The Watchers

Like father, like daughter. Similar to movies directed by M. Night Shyamalan, this one, directed by his daughter Ishana, starts with an interesting idea that gets my attention through the trailers, but then fumbles the execution during the full movie and lets me wishing the idea and plot were better used.

The movie follows Mina, a woman with some traumas that are explored during the story, that gets lost in the woods during a trip, and there she finds a shelter, shared by 3 other characters, which is crucial to survive monsters that appear at night and watch them through a one sided window wall of the place. This short begining of the story presents us with some interesting mysteries to find out: What is Mina’s trauma and how does this affect her and the plot? What are those monsters? Why is there a building in the middle of the forest? Who are the others there? Why do they have to stand in front of the window (mirror on their side) to be watched by the creatures outside? Sadly the answers for those questions are not as interesting, not well developed and at times even a bit contradictory.

The ending is an exposition dump on the creatures lore, a predictable twist and a change of heart on the last moment that feels underserved. Certainly not one of those endings that redeems bad movies.