[Editorial] Ranking M. Night Shyamalan: his Good, his Bad, Not so Good, and his Twists

Warning: Spoilers of twists ahead. Read with caution.

I am a Shyamalan apologist. I would say I’m sorry but I’m really not. I know he has some questionable films and has made some unorthodox choices over the years when it comes to his twists, but the king of narrative spin still stands tall in my book.

This list will rank his films from his winners to his participation awards but will only include his horror (or horror adjacent) creations, so you won’t be seeing the likes of After Earth (2013), The Last Airbender (2010), Wide Awake (1998), or Praying with Anger (1992) here. Also, a gentle reminder of M. Night Shyamalan’s true power, as he did in fact write the screenplay for the scariest film concept of all time. Stuart Little (1999), is a tale about a talking mouse who persuades a delusional couple to adopt him rather than a child in need from an orphanage, with only the house cat Snowbell comprehending the full audacity of his actions. Truly, the most unsettling film to hit cinemas in the late 90s. But with that shudder-inducing concept explained, let’s get on with the list.

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1) The Sixth Sense (1999)

If this wasn’t ranked as the best Shyamalan film, then I think the horror community would disown me. Saying that, this entire list may get my horror card revoked so I could have been bold and put this as his worst film to truly stir the pot. Jokes aside, The Sixth Sense is phenomenal, not just as a Shyamalan film but as a horror movie that invokes mystery and tension from the very beginning. If you haven’t seen the film itself, you know the twist, as it kickstarted Shyamalan’s reputation of being the king of them. With a stellar cast who truly embody their roles, including Hayley Joel Osment, Bruce Willis, and Toni Colette, The Sixth Sense is a great starter horror for people who may not have dipped their toe into the treacherous waters but know that they’re ready to see some dead people.

2) Unbreakable (2000)

Another Bruce Willis banger, Unbreakable tells the story of a security guard with superhuman strength, ESP, and a weakness to water. Although it may be considered a superhero movie alone, it has gained a place on this list because of its interwoven connection to two other films in the Shyamalan filmography. Everything is connected folks, and though this is considerably the least ‘horror’ of the trilogy, this is by far the best of the three. Throw in Samuel L. Jackson as the villainous Mr Glass, and you have a fantastic film full of deceit and intrigue, which leaves audiences trying to work out how it’s going to end.

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3) The Village (2004)

This film terrified me as a child. It may not be a fan favourite, even amongst those who love Shyamalan, but it holds a place in my heart for a few reasons. Firstly, the cast is incredible, Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrian Brody (even though his character is quite problematic in modern day), William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Jesse Eisenberg and Brendan Gleeson to name but a few. Secondly, the plot twist that the film is actually set in the modern day blew me away. The first shot of a car in the wildlife preserve had me officially addicted to Shyamalan tales. Finally, the creature creation was truly frightening. These porcupine-esque creatures in red cloaks turned my blood cold as they crept through the woods, they may have been costumes but a young me would have been very convinced to stay within the safety of the village boundaries.

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4) Split (2016)

James McAvoy. The End. His multi-personality performance was terrifying, riveting, unsettling, astounding. Add in a young Anya Taylor-Joy and you have the recipe for a tense fuelled film that was shocking and provoking. Plus, the twist that it was connected to the Unbreakable universe had the audience screaming with amazement in the cinemas (at least that’s how I reacted). The overall presentation of this film was a true reinvention of Shyamalan’s twisty nature, restoring faith in the king of plots.

5) Signs (2002)

Featured on my Top 15 Aliens in Horror Films list, Signs is scary until you see the aliens up close. The initial found footage clips of the tall green men are grainy enough to petrify. Another film on the list featuring Joaquin Phoenix, plus Mel Gibson and a very young Abigail Breslin and Rory Culkin, Signs is an all-round excellent film… until we reach the twist. This is where the criticisms on this list begin. The fact that the aliens are defeated by water is disappointing at best, the hope of a decimating alien invasion and a lack of human survival may have been a better outcome for this film. The draws similarities to the ending of many versions of The War of the Worlds, where it’s human viruses such as the common cold that end the alien attacks, but without the cleverness (War of the Worlds is far more believable than aliens who are allergic to water landing on a planet that is 71% water and not realising it could end them).

