And Then They Were OLD

I’m one of these people who’s obsessed with not getting older.  I wouldn’t say I spend a lot of money on expensive creams or treatments.  No way anyone’s shooting botulism into my forehead or smile lines.  But I do think about aging a lot and I would guess it’s half the reason why I never married, had kids or bought property, cause that would make me an adult, and then that would lead to getting old. 

M. Night Shyamalan‘s latest endeavor OLD is inspired by the French graphic novel Sandcastle by Pierre Oscar Levy and artist Frederik Peeters. It was given to Night as a gift from his daughters, about a group of people who find themselves rapidly aging on a beach.

The main protagonists are a brother and sister, Trent and Maddox (later played by Alex Wolff (Hereditary) and Thomasin McKenzie (JoJo Rabbit) on holiday with their parents Prisca (Vicky Krieps) Phantom Thread) and Guy (Gael García Bernal) they arrive at Anamika, a gorgeous, luxury resort off the coast of France. [ The actual filming took place in the Dominican Republic, marking the first time Night didn’t shoot in Philly. The filming took place early in 2021 where cast & crew had to be more than mindful of both COVID-19 protocols and hurricane season.]  What Trent and Maddox don’t know, is their parents are planning to split after this holiday; giving the children one last family vacation together.

The owner of the hotel suggests to Prisca & Guy that their first day’s activity be a trip out to a private beach. He intimates, they are the only ones being offered this opportunity, but once in the resort van (featuring M. Night’s cameo) they are joined by a rich couple, Charles (Rufus Sewell) and his trophy wife Chrystal (Abbey Lee Lovecraft Country) their 6 year-old daughter Kara and Charles’ mother. Once on the beach they find a famous rapper, Mid-Size Sedan [love this moniker] (Aaron Pierre) in a stooper and another couple from the resort (Nikki Amuka-Bird & Ken Leung) show up a short time later.  It doesn’t take long before the aging effects on the island start creating havoc for the group, giving the movie a cross between the TV show LOST and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

Much of the plot revolves around a number of deliberate setups for each character, which eventually affect them adversely on the beach.  I do like the frenzied atmosphere near the middle as people and dogs are dying and being born. Shyamalan did a great job conveying that sense of anxiousness and mayhem.  But some of the deliberately odd camera angles seemed contrived. And as always, there’s a part where you’re like, huh? I don’t think that’s believable; but for the most part it’s a good eerie, entertaining thriller.

T&T @LAMB rating: 3.5 outta 5