[Erik]

I guess we can all agree that M. Night Shyamalan is not doing well on his job lately. From his first 4 blockbusters, the last one (The Village) was the least good. From then, Lady In The Water to The Last Airbender it kinda went down with every movie. We, as fans, might still like the movies yet we can all agree that they are not his best.

Everyone I know is sick of M. Night and his latest movies. They can't believe that I am still a fan of him, that I haven't abandonned him as a fan, but I just can't. There were three movies that really got me motivated to become a screen writer and M. Night Shyamalan made all three of them. He is my role model.

So, what happened to mister Shyamalan?

I watched The Last Airbender in cinema yesterday and I have to say that he has not lost his director skills. They movie looks beautifull. Great CGI, the bending looks awesome and the surroundings of the world the story is set in looks great.
Shyamalan is still a visual genious.

The thing that comes in mind to me is the writing. I believe that the reason why his latest movies are bad is because of the screenplay he wrote. Let's take a look at his first 4 movies (pre-Sixth Sense excluded); all movies have a simular way of story telling and it is slow. Step by step we get to know the characters, the problems, the solutions and everyting. The pacing in the movies really made them one of a kind.
The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs and The Village are masterpieces in my opinion.

After The Village, Shyamalan tried something new. He tried to speed up the story telling, which I think he shouldn't. Lady In The Water was acceptable. The Happening would have been better if there was just a little more time for the characters to show emotion and The Last Airbender was just aweful due to the speed.

If a great director has a poor script, he can try what ever he wants, but he will never make a masterpiece out of it. Now I begin to wander about the two upcoming Shyamalan movies.

'Devil', is it going to be good again? Will this show that the mind of M. Night is still producing great stories? If so, will it have a slow or fast pacing? If it has a fast pacing, but the movie is still good then it proves my theory for a big part I guess.
'Untitled M. Night Shyamalan Project', will this have the same slow pacing as his first 4? Will this finally be his return from a bad era? If it has slow pacing and it'll be a masterpiece again, it will prove my theory.

I honestly can't wait for both movies to be released. I want to see the return of the mastermind.

What do you guys think of my theory? I would like a discussion about it.

[Imalshen]

While I will say the Airbender script is no good, I don't think Shyamalan is really in a downward spiral. Maybe to American audiences, and to critics, but in general, I think he's still making good movies. He's changing, he's evolving, but he's not gone to pieces yet. I'll say he's gone to pieces when he gets busted for crack or something.

Most people I know are not huge fans of him like us; they like some of his films and others not so much. My friend hated Airbender but she loves The Village. I love Lady in the Water the best and when I talk to people about it, they watch it and fall in love too, regardless of his previous films. I knew a guy who thought The Happening was the best movie ever but though the 6th Sense was overrated, and so on.

I really think it all comes down to people's taste. And it also comes down to how his style, and his audience, changes. I'm all for a "return" to the old Shyamalan style, but it really doesn't work that way. Nobody writes the same story twice, unless they're OCD. And even then, they write it differently, making it better.

We need to let go of the past. We need to stop comparing his new films to his old films. They are not the same thing. Maybe it's just the wrong people are going to see his films because of his name.

Note to self....if I ever produce movies, use a different name for each one... 

Frankly I don't care if people like some and hate some. I just wish they'd stop whining about "the old days". THAT'S what gets on my nerves. You'd think they'd know by now-go into a Shyamalan film completely open, expecting nothing. If you have anything in your head beforehand you're going to miss what he's saying. You may like it, you may not. But you have to listen.

[Rohan]

I don't think M.Night Shyamalan is going downwards. He is evolving and he is starting to share his ideas with new talents. He is looking for writers and directors for his new banner "The Night Chronicles". Devil is the first film under TNC banner and that alone will bring a new change to M.Night's name. All the haters will look differently on M.Night Shyamalan after Devil.

