Read Mixed User Reviews for Old

6

RalfbergsMar 28, 2022

I thought the idea was interesting, but it got somewhat boring eventually. It lacked something basically

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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5

LumdogSep 23, 2021

A very interesting premise ruined by some bad acting, ugly cinematography, and some of the most atrocious dialogue I've heard recently. The dialogue is so on-the-nose with exposition that it treats the audience like idiots. A little subtletyA very interesting premise ruined by some bad acting, ugly cinematography, and some of the most atrocious dialogue I've heard recently. The dialogue is so on-the-nose with exposition that it treats the audience like idiots. A little subtlety would've been nice. The execution was just poor. On the plus side, I thought they had some creative ideas with having to do with the affect of time on the characters. Completely average film, I'll watch it once but never revisit it.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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6

UncleWillardMay 14, 2022

I didn't hate this. Felt like a long, Black Mirror episode to me, and that's not a jab, I liked it. Sure, I could nitpick it to death, and once you willfully pop the bubble in which it exists (fairplay, I nicked the bubble analogy from theI didn't hate this. Felt like a long, Black Mirror episode to me, and that's not a jab, I liked it. Sure, I could nitpick it to death, and once you willfully pop the bubble in which it exists (fairplay, I nicked the bubble analogy from the New Yorker review; he liked it too), you've ruined it. But I enjoyed it because it almost demands you don't think about it too much. "Soft eyes" will help.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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4

Glic2003Jun 7, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I knew going into it that this wasn't a good movie, but wow, this is a dumb, bad movie. Although, I have to admit, I was entertained. It was sort of fun. It's a weird premise in a nice-looking location. But it's all just so awkward, clunky and illogical. For example, the characters realize that time is somehow moving faster than normal. But someone points out their hair and nails aren't growing faster. So they conclude that only living cells age faster. Okay, sure - except there's a CORPSE that rapidly decays as if it had been there for years. You're telling me the CORPSE was full of living cells that aged faster? It honestly feels like they just realized the premise was impractical to actually film, so they just sort of did whatever they could manage within the budget, not what made sense for the plot. And the cinematography is so awkward and gross. It feels like the work of a director who believes his own hype and thinks he's a genius. For example, when they show the corpse, they don't actually show the corpse. Instead, the camera switches to the perspective from inside the corpse's rib cage, looking out. Why would anyone think that looks good, or is effective film making? You can almost see Mr. Shamalamadingdong grinning his stupid grin, thinking, "Oh yeah - this rib cage shot is so bad ass!" To me, it just felt like they ran out of money to finish making the corpse. I won't even mention the awkward acting and dialogue. This is just a dumb, bad movie. I think the premise had potential to be really creepy and intriguing, but the execution is just laughable.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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4

JLuis_001Jul 25, 2021

For some time now, more than anything since The Village, I've believed with complete certainty that M. Night Shyamalan is a troll. A big one that enjoys to troll his audience, and many inevitably still fall into his game.

I've long beenFor some time now, more than anything since The Village, I've believed with complete certainty that M. Night Shyamalan is a troll. A big one that enjoys to troll his audience, and many inevitably still fall into his game.

I've long been tired of his style. That desperate search for a narrative twist that is on a par with what he achieved in The Sixth Sense.
He's been looking for that ever since, even if he doesn't admit it.

Since then throughout his entire filmography he has tried the same trick, and with the exception of Unbreakable and his two big studio films, in all of them, absolutely all of them, he has failed.
Of course, with the considerable difference in quality. Amid the sober tone of The Village, to the miserable film The Happening ended up being, which continues to be the lowest point of his career. Even beyond Lady in the Water.

Old is 100% the same. Shyamalan 101.
He constructs an intriguing mystery that of course gets the viewer interested. That always happens in all of his films, but soon as they move forward like an hourglass, grain by grain everything deflates.

