Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Few directors inspire more ire than M. Night Shyamalan. Famed for his twists and turns, Shyamalan’s meteoric rise can only be matched by his shocking fall. There was a moment when he was framed as the next Steven Spielberg. Unfortunately, a string of poor movies left many unwilling to engage with his future hits. Whether he’s inconsistent or very particular, Shyamalan has survived in Hollywood, withTrapbecoming movie number 16 in his storied career. We’re ranking his movies withTrap‘s release, and helping put your expectations in check.
16The Last Airbender(2010)
One of the most frustrating blockbusters of the last thirty years, Shyamalan proved the wrong choice from the jump. He tried to put his stamp on the series, and failed in pretty much every way. Poor visuals and poor acting (aside from Asiv Mandvi & Dev Patel) killed any chance of a franchise. Beyond that, the screenplay struggles to communicate simple ideas. Shyamalan feels bored making the movie. The cast appears disinterested. All of this combined makesThe Last Airbenderone of the most shocking disasters of Shyamalan’s career.
15After Earth(2013)
“We didn’t want it to be done at all”: The Netflix Show Sounds Like a Dream after Avatar: The Last Airbender Creators Recalled the Horrors of the M. Night Shyamalan Movie
Another low point for Shyamalan came in the form of a for-hire directing gig. Nothing aboutAfter Earthfeels relevant to his interests. The story is bad, but that seems more onWill Smith’sshoulders.Jadendoes himself few favors, but this is where the blame has to fall on Shyamalan. For a director who once excelled with young performers,After Earthseemingly destroyed any credibility he had left.
14Wide Awake(1998)
An uneven comedy starring Rosie O’Donnell and Denis Leary misses the mark. Frankly, it’s too saccharine for its own good, and at the same time, it’s rather boring.Wide Awakefeels like the movie he was forced to make in order to prove he could take studio notes. The result is a nothing-burger of a movie. Any ideas about faith that he explores here, he does with more nuance in later movies.
13The Happening(2008)
One watchesThe Happeningand cannot help but wonder if a different cast would fix this one.In one of his firstTwilight Zone-inspired flicks, Shyamalan forced audiences to imagine a world where plants released pheromones that caused humans to commit suicide. TheMark Wahlbergand Zoey Deschenel performances kill the movie, but Shyamalan’s visuals border on excellence. Too much exposition and some annoying quirks further hurtThe Happening. In many ways,Knock at the Cabinis the ideal version of this story.
12Lady in the Water(2006)
“I’ll keep fighting for that”: M. Night Shyamalan’s Biggest Request From Hollywood Could Enrage Many of The Industry’s A-listers
A movie with this much creativity should be celebrated. Also,Paul Giamattiand Bob Balaban are too good for this story. Unfortunately, the narrative collapses on itself. It’s not a surprise thatLady in the Wateris based on a series of bedtime stories Shyamalan told his kids. The silly vibes are quickly disrupted by Shyamalan casting himself as a character that will change the world.Lady in the Wateris too self-aggrandizing for its own good.
11Praying with Anger(1992)
I’m still not a huge fan ofPraying with Anger, but its raw emotion is intriguing.Questions about faith resonate today. Perhaps most surprisingly, his focus on who we are in the context of society and family are the most poignant. There’s something in this debut that’s hard to shake, and we’re giving the visuals a slight pass. After all, the copies available to watch on YouTube look like a conversion of a destroyedVHS tape. Thankfully, Shyamalan did not cast himself in the lead role of future films, because he’s very flat in this one.
10Glass(2019)
With the Shyamalan renaissance completed withSplit, audiences got very excited forGlass. Unfortunately, the true sequel toUnbreakablecould never live up to the hype. WhileJacksonand McAvoy remain excellent, Shyamalan’s structure remains frustrating. It falters on the lethargic second act, which seemingly tries to gaslight audiences who have already watched two full movies about their abilities. In a new series without that background, it might work. However, it does not in this movie.Glassslips, and as a result, it’s perhaps his most frustrating flick.
9Trap(2024)
A great Josh Harnett does his best to liftTrapinto the top tier of Shyamalan’s filmography. Unfortunately, the director lets him down, especially in the final act. A great cat-and-mouse game comes undone with an overly-long third act that stretches credibility. Unfortunately, Shyamalan’s daughter – Saleka Shyamalan – does not have the juice to make these scenes work. However, even after she’s gone fromTrap, the struggles continue for almost another twenty minutes. Very disappointing given his recent trajectory.
8Old(2021)
“Thanks for the childhood trauma”: Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix Teamed Up For a $408 Million Movie and Result Was an Absolute Nightmare From M. Night Shyamalan
Jokes about “beaches that make you old” were everywhere in 2021. However, one of the best encapsulations of hisTwilight Zoneera thrives on an emotional level. Gabriel Garcia Bernal and Vicky Kreips deliver powerful performances, especially when they reach elder status. Their time together is the highlight of the movie, and the willingness of corporate greed to overshadow human life remains a powerful message.
