Old (dir. M. Night Shyamalan), 2021

“I don’t remember why we wanted to leave this beach…it’s so beautiful.”

Old, loosely adapted from the French graphic novel Sandcastle, follows five groups of strangers who find themselves rapidly aging on a remote, tropical beach with no apparent escape. Twenty years ago, fresh off the success of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, an “and then there were none” body-horror film by M. Night Shyamalan might have been a seasonal box office event. Not only is the 2021 cinematic landscape quite different than it was back then, but so is the reputation of Shyamalan. His career, undergoing peaks and valleys, currently wades somewhat inconsistently in the middle. He took a break from signature twist endings after a string of critical failures, just to find his new approaches equally panned. While, at this point, his reputation generally does him more harm than good, Shyamalan now unapologetically offers original stories, good or bad, to a cinematic landscape full of reboots, sequels, and cinematic universes. Old was divisive when it was released, some loved it and others hated it with little in between. Generally, I say such a divided reaction is perhaps a better success, or at least more memorable, than overwhelming love.

Prisca and Guy Cappa are a soon-to-be separated couple on their last vacation as a family with children Trent, aged six, and Maddox, aged eleven. The resort accommodations are spectacular: a van drives the family though lush, tropical forests; the resort manager personally greets them upon arrival; and one employee even offers Prisca and Guy tailored cocktails. The resort appears to be like any other with streamlined suites, oceanfront settings, and ample activities for all. The catch is that the Cappa family, among a select group of other families and couples, have been offered a secluded beach outing at a nearby nature preserve complete with rock formations and exposed coral reefs. Not long after they set up their beach chairs and umbrellas the remains of an earlier arrival surfaces and, from there, a tense chaos ensues as the body count rises, accusations flare, and the separate groups struggle to trust one another among the increasingly bizarre circumstances. Even when escapes are sought out, those that try eventually stumble back onto the beach disoriented and black out. Few things they come to realize: the beach is aging them two years per hour; it appears someone is watching them from a nearby mountaintop; and, each group has a loose connection for why they may have been brought there.

Where M. Night Shyamalan lacks in dialogue, he makes up with originality and downright guts to take on a story of such complexity. And, for the most part, Old absolutely works. Upon revisiting the film for a third time, the fluidity of the screenplay was far more apparent and the ending far less bothersome. Whereas, the aforementioned dialogue at times is stodgy, what I had originally viewed as fairly weak characterizations entailed more nuance and depth (for what the story itself can allow). A portion of this credit is owed to the ensemble, all of whom undergo a charismatic embodiment. Even more impressive, however, are the technical achievements which could either make or break a film like Old. Burdened by a fledgling reputation, Shyamalan may not have the biggest names in cinematography, editing, and score that he may have drawn during his peak. Yet, he has a team of frequent collaborators (whose largest credits generally belong to his own works) that have crafted a seamless film. Old arguably has among the strongest editing, cinematography, and score this cinematic year. If they belonged to a better received or more palatable film for the masses, perhaps cinematographer Michael Gioulakis, editor Brett Reed, and composer Trevor Gureckis could be among the seasonal awards chatter. In particular, the editing and score drive the film, the former reminiscent of Battle Royale with artsy cuts to the surrounding landscape intertwined with acts of violence. These technical elements don't just allow Old to find success in its concept, but creates an enjoyably re-watchable piece.

Ultimately, Old is a horror film which exploits a common fear: aging and the mortality it brings not just us, but those we love. Shyamalan had mentioned that his own aging, seeing his kids and parents grow older, inspired him to adapt the source material and in many ways this fear is deeply impactful. To age fifty years in a single day is a horrific concept, especially when surrounded by loved ones you are bound to see perish. Yet, the life perspective it offers is beautiful. When Guy and Prisca reach old age, find perspective, and forgive one another for their now petty mid-life slights, they realize how important their love and family were to them. So much so, that losing half their life to a single day seems irrelevant. “I don’t remember why we wanted to leave this beach…it’s so beautiful,” Guy whispers to Prisca.

Rating: 8.25/10