M. Night Shyamalan has made some really great films like The Sixth Sense but just how good is his 2015 film. So it’s time to find out, here’s The Visit blu-ray review.
- The Visit (2015)
- Genre: Horror
- Written & Directed By M. Night Shyamalan
- Music By Paul Cantelon
- Cinematography By Maryse Alberti
- UK Film Rating 18
- Released By Universal Pictures
- Stars: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, Kathryn Hahn
Plot
Two kids, 15 year old Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and her 13 year old brother Tyler go to stay with their grandparents of whom they have never met. Their mother left aged 19 and hasn’t been back since. But now her parents want to meet her children allowing her to go on a cruise with her new boyfriend. Becca is a budding filmmaker and decides to turn the entire trip into a documentary and enlists her brother into helping her film events.
They are picked up at the train station by their grandparents and driven to a remote farm that has internet access but no mobile phone coverage.
All starts off well, the grandparents, Pop Pop (Frederick Spencer Jamison) and Nana (Deanna Dunagan) are councillors at the local hospital.
They seem nice but have their own little quirks, bedtime is at 9.30pm. But hey they are just eccentric right! The thing is I can’t really reveal anymore without spoiling it for those who are yet to see the film.
One thing I can say it’s a classic M. Night Shyamalan ending.
Acting / Characters
Two outstanding performances from both of the actors playing the children. Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould have really great chemistry which why this film ultimately works. Both of their characters have emotional scars brought about by their father leaving. This is played upon heavily and both actors deliver on this front.
The interplay between brother and sister is at times very funny and this is only made possible because of the chemistry between them I just mentioned.
The grandparents on the other hand have to play slightly disconnected and distant personas that creates an uneasiness when around them. Both Deanna Dunagan (Nana) and Peter McRobbie (Pop Pop) pull this off well.
Direction / Style
Filmed largely on handheld cameras from a documentary style, like the way The Blair Witch Project made so popular.
Now I have to say I generally dislike this style of film with a few exceptions.
Blair Witch I get, even if I do find it hard to watch, due to the handheld camera movements. I’m now going to extend my exception to include The Visit as I think they manage to mitigate that unwatchable/hard to watch visual experience.
I guess the way the story is told meant they had to go down this route.
Set mostly inside and around the farm it has to be said the look of the film is pretty good.
Conclusion: The Visit (2015) Film Review
The Visit cleverly builds up the weirdness or eccentricity of the grandparents set against two kids who have their own issues.
You know a big reveal is coming but M. Night Shyamalan does a good enough job of disguising it.
The casting of the two children is the key to what makes this a funny and disturbing horror story.
I’ll be honest the trailers for this film didn’t really do it for me. As I began to watch this film that thought was only reinforced. I’m not keen on the handheld camera approach.
The thing is, stick with it past the half-hour mark and you find yourself becoming gripped by the story and the performances of the two young actors.
I’m glad I did stick with as in the end I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Looking for films to watch this Halloween?
Conclusion: The Visit Blu-ray Review
Extras include:
- The making of The Visit (10 mins)
- Deleted Scenes
- Alternate Ending
- Becca’s Photos
Some nice little extras nothing heavy or long. I don’t normally agree with including alternate endings as I think it’s a bit of a cop out. Stick to your vision and gut to what ending you want and don’t show the audience all the ones you tried.
That said this is not really a significant end more of a tidying up of events and the one in the film is definitely the right one to finish on.
The Visit (2015) blu-ray is available now from Amazon.co.uk.
The Amazon links on this page are affiliate / associate links. By buying through the links we may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price you pay.
Popcorn Cinema Rating: The Visit (2015)
MOVIE RATING: WELL WORTH WATCHING
BLU-RAY RATING: GOOD
POPCORN CINEMA: RECOMMENDED
The Visit (2015) Film Trailer
For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster with trailer…
The Visit Blu-ray Review (2015) is part of our countdown to Halloween film review series, more coming soon!
Summary: The Visit (2015) Blu-ray Review
Movie title: The Visit (2015)
Duration: 94 mins
Director(s): M. Night Shyamalan
Actor(s): Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould
Genre: Horror
- Movie Rating
- Blu-ray Rating
Summary
M. Night Shyamalan delivers a funny but very disturbing horror flick.
