The latest M. Night Shyamalan movie, based on the graphic novel Sandcastle, has a set-up that’s very on-brand for the writer-director, but it’s hampered by awfully clunky Basil Exposition-style dialogue that over-explains and renders the film less elegant. A family on holiday found themselves trapped on a remote beach where strange things being to happen – and that’s all you need to know, as I believe the trailer and the synopsis in most reviews, reveal too much when it’s preferable watching this blind and spoiler-free. I might even rate this at least ½ star higher had I not known those details that I did, as approaching the plot-twist completely fresh would’ve been far more impactful and shocking. That’s a shame as it’s a good ‘twist’ that the film has fun playing with and I place the responsibility and blame squarely with the studio and their marketing team, especially when there’s more than enough of a hint in that title. In terms of execution, Shyamalan does a good job generating and sustaining a mysterious atmosphere and the cinematography rewards those watching on a big screen. An indie film-flavoured cast, led by Gael Garcia Bernal and Vicky Krieps, is uneven, with secondary characters suffering most with their one-note characterisations that turn them into plot devices. Pushing the film’s (high) concept to its limits, the ending pulls back from the abyss without being nonsensical, but only just, though I suspect it doesn’t entirely track if you think about it hard enough; and the final scenes could do with a trim to make it less flabby and sharper. This is a beautiful looking B-movie with potential to be more, and even hints at profundity in its exploration of its main theme, but the end result is ultimately compromised by some unfortunate decision-making by its production.
@SubtitledFriend 