Entwining Irish folklore, dead-parent issues, eco-anxiety, and reality-show commentary, The Watched is an acceptable mid-tier horror. It'll be far more interesting to see what Shyamalan does next.
Why you can trust GamesRadar+
Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.
Does the apple fall far from the sinister, twisty tree? M. Night Shyamalan’s Gen Z daughter Ishana makes her writing and directorial debut with The Watched (released in the US as The Watchers), a tale of dread that shares traits with dad’s work – not least the ability to conjure a strong vibe without necessarily sustaining it.
Based on A.M. Shine’s bestselling horror novel, it nails the ‘rules’ of a spooky world within 15 mins and then, like the road the protagonist drives on, becomes less distinctive and more bumpy the longer it goes on. Apply logic and the wheels come fully off.
The rules, then: a forest in the west of Ireland "draws lost souls" with anyone entering finding it impossible to leave, devoured by unseen forces at nightfall. After the summary offing of a hiker, we cut to Mina (Dakota Fanning), a grief-worn pet-shop worker who’s transporting a parrot to the zoo when her car breaks down in the forest.
Article continues below
She discovers a shack with a mirrored wall that’s ‘home’ to a group of people who are coerced to enact a weird kind of Big Brother existence while being observed by malevolent forces from outside. Ciara (Georgina Campbell), Madeline (Olwen Fouéré), and Daniel (Oliver Finnegan) instruct Mina in the ways of the forest: don’t turn your back, don’t be out after dark, don’t go to their burrows…
Mina and her new cohorts make a plan to escape, but it wouldn’t be a Shyamalan flick (M. Night produces) without a twist - the dramatic impact of which will depend largely on how much you buy into the transformative power of human compassion, and also your willingness not to question the logistics in play.
The Watched (releasing as The Watchers in the US) opens in UK cinemas and US theaters on June 7.
Jane Crowther is a freelance writer and the Editor-in-Chief at Hollywood Authentic magazine, having formerly been the longtime Editor of Total Film magazine. Jane is also the Chair of The Critics' Circle and a BAFTA member. You'll find Jane on GamesRadar+ exploring the biggest movies in the world and living up to her reputation as one of the most authoritative voices on film in the industry.