Critics are mad because of "Lady In The Water", they are constantly bashing M.Night and on purpose they type negative about M.Night. Not only about his movies, but they step out of the line and bash M.Night likes its some type of grudge. I have emailed almost 5 of these so called critics back when I read their review about M.Night Shyamalan. They talk more about him than they do about the film. They say - Good CGI - the movie sucks and M.Night is finished. While in reality those people know that M.Night's career is not over.

One critic stated "The Happening" is the worst film he has seen all his life. I had to personally message him and asked him if "The Happening" was the only movie he has seen. I received a reply back from him stating "I have been a critic for 10 years". That rings the bell that these so called haters spread the hate word and users on their site agree with them.

We don't have to explain and neither M.Night to these people that he cannot just sit back and expect the audience feeling his every new movie is going to have a twist. The guy has changed and made lots of cash for the past couple of years and I see more success in coming years.

[PriestRevan]

My response is gonna be small, so I apologize now:

I don't mind M. Night's writing. I don't. I actually thing the way he writes things is fantastic. The things his characters say are often weird and surreal, which, makes them fun. I think his stories are original. They're creative, to say the least.

However, the problem I see is that it might be the way he is directing them. I like his directing style, personally, but other people don't.

Nothing we can do about that.

[Rohan]

If you guys pay attention to all the dialogues they are all wierd in a way, but they are all beautifully written and performed by his actors.

The Happening for example: The couple with the SUV.

Wife: Honey, can you grab that binoculars. The one that we used to spy on our neighbors.

I love his dialogues.

[Imalshen]

Wife: Honey, can you grab that binoculars. The one that we used to spy on our neighbors.

In the movie theatre, half the audience laughed like crazy at stuff like that, the other half, who weren't paying enough attention went "Wait, what? Did I really just hear that?" lol By the end most people weren't missing a thing.

[mnightfan4lyfe]

I know the US critics seems to think he's going downwards, but Last Airbender continues to do quite well overseas. I think I read it's made about $230M so far w/ US & Int'l. I personally look forward to his movies just as much now as when I first became a fan after seeing the Sixth Sense. Are there some I like more than others? Yeah....but as long as he keeps making films, I'll go see them. Although I really liked TLA, I have to admit I'm really looking forward to a new original M. Night film. Devil sounds good, but I can't wait for one that's his own from start to finish. 

[shinchan]

yeah... just because he made a few mistake in TLA,not made him going down.learn from mistakes then he become more expert i hope.and yes i am still his big fan...

[Rohan]

It's just the beginning for M.Night Shyamalan. God bless him and give him long and healthy life, I am sure we will see some great films in future.

[Imalshen]

  I saw a TLA puzzle and sticker book at the bookstore tonight. I was sooo temped to get it just so I could put the Kiyoshi warrior stickers on my notebook. lol

[SingleSecond]

Yeah, I think it's silly how he's been receiving such negative feedback lately just from the sight of his name.  He'll show everyone with the release of Devil.  I think the idea is great, and I cannot wait to see it.

[Baconhawk]

If Devil is as awesome as it looks, im going to rip on my friend who thinks M. Night sucks now, all day monday 

[Imalshen]

Rip rip rip! lol My friends are just like "He's got another one coming out? I thought he just...oh he did just release a movie...sure I'll go see it." They're a mixed bunch, some really like him, some are just indifferent, and maybe one person is as nuts as me...lol

[Erik]

In my opening post, I was wondering if Devil would be a good movie and if it would have a slow story telling. I think we can all agree that Devil is in fact a good movie.

I think this is something you can disagree with, but I thought the story telling of Devil was in fact slow. It takes about 15 minutes before the elevator get's stuck, and another 15 minutes before the first things start happening in that elevator. For a movie of 80 minutes, that is slow.

This pretty much helps my theory (I wouldn't call my theory 'proved' yet), which basically means that M. Night Shyamalan is a great story teller, as long as he takes his time for it.

[Imalshen]

I think time and pacing is subjective. You are the only person I know who called that movie slow.