Photo by The Watchers: A Stylistic Horror Film That Falls Flat
The eerie atmosphere of The Watchers
I recently had the misfortune of watching The Watchers, a highly stylized horror film that promised much but delivered little. Dakota Fanning stars as a lonely woman who finds herself stranded in a misty forest in Ireland with three strangers. As they take shelter in a rectangular cabin, they soon realize that they are being stalked by mysterious and monstrous creatures.
The film is adapted from the first novel by A.M. Shine, an Irish writer of Gothic horror. While the premise is intriguing, the execution falls flat due to unnatural didactic dialogue that makes it difficult to emotionally connect with the characters. The world-building is overly explained, leaving little to the imagination.
A Maze of Plot Twists
The Watchers is directed and written by Ishana Shyamalan, daughter of famous director M. Night Shyamalan. Unfortunately, the directorial apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as the film is plagued by a constant barrage of plot twists and surprises. This made my viewing experience annoying and bewildering.
The emotional tone is all over the place in the latter half of the film, leaving me wondering what message the director was trying to convey. It’s a shame, because with a more focused approach, The Watchers could have been a truly terrifying experience.
The State of Modern Cinema
After watching this film, I couldn’t help but feel concerned about the overall quality of new releases in theaters today. The Hollywood writers and actors strike from last year has left a void in the industry, and it shows. Without good films to talk about, how will movie theaters remain active and relevant?
Dakota Fanning in The Watchers
The Watchers is a prime example of style over substance. While the film’s atmosphere is eerie and unsettling, it’s not enough to save it from its overall lack of coherence. If you’re a fan of horror, you might want to give this one a pass.
The misty forest of The Watchers
