M. Night Shyamalan is a name that has been long established and entrenched in the horror/sci-fi thriller space for more than three decades. While polarizing, his output has seen a renaissance over the past few years as he has established himself once more among Hollywood’s directors. He has used his cache, and his own cash, to not just finance his resurgence, but now the directorial debut of his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan with her own foray into the horror genre.
The Watchers follows Mina (Dakota Fanning), a 28-year-old artist living in Ireland and working in a small shop. Mina is asked to transport a unique bird to the zoo on a cross country road trip when she gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. While trying to find her way out, she soon finds shelter alongside three strangers who have also become lost, Madeline (Olwen Fouéré), Ciara (Georgina Campbell), and Daniel (Oliver Finnegan). While in their mysterious cabin, Mina soon learns that the three are stalked and watched every night by mysterious creatures who spare their lives in exchange. As they learn more about what the creatures are, Mina also tries to hatch an escape plan.
The Watchers shows some promise from its young filmmaker in establishing mystery and intrigue as the nature of what the watchers are in the forest is slowly unveiled. The film takes its time revealing just what the creatures are and unfolds their backstory in an organic way. The lore established for them turns out fine in its level of interestingness and is at least thorough in what presents. Similarly, The Watchers tries to provide an emotional subplot for Mina that runs parallel to the main mystery and conflict at the plot’s center. Her internalized guilt for what happened to her mother is also decently established and unveiled at a decent pace.
While the elements of quality storytelling are present, their entertainment value leaves a little to be desired. While both the thrills and emotional element are set up well, they never really pull viewers in or interest them. The technical aspects are ok, but there’s no emotional pull that creates investment in the film itself. The audience knows that Mina is struggling with her past, but it’s not presented in a way that forces you to care. The lore of the watchers is well explained, but they’re not particularly scary or interesting. Even the film’s twist falls flat as it’s not entirely unexpected or impactful when finally revealed. Despite its decent elements, The Watchers offers little else that would make it a worthwhile watch.
Image: Warner Bros.