7Knock at the Cabin(2023)
Last year’s entry into the Shyamalam canon proved shockingly effective. A brilliantDave Bautistagot his flowers. The story showcased some heartbreaking tragedies. It also proved exceptionally taunt as a thriller. We’re fully on the side of good movies, andKnock at the Cabindoes not trust it’s audience or reach the highs of the rest of the filmography. Still, Shyamalan’s finally caught up with the brilliance of his first breakthroughs, and it’s amazing to see that return to form completed.
6Split(2016)
A scary little flick,Splitrules because ofJames McAvoy’selectric performance. The actor turns up the commitment in each of his characters and crafts a shockingly nuanced centerpiece forSplit.While the movie embraces some junk science, understanding the ties to comic book culture andUnbreakablemakes this somewhat forgivable. After all, “The Beast” is a comic book villain, and until recently, comics rarely explained these diagnoses with grace. That pass may not fly with some, but it’s undeniably the approach Shyamalan took.
5The Visit(2015)
“The found footage aspect makes it so effective”: M. Night Shyamalan Has Had His Fair Share of Setbacks But His 1 Movie Traumatized an Entire Generation That’s Still Scary After 22 Years
The choice to tackle found footage seemed odd for Shyamalan. However, he proved quickly adept in the medium, especially with a strong cast. Kathryn Hahn helps getThe Visiton its feet, but Shyamalan develops tension without issue. It’s one of the bestBlumhousemovies, bar none, andThe Visitlands some extraordinary scares. It’s certainly not without its flaws (the rapping), butThe Visitgrounded Shyamalan to embrace his artistic visuals once more. We’ve been reaping the benefits ever since.
4The Village(2004)
For all the hype surroundingThe Village, few can say it fell short. An incredible ensemble gets plenty to do. There are two things that hold this movie back: the ending and Adrian Brody. Perhaps the worst aspect of Shyamalan’s reputation was his shift to becoming the “twist guy.” This was the first time it truly didn’t work, and a lot of that falls on Shyamalan’s poor writing in the final act.
However, with a less egregious role and performance from Brody (who had just won an Oscar),The Villagewould earn top-two consideration. The Roger Deakins cinematography and performance from Bruce Dallas Howard keep it in the upper tier. With gorgeous costumes and set design,The Villagerepresents the full package of what he can be as a filmmaker. However, the movie’s downfalls are too great to overshadow.
The real power ofSignsstems from its combination of freaky monsters and philosophical gravitas. Setting this story around a man struggling with faith madeSignsone of Shyamalan’s most honest films. ChoosingGibsonalso proved important toSigns‘ success, as the actor turned director would only continue to embrace his own in the years to come.Signsalso gave Shyamalan his scariest film to date, with many of us still nursing the trauma of an alien walking past a camera. While the ending becomes the weakest aspect of the story, Shyamalan’s introspection has never felt more poignant than inSigns.
2The Sixth Sense
One of the most unique movies inBruce Willis’ careeralso proved his enduring starpower. For Shyamalan, it was the breakthrough into the mainstream that made him a superstar. The performances from Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collette are incredible, and both deserved Oscar nominations in 1999. With a killer screenplay and brilliant direction, it made for a nearly impossible feat to repeat. Shyamalan taps into the crowd-pleasing aspects ofThe Sixth Sense, but most importantly of all, it’s a beautiful story of forgiving oneself.
1Unbreakable(2000)
For years we wanted sequels forUnbreakablebecause the story was stunning. However, the first film in the Eastrail 177 trilogy stands alone as one of the best superhero films ever made.Unbreakablefeatures gorgeous cinematography, incredible pathos, and one of Bruce Willis’ best performances. One of the most complex movies in his filmography helped Shyamalan rise to the top of the industry. It’s one of the only early films he made without a twist, yet the reveal around Mr. Glass confirmedUnbreakable’sgreatness.
WatchTrapin theaters on June 19, 2025. Universal distributes.
Follow us for more entertainment coverage onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram, andYouTube.
Alan French
Film/TV Critic
Articles Published :280
Alan French began writing about television and film by covering the Emmys and Oscar beats in 2016. Since then, he has written hundreds of reviews on TV and movies. He attends film festivals regularly. He is a Rotten Tomato-approved critic and is on the committee for the Critics Association of Central Florida.
More from Alan French
Alien: Earth — “Mr. October” — Season 1 Episode 2 Spoiler Recap and Review
Alien: Earth — “Neverland” — Season 1 Episode 1 Spoiler Review and Recap
Outlander: Blood of My Blood Season 1 Review — A Gorgeous Return to Inverness
Recommended
How Did Mila Kunis Prepare for Black Swan? Harsh 12 Hours Routine Details
Bella Ramsey’s Campaign to Become MCU’s Spider-Man: Is It Really That Absurd?
The Conjuring: Last Rites Faces Its Toughest Box-Office Battle After Rare WB Record
Bridgerton’s BTS Moment Proves the Netflix Show Is Against James Cameron’s Ways
Fallout Season 2 Release Date Confirmed: 5 Post-Apocalyptic Shows to Watch While You Wait For Peak Cinema
Kevin Hart Is Trading Dwayne Johnson for Another WWE Star in New Netflix Film
Avatar: The Last AirbenderGlassM. Night ShyamalanThe Sixth SenseUnbreakable
