandparents begin to display behaviour unfamiliar to the teenagers. Initially reassured by their mother not to be concerned by the behaviour, typical of ageing people, the teenagers do become alarmed when the behaviour turns increasingly bizarre.

This is Shyamalan's best film since Sixth Sense. Although some moments, meant to shock audiences, are not always as well timed as they could have been, the main twist on which the plot rests is well disguised. The two Australian lead performers are excellent as the siblings.

★★★1/2