For Better or for Worse, “Old” (2021) is Vintage Shyamalan (Part I of II)

5.5/10

I am a fan of writer and director M. Night Shyamalan. I like his storytelling, cinematography, pacing and mood. I am so much of a fan that I can instantly tell that a preview is that of his film by just looking at the first shot.

I have an undeniable soft spot for his movies. I know this to be the case because I found satisfaction sitting through “The Happening” (2008)–a movie about trees wreaking revenge on humanity by releasing toxins into the air–while convinced that most people will detest this intentional/unintentional B movie (low and behold, the first comment of a buddy I watched it with, who’s written his share of scripts, was “This is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen”)

I mention my lack of objectivity in order to put this review of Shyamalan’s latest project, “Old” (2001), into perspective, because the film is vintage Shyamalan.

The movie centers around the Cappa family, constituting Guy (Gael García Bernal), his wife Prisca (Vicky Krieps) and their two children Maddox (Alexa Swinton, Thomasin McKenzie and Embeth Davidtz) and Trent (Nolan River, Luca Faustino Rodriguez, Alex Wolff and Emun Elliott). They’re visiting a tropical resort for a final trip as a family; Guy and Prisca are getting a divorce, even while Prisca recently discovered that she has a tumor in her stomach.

During breakfast, the manager of the resort (Gustaf Hammarsten) offers to take the Cappa family to a secluded beach where they can enjoy the entire beach for themselves. He tells them to keep this a secret, but at the beach, the Cappa family is joined by surgeon Charles (Rufus Sewell) and his family that includes his mother Agnes (Kathleen Chalfant), wife Chrystal (Abbey Lee) and daughter Kara (Kylie Begley, Mikaya Fisher and Eliza Scanlen); nurse Jarin Carmichael and his wife Patricia, a psychologist; and Mid-Sized Sedan (Aaron Pierre), a rapper.

Not long after these parties settle down to enjoy the beautiful beach, three things become clear. First, one person from each party is suffering from an ailment, either physical or mental. Second, everyone is aging very rapidly, seemingly at a pace of one year every 30 minutes. Finally, no one can contact the outside world or get off the beach.

(Continues to Part II)