We watched M. Night Shyamalan's "Devil" last night. (Netflix) I'd really been looking forward to it. I would also like to mention that I just checked the spelling of his name and I got it correct on the FIRST TRY. Gold star, please.
Anyway, when it was over Anthony made a dismissive "meh" sound to illustrate his opinion of it, but I was like, "Well, I liked it! I thought it was pretty good!"
Anthony had guessed the "twist" about halfway through the movie, and was unimpressed with the way events played out, and the lackluster devily effects.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that when I said I "liked" it, and that it was "good," it was by my new and evolving Shyamalan rating system, which isn't really based on how good the movie is, but rather how much or how little I'm disappointed in it. Because I know going into it that I WILL be disappointed.
Shyamalan started out strong with "The Sixth Sense," and "Signs," the latter being only mildly flawed but forgivable because of some really freaky and effective scenes in the first half. But it was all downhill from there, hence my new rating system. For example, I was tragically disappointed by "Lady in the Water," and seriously pissed-off with disappointment over "The Village."
"The Happening" left me cold, but was of a less furious disappointment, more of a mildly frowning, "Hm. That's it?"
So "Devil" actually had a pretty cool concept and a few creepy scenes that might have been chilling if you didn't know you were going to be let down by the end. If Shyamalan had perhaps turned the concept over to better writers, it could have been very interesting. Therefore, for a Shyamalan film, it was sort of good.
But somebody better make a REALLY good Devil film soon, one that is seriously scary. Is that even possible in this jaded era?
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| Stuck in an elevator with the Devil! |
Anthony had guessed the "twist" about halfway through the movie, and was unimpressed with the way events played out, and the lackluster devily effects.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that when I said I "liked" it, and that it was "good," it was by my new and evolving Shyamalan rating system, which isn't really based on how good the movie is, but rather how much or how little I'm disappointed in it. Because I know going into it that I WILL be disappointed.
Shyamalan started out strong with "The Sixth Sense," and "Signs," the latter being only mildly flawed but forgivable because of some really freaky and effective scenes in the first half. But it was all downhill from there, hence my new rating system. For example, I was tragically disappointed by "Lady in the Water," and seriously pissed-off with disappointment over "The Village."
"The Happening" left me cold, but was of a less furious disappointment, more of a mildly frowning, "Hm. That's it?"
So "Devil" actually had a pretty cool concept and a few creepy scenes that might have been chilling if you didn't know you were going to be let down by the end. If Shyamalan had perhaps turned the concept over to better writers, it could have been very interesting. Therefore, for a Shyamalan film, it was sort of good.
But somebody better make a REALLY good Devil film soon, one that is seriously scary. Is that even possible in this jaded era?