‘The Watchers’ marks the directorial debut of Ishana Night Shyamalan, the 24-year-old daughter of M. Night Shyamalan. Adapted from A. M. Shine’s 2022 novel, ‘The Watchers’ transports viewers to Ireland. The story centers on Mina (Dakota Fanning), an American immigrant employed at a pet store, who finds herself entrusted with the delivery of a parrot.
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After her car breaks down in a remote forest, Mina is rescued by an elderly woman named Madeline (played by Olwen Fouéré). Madeline leads her to a bunker with a mirrored glass wall where Mina meets other inhabitants. Together, they discover they are being watched by a mysterious group of creatures that emerge at night.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Ishana Night Shyamalan Shows Promise as Horror Director
The film received criticism from both audiences and critics for its convoluted script, weak dialogue, and uninspired plot. Despite these shortcomings, Ishana shows promising potential for a successful career in horror. While ‘The Watchers’ may have its flaws, her debut reveals a talent for character development and world-building that sets a strong foundation for future projects.
Although ‘The Watchers’ marks Ishana Shyamalan’s feature directorial debut, she is no stranger to the thriller genre. She has previously collaborated with her father, M. Night Shyamalan, directing episodes of ‘Servant’ and serving as second unit director on his films ‘Old’ and ‘Knock at the Cabin.’
Dakota Fanning received more positive reviews on her role as Mina, and it an interview with Variety, she discusses taking on this character.
“I felt like Mina was a searcher. She obviously had some things buried from her past and was still trying to find herself,” she says. “I was in my late 20s reading the script and making the movie, and I kind of felt like that: you’re not young and you’re not old. You’re somewhere in between, and you’re supposed to have it all together.”
‘The Watchers’ is NOW PLAYING in theaters. Experience Ishana Night Shyamalan’s debut and judge for yourself alongside fans and critics.
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