Of course, the metaphor of time being our killer is super clear, and the fear and terror of our own mortality plays a role in it, but that's when the troll comes in and Shaymalan basically tells you: ''Ha HA HA I caught you''

It's almost as if he has a compulsion to surprise the audience with a conclusion that it's supposed to be shocking and at the same time has nothing to do with the expectations created by them, and that would be laudable if those conclusions were at least satisfactory, but Old only reinforces that Shyamalan sucks to write endings and more intelligent dialogue.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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4

TVJerryJul 27, 2021

The subject is already apparent from the title and any press/previews. A group of people ends up on a beach where they rapidly age. Since it’s written/directed by M. Night Shyamalan you can hope for a suspenseful approach and dark thrills,The subject is already apparent from the title and any press/previews. A group of people ends up on a beach where they rapidly age. Since it’s written/directed by M. Night Shyamalan you can hope for a suspenseful approach and dark thrills, plus a surprise twist. The revelation was unexpected, but not shocking. The tension never manifests. It’s just a sci-fi mystery that’s only interest is watching how and when the cast will change. On the plus side, the beach is lovely and Shyamalan’s big-screen style keeps it visually attractive. Other than that, this is just a mediocre episode of The Twilight Zone. BTW, the director introduces the screening with a welcome back to the movies and he has a cameo as the van driver.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

MrJPrimeMay 21, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I mean.... The poster gives away the whole movie. Decent but not great. The whole situation could have been avoided if they'd read the note earlier lol. Bad manners killed everyone. Still an interesting thought exercise if you want it to be about the changes a mind goes through as we age vs the changes we'd experience through our experiences. Whatever. It's OK… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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4

theredskyJul 30, 2021

A fun and enjoyable film but isn’t very good. This feels like a M. Night Shyamalan movie in both a good and bad way. Conceptually, the idea is really interesting. There are a ton of cool ideas that are being tossed around here and some ofA fun and enjoyable film but isn’t very good. This feels like a M. Night Shyamalan movie in both a good and bad way. Conceptually, the idea is really interesting. There are a ton of cool ideas that are being tossed around here and some of them feel cool and others feel half baked. The cinematography is really great at points but the editing and some shots can be nauseating. The performances all ALL over the place. The mother is awful while Thomasin McKenzie is weird but the schizophrenic Doctor is great. It’s just weird that there is almost no consistency within the performances and writing. The moral implication of some of these ideas are really weird. If a child ages rapidly, do they have the concept of consent. I say this because one of the children that ages gets pregnant from one of the other kids. It’s really really weird at points like that. M. Night is known to have some cool twists, either really great or so bad that it’s funny, but this was fine. It wasn’t earth shattering but it was an interesting idea. Some of the dialogue is laughable bad at points and the film doesn’t always make sense. There is one person on the beach who has been there for a while but he doesn’t age like the other characters and it’s never explained. There is also an issue with how stabbing works in this film but that dives too much into spoilers about the film. This is definitely an entertaining experience and I would recommend watching this if you want a good laugh.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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5

Rebecca31Jul 26, 2021

The lesson you can all take from Old is if you find yourself en route to a secluded location and your driver is M. Night Shyamalan maybe you need to rethink your decision and get the hell off the bus. I'll give it one thing, I definitelyThe lesson you can all take from Old is if you find yourself en route to a secluded location and your driver is M. Night Shyamalan maybe you need to rethink your decision and get the hell off the bus. I'll give it one thing, I definitely wasn't bored.