6) Knock at the Cabin (2023)

This movie is a solid persuasion that Dave Batista is an excellent actor. Those who are not Marvel fans saw Knock at the Cabin and realised that this man can perform. Strangely, the twist of this Shyamalan adventure seemed to be that there was no twist. The characters who invaded the cabin were telling the truth, the apocalypse was in fact here and the sacrifice of one of the family members being intruded upon would save everyone from the end of the world. It is a shame that Shyamalan decided to step away from the source material for the ending, as Peter Tremblay’s book The Cabin at the End of the World has a far darker conclusion which would suit the director’s style a lot better. Nevertheless, the final act of the film felt brutal (and possibly a little homophobic), even if it left the audience without full satisfaction.

7) The Visit (2015)

The Visit is an excellent found footage film with some convincing young talent in Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould. Although lacking in terms of a wild twist, as it uses the classic mistaken identity of escaped mental institute patients, the film itself is enjoyable, with elements of gross and gore that are a thrill to audiences. The only reason it isn’t further up the list is that it doesn’t include a particularly iconic actor, a trick that Shyamalan seems to pull time and again in his filmography – get someone super famous, make people more likely to watch the film.

8) The Happening (2008)

People are persuaded to kill themselves by toxins released by plants. Insane and doesn’t land in the best way, but if the audience suspends reality and accepts the film as a parody of itself, it's actually incredibly enjoyable. No one in this film (including Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel) believe in the narrative and performances, the characters are loose and bland, but the events themselves are incredibly intriguing and the suicides are visceral and effective. However, if audiences want to experience a wilder, more ‘out there’ film on the triggering subject of suicide, they should watch Suicide Circle, otherwise known as Suicide Club (2001).

9) Glass (2019)

The finale in this universe’s trilogy, Glass is a tad over the top and quite convoluted at times, with the bringing together of these iconic characters creating a bit of a mess. In an attempt to make a concluding chapter, Glass takes the horror and superhero tropes of the previous two films and makes its own Frankenstein film that left a bitter taste in many audience members’ mouths. It is however worth watching for the performances from the top billing cast, all of whom are still fully invested in the portrayal of their characters.

10) Old (2021)

Much like The Village, Old has quite a negative portrayal of mental health issues. It also doesn’t hold the nostalgia hit that the previous film does and is therefore quite disappointing. With so much initial potential in its concept, Old is a bit of a mess in its twist and conclusion – the beach that ages everyone is in fact part of a drug trial that tests effects of a lifetime on people within the space of a day or two. Even the amazing cast including Gael Garcia Bernal, Rufus Sewell, Alex Wolff and Thomasin McKenzie can’t save this film, with the overall premise falling flat.

A Not So Honourable Mention: Devil (2010)

Although the rest of the films on this list have been directed by Shyamalan, it would feel wrong not to mention Devil (2010), which he produced and curated the original story for. The narrative itself was quite simple, five people are trapped in an elevator, one is the devil and everyone else has sinned so start being killed off one by one. However, the twist that the devil is in fact the elderly woman didn’t have as big of a payoff as the audience hoped, since there was a severe lack of build up to this twist. There was simply no hint or clue that she was Satan disguised, it purely fed off the theme of not suspecting innocent looking elderly women. This isn’t being included as an official ranking, just a comment that Devil could have been so much more with its set up and tension.

11) Lady in the Water (2006)

Lady in the Water tries to be incredibly clever, nuanced, and meaningful, but leaves audiences wondering what on earth just happened and why the director decided to cast himself as one of the key people in the film rather than being a little fun cameo. You can’t win every time, I guess. I would try to describe the plot and the twist but honestly, I have no clue, and this may be the only Shyamalan film that I’m not willing to give another try.

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