The Visit (2015)

About The Visit

The Visit is a 2015 American found footage horror film written, directed, and produced by M. Night Shyamalan. The film revolves around a pair of siblings who are sent by their mother to visit their grandparents. Upon arriving, the children realize that their grandparents are involved in a deeply frightening secret, the reveal of which sets the course of their predicament.

Making / Production

"The Visit" is produced by Jason Blum, a filmmaker best known for revitalizing the found footage sub-genre, and M. Night Shyamalan, director famed for his knack for psychological thrillers. Shyamalan raised the modest $5 million dollar budget by mortgaging his own home, a bet that paid off with a robust box office and critical reappraisal of Shyamalan's directing.

Actors

• Olivia DeJonge as Becca Jamison - Becca is a determined teenager who decides to create a documentary about her grandparents. Olivia played the role with authenticity and vulnerability.
• Ed Oxenbould as Tyler Jamison - Tyler is Becca's brother who joins her on the visit to their grandparents. Ed brought humor and bravery to the character.
• Deanna Dunagan as Nana - Dunagan portrayed Nana in a disturbingly convincing manner that chills the audience.
• Peter McRobbie as Pop Pop - McRobbie successfully delivers a creepy yet pitiful character.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• M. Night Shyamalan self-funded the movie. He even stated that the low budget forced him to be more creative during filming.
• The first draft of the script was written by Shyamalan in just three weeks.
• Shyamalan drew from his own experiences when writing the script, as he used to visit his grandparents in India.

Awards

While "The Visit" did not win any major awards, it was well received by critics and became a box office success, considered a solid return to form for M. Night Shyamalan.

Quotes

• "Would you mind getting inside the oven to clean it?" - Nana
• "I have the deep darkies." - Pop Pop
• "The scariest thing I ever saw in my life was my dad's naked back. It was gross." - Tyler

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's score was composed by Paul Cantelon, providing eery and haunting music to accompany the film's tension.
• "Everyday" by Buddy Holly plays during a critical scene, lending an ironic and disturbing juxtaposition to the events unfolding.