M. Night Shyamalan is one of the most controversial filmmakers. Many people believe that his career is a story like this.The Academy Award-nominated director and writer won audiences over with The Sixth Sense (1999), his horror film. The chilling story of a superhero, Unbreakable (2001), and the heartbreaking tale about an alien invasion, Signs (2002) continued his success.Then things got confusing with The Village (2004), a period thriller featuring mermaids and the exhausting Lady in the Water (2006). The Happening (2008), an apocalyptic film that is one of the most silly ever made, culminated this apparent quality decline in complete disaster.Shyamalan's reputation was not great in found-footage films like The Visit (2015), Unbreakable sequels Split 2017 and Glass (2019). His latest movie is now in theaters. It's a great time to revisit his controversial, highly-rated work.Old (2021), a Rotten Tomatoes product, hovers around 50%. Its quality is being heavily debated on social media. Yes, "the beach which makes you old" is getting memed.I stand behind the positive review that Old received from me. This highlights to me the importance of personal preference in Shyamalan's films. I believe that what you expect from thrillers has a huge impact on whether or not you are satisfied when you leave a Shyamalan movie.This in mind, I have rewatched and ranked all Shyamalan thrillers, highlighting what makes certain titles work for me better than others. YMMV. But that's true for every director.Not all Shyamalan films are included in this ranking. We have excluded the dramas Praying with Anger (1992), Wide Awake (191998), and fantasy films After Earth (2013) from our list because Shyamalan is best known for his thrillers.Having said that, I want to take this opportunity and say that The Last Airbender was terrible. It is truly the worst thing that has happened to Katara, Aang, and Sokka ever since the Fire Nation attacked. It is something you should never see. We are grateful.10. Glass (2019)."Beliefs in yourself are contagious." Credit: Universal picturesUnbreakable, a Bruce Willis-starring superhero movie, was released before the Marvel Cinematic Universe existed. You would think that Unbreakable was the movie to best understand comics.Nope. Glass is the film that takes the title of Unbreakable's final film. It somehow manages to make three great actors dull and superpowers seem dull. Samuel L. Jackson, Will and James McAvoy reprise their roles in the film. James McAvoy plays his character from Split, the Unbreakable sequel. Sarah Paulson plays Dr. Ellie Staple (a psychiatrist).Glass, easily the worst Shyamalan thriller, took the Unbreakable franchise by storm and broke it. You'll want to see more of this world if you haven't seen the first two. It's okay to pass otherwise.How to watch: You can rent or buy Glass on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.9. Lady in the Water (2006)"Where are your origins?" "The pool." Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/ShutterstockLady in the Water stars Paul Giamatti, who plays the role of an apartment superintendent who makes way more than he expects from his building's swimming pool. It is a ridiculously contrived fairytale thriller best described by its creators as "goofy". Bryce Dallas Howard is a good enough actor as Story, a nymph-like being. It's awkward to listen to in dialogue, but it's still interesting. Story, a magically appeared in urban Philly, must fight to get back to her underwater home.Although the titular lady in water isn’t very well-written, her world doesn’t feel believable. Shyamalan’s appearance here is also easily his most embarrassing. Lady in the Water, despite its uncanny visuals, is still a great on-in the-background choice. It's not necessary to try and follow it or take care of it.How to watch: Lady in the Water streaming now on Cinemax (via Hulu).8. The Happening (2008)"Why can't anyone give me a goddamn minute?" Credit: Zade Rosenthal/20th Century Fox/Kobal/ShutterstockThe Happening is a movie about something "happening." That's the message that every character (including Succession's Alan Ruck, and Jeremy Strong) tells us during this apocalyptic snoozefest.Although Shyamalan is sometimes criticized for his twist endings and sloppy writing, The Happening is one the most straightforward apocalypse movies ever made. This survival thriller is difficult to enjoy because of its weak stakes and unlikable stars Zooey deschanel, Mark Walhberg.It's a great way to have fun with the camera. For example, count how many times Elliott (played by Wahlberg) asks himself a rhetorical query out loud and how many facial expressions. Answer: Too many and 1.How to watch: Watch The Happening on Peacock.7. The Village (2004)"If it ends, it ends." Credit to universal picturesIn case you haven’t seen The Village, I won’t go into detail about its absurd plot. This bizarre period thriller from Shyamalan is one of the most divisive films, with more to it than critics gave credit for at the time.Bryce