The Watchers Review: M Night Shyamalan's Daughter Makes Promising Directorial Debut With Creepy Cabin-In-The-Woods Thriller

Plus: Takashi Miike's serial killer thriller, Lumberjack The Monster.

The Watchers (PG13)

Starring Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, Olwen Fouere

Directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan

Four strangers — including Fanning’s emo artist with the tragic back story — are trapped in a (very Airbnb-worthy) cabin in the woods somewhere in western Ireland. There, they are stalked — and studied — by a race of mystical nocturnal creatures. The horror thriller, based on a novel by A.M. Shine, is the directorial debut of one Ishana Night Shyamalan, the 24-year-old daughter of M Night Shyamalan (who happens to be one of the producers), and she’s really a chip off the old block. For the most parts, The Watchers recalls the best parts of the elder Shyamalan’s greatest hits, from The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable to The Visit and Split. (Let’s pretend The Last Airbender and After Earth never existed, shall we?). As the truth about the supernatural menace is gradually revealed, the movie even feels like a (superior) B-side to the waterlogged Lady in the Water. Make no mistake, the younger Shyamalan knows her way around creating mood and suspense (the nervy sequence in the monsters’ lair stands out). Less satisfying, regrettably, is the final act (yes, there’s a twist!): far from the geyser we were promised, more like a squirt. Still, it’s enough to whet our appetite for whatever she’s doing next.
(2.5/5 stars) in cinemas now

P/s: I saw The Watchers at GV Katong and the night scenes were a strain to watch. Was that by design? Or did the projectionist forget to crank up the brightness?

Photo: Warner Bros Discovery

Lumberjack The Monster (NC16)

Starring Kazuya Kamenashi, Nanao, Riho Yoshioka

Directed by Takashi Miike

Lumberjack The Monster: Kazuya Kamenashi realises just how heavy the penalty is for illegal parking.

Netflix is big on pulling ninja moves on their releases. First, they stealthily dropped Godzilla Minus One. And now, it’s Takashi Miike receiving the below-the-radar treatment. His latest stars Kamenashi (Stigmatized Properties) as a psychopathic lawyer — think Patrick Bateman — who’s targeted by the eponymous axe-wielding serial killer. The two share a violent past involving mad scientists and behaviour-altering experiments on kids. (Man-made psychos, anyone?) It all sounds dementedly promising but the bedlam never truly escalates. It unfolds more like a procedural with Nanao’s profiler trying to piece the clues together. If it’s any consolation, Miike still loves his arterial sprays. (2.5/5 stars) on Netflix

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