Summary
The 2024 horror filmThe Watcherspremiered to poor reviews and ratings. One ofseveral new horror movies releasing in 2024,the film is the directorial debut of Ishana Shyamalan, daughter offamous director M. Night Shyamalan, one of the film’s producers. Ishana Shyamalan also wrote the movie, adapting it from the novel by A.M. Shine. LeadingThe Watcherscast is Dakota Fanning in the role of Mina, a woman who gets lost in the Irish woods and finds a bunker to keep her and several strangers safe from the mysterious Watchers.
The initial reviews of the film were mainly middling, leaning toward negative. On the review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes,only 25% of 52 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The Rotten Tomatoes Critic Consensus on the movie reads, “Heavy on eerie mood but undone by an obtuse script, The Watchers can only hold the gaze for so long before tedium sets in.” According toMetacritic, which uses a weighted average, 82% of critics had mixed or average reviews.
Where To Watch The Watchers: Showtimes & Streaming Status
M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter Ishana makes her directorial debut, and there are different options for where to watch her horror movie The Watchers.
The Watchers Negative Reviews Criticize The Story, Scares, & More
The Film’s Ending Brings More Confusing Than Necessary
Overall, the reviews are critical of the story, its scares, and Shyamalan’s writing and directing efforts. Among the various things critics did not enjoy, many viewers were critical of thetwist ending ofThe Watchers. Some reviews say the story becomes more ridiculous than frightening, especially after revealing the movie’s premise. The film’s ending is said to ruin the logic and flow of the entire movie. The more the story and mystery are revealed, the “more hokey” the movie seems to become, according toThe Guardian. This need for over-explanation is a common critique of conceptual films that rely heavily on audience imaginations.
Critics question the film’s genre, asking ifThe Watchersis horror or thriller, as the movie refuses to take a stance. The reviewers report that the film’s scares aren’t frightening, citing only creature feature horror elements. The movie is said to be gripping as a thriller and intellectual curiosity but itdoes not maintain that interest for the entire 102-minute runtime. In a review fromCollider, a critic writes, “I see dead people in this film, but their cause of death is simply boredom.”
The Watchers Reviews Are Mixed On Ishana Shyamalan’s Direction
Many See Potential In The Young Director
Many viewers agree that Shyamalan’s direction inThe Watchersis hit or miss. Many laud her visually compelling shots and style, assisted by the film’s cinematographer, Eli Arenson.They credit her direction for creating the film’s mood and general eeriness, which are essential aspects of a horror movie. Apart from the tone setting, Shyamalan is also applauded for the emotional depth and journey her main character undergoes at the start. Despite the critics' reviews,Dakota Fanning praised Shyamalan’s directing.
Conversely, many reviewers find that Shyamalan’s storytelling is lacking, making the film seem unpolished and overly complicated. Critics often mention the intense lore and mythology Shyamalan produced for a relatively simple film set-up. Reviews ofThe Watchersclaim that the Shyamalan precedent to rely on a twist ending ruined what could have been an exciting horror film and premise. In a remark on Shyamalan’s first time at directing,The Financial Timesargued thatshe’ll surely go on to make better films in the future.
The Watcherswill be available to stream on Max after its theatrical run.
Premiering the same weekend asBad Boys: Ride or Die,The Watchershas minimal box-office competition with films of the same genre. Unfortunately, though, it seems thatThe Watchersis continuing the box-office flop streak of2024 horror movies. Though the budget isn’t released, the movie is projecting between $8 million to $10 million in opening weekend revenue, typical for recent genre films. Later in the summer of 2024, Ishana’s work will undoubtedly be compared to her father’s, as M. Night will release his new film,Trap. In theShyamalan versus Shyamalan directorial battle, audiences may be swayed by the poor initial reviews ofThe Watchers.
The Watchers
Cast
Based on A.M. Shine’s novel, The Watchers follows Mina, a twenty-eight-year-old artist stranded in the middle of a forest in Ireland. Her momentary relief when she finds shelter is shattered when she discovers other strangers in the same predicament - but they’re stalked each night by unseen creatures.
