nick’s review published on Letterboxd:
Old is Shyamalan’s most consistently depressing and terrifying work so far, and one with arguably the best premise and twists. It doesn't have the best executions among Shyamalan’s filmography, but the story alone is more than enough for a guaranteed enthralling ride.
The cruelty of time and ageing couldn't have been depicted in a more devastating manner in Old, a relentless horror story that serves more as a bonkers commentary on human's inherent fear of dying, than an actual survival tale. We follow a group of tourists as they are stranded on an island, where time seems to have spun out of control. There are definitely moments of cheese and cliches that prevent Old from greatness, but once Shyamalan focuses the cameras on the mysterious effects of the accelerated time on the stranded individuals, Old is as good as it gets, thanks to its skin-crawling yet highly relatable depictions of such abnormality. It reaches a perfect balance between sincerity and silliness, which can be a problem for a lot of Shyamalan works.
Overall Old is for sure another entertaining output from Shyamalan, if not his career best. Highly recommended.