A family travel to a tropical island for a holiday and discover that the secluded beach they are relaxing at for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly. Naturally everyone freaks out and tries to find a way off the beach before they literally run out of time. I think I can speak for most people when I say the aging process is a real fear many of us have. No one wants to get old. So to base a movie on the premise of aging rapidly is a scary concept. Well at least I thought so. Based on a graphic novel, M. Night has taken an already scary idea and ramped it up to the max. When Prisca (Vicky Krieps) and Guy (Gael García Bernal) realise their children have aged by years in just a few hours panic ensues. It's ridiculous, cringey and the dialogue seems disjointed and a bit like everyone is just reading their lines. There's also the strange editing and close ups that just start to annoy you after a while. I feel Old has a great idea and it's well executed to a point but the more it drags on the more silly it becomes. It doesn't have the same "oh **** moments that some other M. Night films have. There are a few laughs scattered throughout, only I'm not sure if you're really meant to be laughing at them. I didn't love Old but I didn't hate it either. It has its moments but overall it's not great. The performances from most of the cast seem bland and wooden. I feel this was close to being top tier Shyamalan but Old ends up being somewhere between The Happening and Split.

Shyamalan is one of those film makers who really divides audiences, most of you will either love or hate his movies. Old isn't exactly his best but it's not his worst either. Look you get what you expect, the trailer sets it all up so all you have to do is get yourself into a nice air-conditioned cinema, sit back and enjoy this intense thriller. And if you didn't like it, that's fine, and if you loved it that's also fine. Like I said, Shyamalan's movies can be hit or miss, the only way you're going to find out is if you see it for yourself. Recommended for all the M. Night fans.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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5

tropicAcesJul 23, 2021

Some good twists and bits of horror, but the writing is just so bad. One of his more interesting twists, though.

2 of 13 users found this helpful211

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5

Compi24Jul 24, 2021

Welcome to part XII of "is M. Night Shyamalan in on the joke or is he being for real this time?"

Weirdness is most assuredly a part of M. Night Shyamalan's style. Even his best films can't seem to escape that one stray line or awkward beatWelcome to part XII of "is M. Night Shyamalan in on the joke or is he being for real this time?"

Weirdness is most assuredly a part of M. Night Shyamalan's style. Even his best films can't seem to escape that one stray line or awkward beat that leaves the audience scratching their heads. At its worst, the weirdness can tank the film (i.e. "The Happening"), but ever since "The Visit," however, the above question has entered into the picture with considerable intensity. Is it something he can just turn on and off or is he really being genuine 100% of the time? I have half a mind to believe it's not even a question anymore with "Old." Even in "The Happening," yeah, the overall feel is off, but the ratio of awkwardness is much more subdued, feeling more like an honest-to-God attempt at something higher than it really is. Here, the wackiness is so off-the-wall and rapid fire that I gotta believe there's been a concerted effort to voluntarily mug at the camera, so to speak. In any event, the result is far from boring, wholeheartedly preposterous and an unmitigated brow-furrower. Please bubblewrap M. Night Shyamalan. We need to keep him safe so he can keep making silly **** like this until the end of time. If he does have a genuinely good movie in there somewhere, though, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to see that too. Here's hoping he doesn't think this is one of those.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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6

Jim222001Feb 6, 2023

M. Night Shyamalan seems to love to bring wooden performances out of his cast. He even managed to get a robotic performance out of Will Smith in After Earth.
The way his characters interact with each other doesn’t always feel realisticM. Night Shyamalan seems to love to bring wooden performances out of his cast. He even managed to get a robotic performance out of Will Smith in After Earth.
The way his characters interact with each other doesn’t always feel realistic either. It’s the most noticeable when there’s a number of characters together at once throwing around his stiff dialogue. Like, in The Lady in the Water for example.
Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) could have done something interesting and creepy with the story of a beach turning people old. With Shyamalan, the film trudges along and we never really connect or care about any of the characters.
The way Shyamalan pans away from violence or death isn’t a strength either. Hitchcock, he isn’t and it just comes off more amateurish than it makes him look skilled.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

WesleyTomskyJul 25, 2021

Torn between a 5 and a 6
+Premise
+Some creative deaths +Kids in adult bodies was convincing +Some characters coming to terms with death, living entire life in one day, however briefly, is melancholic -OMG the acting from the adults is soTorn between a 5 and a 6
+Premise
+Some creative deaths
+Kids in adult bodies was convincing
+Some characters coming to terms with death, living entire life in one day, however briefly, is melancholic

