Ultimately, writer and director M. Night Shyamalan is a victim of his own initial success.
He used it well in his first three studio films following withUnbreakableandSigns.
Then it seems, he embraced his own hype.
Universal Pictures
The luster immediately faded, and previous brilliance appeared as a fluke.
Todays M. Night films feel likeTwilight Zoneepisodes that were stretched from 30 minutes to 90.
At surface level,Knock at the Cabinlooks to be a filmmaker going back to his roots.
A small, anxious environment is created with supernatural influence and a cute kid thrown in the mix.
It has worked well in the past.
Likewise, the premise of the film fails to deliver on anything deep.
They break in and subdue the three immediately, while orating the ground rules of the coming apocalypse.
The repeated emphasis is that the decision that must be made of choice and sacrifice.
It brings about a plague that will kill millions to billions.
Or so were told thats what is happening.
Again, we dont see it.
Thats right, we watch them watch television.
I would be more forgiving if Shyamalan hadnt already showed that he can build more suspense with less.
He demonstrated this inSignswhere we barely get more than a glimpse of the monster until the very end.
We were allowed to create terror by filling in the gaps of the unseen.
This is not the case here.
Yet they are all boxed in byKnock at the Cabin.
Fine, Ill do it already is about as good as we get in this film.
Unfortunately, this entry fits right in with most of his work.
The lackluster result is the real catastrophe.