Dallas Howard plays Ivy Walker, a young woman who lives in a small Pennsylvania town during the 19th century. This is her first collaboration with Shyamalan. The settlement has managed to live peacefully for many years thanks to an old agreement. However, the threat of attack from monsters lurks around the village.Adrien Brody and Joaquin Phoenix round out the cast. The film is memorable, but it's best to see the ending than read. The 180 it pulls is simply amazing.How to Watch: The Village streamed on Peacock.6. Split (2017)"24 identities live within Kevin's body." Credit: Photos by creditSplit is the better Unbreakable sequel by a large margin. It doesn't really have much to do superheroes and doesn't include any characters from the original. The cinematic spectacle of James McAvoy's stunning performance as Kevin Wendell Crumb is still worth the effort. He's a dangerous man who has 24 psychological identities.Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula star as the three teenage captives Kevin has placed in an underground facility. The film's tense struggle for survival is the heart of the story. Although it may not be compelling at times, it will make an impact.How to watch Split: You can rent or buy it on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.5. 5."Can you believe that I found this online?" Credit to universal picturesThis may not be the most spicy of dishes, but it's delicious! Old was a great choice!Shyamalan's latest nightmare takes us far from Philadelphia, the usual filming location for the writer-director to a remote tropical islands where Guy (Gael Garca Beral), Prisca(Vicky Krieps), their children Maddox and Trent (Nolan River), are hoping for a wonderful vacation.The family is trapped on a sinister island that will make them old. Things take a dark turn. Old is awkward, silly, but still quite effective. In my humble opinion, it sticks the landing.How to see: Old is currently playing in theaters.4. The Visit (2015)"Would it be okay if you got in the oven to clean it?" Credit to universal picturesShyamalan's catalogue has a hidden gem: The Visit.Loretta (Kathyrn Hahn), Loretta's mother, sends her children Becca (Olivia DeJonge), and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould), on a trip to visit their estranged grandparents. She expects that they will have a peaceful vacation. Soon after they arrive, Nana (Deanna Dunagan), and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie), start acting strangely.Becca, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, captures the next step in her found-footage film. It's a horrible, heart-breaking nightmare that includes some very light moments and DeJonge's stellar performance. You will laugh. You will scream. You may throw up. You have been warned.How to watch the Visit: You can rent it or buy it on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play.3. Unbreakable (2000)"This is an art gallery. This is an art piece. Credit: Getty ImagesUnbreakable is the amazing movie that made Split and Glass possible. It tells the story about David Dunn. Bruce Willis plays David Dunn. He wakes up in hospital and discovers that he is the only survivor from a train accident that resulted in more than 130 deaths. The rest of the movie is grounded by Samuel L. Jackson's comic-book-loving Elijah Price who helps him discover why.Unbreakable is still a captivating mystery, more than twenty years after it was released. This hero's story is unique for its time and full of surprising twists that make it stand out.How to watch: Unbreakable now available on Peacock or Amazon Prime Video.2. SignsMerrill, swing away! Swing away. Credit: Frank Masi/Touchstone/Blinding Edge/Kobal/ShutterstockIf you are able to stomach Mel Gibson's performance, Signs is a great film.Gibson has been accused of domestic violence, making homophobic and racist remarks over the years. Shyamalan's moving tale about an alien invasion that stars Gibson hasn't aged well enough.Signs is a great movie, and you should watch it. Joaquin Phoenix plays the uncle of two children. Abigail Breslin, Rory Culkin and Joaquin Phoenix play their roles. This moving story elevates the art and technique of the twist ending more than The Sixth Sense, in my opinion. It also features a great jump-scare.Signs streaming now on Peacock1. The Sixth Sense (1999)."I see dead people." Credit: Getty ImagesShyamalan was awarded both Oscar nominations for The Sixth Sense. This emotional ghost story features 10-year-old Haley Joel Osment as Cole Sear, the boy who can see dead people. Unbreakable's Willis plays Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist.The Sixth Sense is a great horror story. It has convincing leads, a memorable turn by Toni Collette as Cole’s mom, and a fantastic ending. Although you may already know the "big twist" to The Sixth Sense, it is Shyamalan's deep understanding of spirituality as well as his meticulous crafting of tension that makes this 1998 movie a classic.How to watch: The Sixth Sense streamed on Peacock.