-OMG the acting from the adults is so bad
-There were like 8 warning signs that these people were going to be kidnapped/killed and they ignored all of them
-Atrocious camerawork
-Kiiiiiinda pedophilic
-Lame twist
-If M Night thinks his ending is "morally ambiguous" then he's a horrible person.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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6

Stream2BigScreeJul 23, 2021

Happy weekend, Streamers! The much-anticipated new movie from M. Night Shyamalan, Old, was released in theaters July 23, 2021. Shyamalan has a weird reputation marred by directorial inconsistencies from the highs of The Sixth Sense andHappy weekend, Streamers! The much-anticipated new movie from M. Night Shyamalan, Old, was released in theaters July 23, 2021. Shyamalan has a weird reputation marred by directorial inconsistencies from the highs of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable to the lows of The Last Airbender and The Happening. From his filmography, the one thing you can say about Shyamalan is that he swings for the fences. In that regard, Old is no exception. I am usually up for giving Shyamalan a chance to surprise me. Here's how he did with Old.

Shyamalan wrote the screenplay for Old based on a graphic novel. The story centers on a family, who takes a trip to a resort and ends up on an idyllic, secluded beach that isn't what it seems. Very soon, the family, who are joined by fellow travelers to the resort, begins to realize that strange things are happening at the beach - mainly, the children begin to age rapidly. Then, they have to figure out what's going on on this beach and why they cannot seem to leave. Shyamalan focuses on the emotional dynamics of the parents and children layering a family drama on top of the creepy thriller, and both sides are moderately successful.

The parents of the main family are played by Gael Garcia Bernal and Vicky Krieps. They are both fine, though I don't believe them as any kind of couple. Bernal and Krieps, especially, do well with showing their growing concern about this strange beach as well as balancing the simmering turmoil underneath the surface of their marriage. Rufus Sewell and Aaron Pierre play pivotal roles as fellow travelers stranded on this beach. Each has creepy moments that they play to the hilt giving Old a horror movie edge that it needs.

Really, Old suffers because it feels like the movie is biding its time searching for an explanation to its premise. The dialogue throughout does too much forecasting about what's to come without being more than just obvious breadcrumbs of things to come. There is one scene that addresses the emotional stakes of the movie, but it comes late in the game so hopefully you're still attuned to what the film wants to say - particularly about aging. Unfortunately, the angst that is displayed as the film moves towards its finale does not pay off as it should - even though the cast does its best.

Ultimately, I cannot recommend paying even matinee prices for Old. I say grabbing a handful of popcorn should do it for Old as it's not worth braving the confines of a dark theater. While there is an interesting premise here, Old does not rise above the level of window-dressing even though some actors really give their all. Give Old a shot when it appears on a streaming service - you may thank me.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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6

Vega8ondNov 14, 2022

This movie overall was better than the sum of its parts. The ending was the biggest let down, it just wasn't believable enough to me however, the character development, plot and overall story was good enough to warrant someone to watch this movie.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

tay2Jul 23, 2021

It's worth watching in theaters because the intense suspense could possibly be taken as sarcasm sometimes if watched at home. I enjoyed the plot thickening and some of the acting is pretty good, however the casting gets a little out of handIt's worth watching in theaters because the intense suspense could possibly be taken as sarcasm sometimes if watched at home. I enjoyed the plot thickening and some of the acting is pretty good, however the casting gets a little out of hand and some decisions with some characters make them pretty forgettable. Definitely worth price of theaters though.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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4

CarlElmoreNov 24, 2022

The moral implications of this are really weird. Was hoping for a funny bad M Night movie but I just got a bland M Night movie instead.

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5

Voodoo123Oct 24, 2021

+Great cast
+Excellent cinematography
-Terrible screenplay

Old is a high quality production marred by an at times awful screenplay. Sometimes the dialogue sounds like a parody. If You're a fan of shamamalan you will enjoy this.