LADY IN THE WATER

[Vic Sage]

M. Night Shyamalan's new film opens to widespread derision...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452637/

...but what did YOU think?

[Willets Point]

Does it have a twist ending?

[Vic Sage]

No, no twist ending. But it does play with your expectations, to some degree. Not as much as his prior films, though.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The reason I don't have a swimming pool is because I don't want mythical people to turn up in it. That must be a drag.

[Vic Sage]

I'm a fan of Shyamalan's work.

He's a writer/director of unique, visually arresting, sometimes moving stories about the spiritual quest to find one's purpose in the world.

He is a master at frustrating audience expectations, which is a brave (somewhat self-destructive) impulse. Rather than simply being a con-man adept at the sleight-of-hand gimmick of the "twist ending", he's a maker of quiet, contemplative, sad, fantasy films.

All that being said, he's annoyingly inconsistent, and he's a better director than he is a writer. As a writer, his scripts are often clumsy in their exposition, unfocused in the development of themes, and treat characters in a superficial way. As a director, however, he unfailingly finds the best place to put the camera in any scene. And his casting instincts are terrific (except when he casts himself), often getting great performances.

As auteurs go, his work has a stylistic and thematic consistency, even as their quality zig zags. Thats because the success of SIXTH SENSE gave him the power to make whatever movies he wants, and sometimes his talent as a filmmaker exceeds his skill as a storyteller, thus creating a huge crater in the Earth.

Unfortunately, such is the case of LADY IN THE WATER. But even here, in one of his lesser works, his desire to dramatize the importance of storytelling for our spiritual well-being is a message of hope and redemption. And I'm glad he made it and i saw it. It sure beats the crap out of wasting his and my time by making the SIXTH SENSE 2 ("I can still see dead people! And they've got guns!!")

LADY IN THE WATER has been eviscerated by critics and audiences alike. In fact, the crowd i saw it with hooted and booed at the end (Hey, they could be Mets fans!). And, to be fair, by casting himself in the movie as an artist whose great, important work will change the world after his martyrdom... well, that kind of hubris demands a come-uppance.

His self-importance aside, however, i still think the movie is worthwhile. Not great, certainly. At times, not even very good. Certainly not up to UNBREAKABLE quality (which, for my money, is on the short list of great films of the last 20 years).

Shyamalan's movies cast a spell, regardless of the ocasional inadequacy of their construction, that never fails to make me think and make me feel. If there is anything else that art should accomplish, i have no idea what it may be.

If you're looking for a slam-bang action film, this ain't it. In fact, unless you're already a fan of his work, this movie is unlikely to make you one. But for those who see a difference between his films and those of Jerry Bruckheimer's, and for those who appreciate that difference, I think the movie has sufficient quality to hold your interest.



The films of M. Night Shyamalan
Praying with Anger (1992)
Wide Awake (1998)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Unbreakable (2000)
Signs (2002)
The Village (2004)
Lady in the Water (2006)

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: The reason I don't have a swimming pool is because I don't want mythical people to turn up in it. That must be a drag.

Are you hinting that the mythical people in the water are in drag?

Don't tell me you've spoiled the story for the rest of us who haven't seen it yet. From the bad reviews and box office reaction, I guess it will be showing up on the LOGO channel very soon.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

I really liked The Sixth Sense, and hated Signs. In fact, I hated Signs so much that I'm not inclined to see any more of Night's films.

So no Lady in the Water for me. Even though my daughter says that Paul Giamatti's character looks like me.

[Vic Sage]

Yancy, i assume you liked UNBREAKABLE?

I didn't love SIGNS, but i liked it ok. THE VILLAGE on the other hand... as far as i'm concerned, that's the weakest of his films to date. I saw the ending a mile off, and without that "twist", there was absolutely nothing else going on there.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Didn't see Unbreakable. I was intrigued by it, but never did get around to seeing it. The only two "Night" films I've seen are the two I mentioned.

[Vic Sage]

Despite your reaction to SIGNS, you should really try UNBREAKABLE. Considering our mutual interest in comics, and the superhero mythos, i think you'd appreciate it.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Maybe I'll give it a shot, then.

[Elster88]

Sixth Sense - Liked it a lot
Unbreakable - Liked it a lot
Signs - Liked it
The Village - Hated it
Lady in the Water - Fell asleep