Let’s get a little confusion put to one side with this review of The Watched, this is the same film as The Watchers the title was changed for the UK and Ireland to avoid being confused with the 2022 Netflix thriller The Watcher, but besides the title change the film is the same one, OK on with the review.
“The Watched” is a film directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, making her feature directorial debut. The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan and is based on the novel by A.M. Shine. The story follows Mina, a 28-year-old artist, who becomes stranded in a vast, untouched forest in western Ireland. After finding shelter, she discovers she is trapped alongside three strangers being watched and stalked by mysterious creatures every night. These creatures cannot be seen, but they can see everything.
When I first saw the trailer for The Watched I was intrigued, but the first thing that popped into my head was whether I could sit through a film that seemed to be just based in a small room with a mirror for 1h 42m! I wasn’t pleasantly surprised and the film is not what I was expecting as we are introduced to the forest as a character runs through it only to suddenly be dragged down a hole by some strange and scary-sounding creature.
We then meet Mina (Dakota Fanning) who is working in a pet store, now this seems normal but one thing I did notice is that we never see her boss’s face, we only see the back of his head or he is out of focus in the background which is slightly unnerving and had me wondering that all is not as it seems. Soon after Mina is sent on a journey to deliver a bird, she sets her Sat Nav and heads out only to find herself in the forest we saw at the film’s start. After getting lost she is found by Madeline (Olwen Fouéré) who takes her back to the room we have seen in the trailer and we learn that there is something in the forest and that Madeline, Mina and two others played by Georgina Campbell and Oliver Finnegan must allow “The Watchers” to watch them during the night. Still, they must follow the rules and only leave to try and gather food during the day.
I found myself getting pulled in more and more as The Watched moved along at a nice steady pace and I wanted to know more about these creatures in the woods, we slowly learn more about them and as time moves on things don’t go well as Mina wants out and wants to get home, after antagonising The Watchers it all kicks off and that’s when things get even more interesting.
Ishana Night Shyamalan has brought us a great film that does have you on the edge of your seat and there are certainly some moments that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. We do get those loud bangs to make you jump and on occasion, they work, but for me, it was the creepiness of the room and the creatures outside that got to me more especially when we see one of them scurrying across the forest floor and then stand up and mutate. It’s all nicely done in the shadows so you don’t get to see much until later when we discover what these creatures are.
The cast has great on-screen chemistry, and you get the sense that there is more to them than meets the eye. The film keeps you guessing with numerous twists and turns. The sound mixing is excellent, and the cinematography effectively captures the eerie atmosphere of the room and the dark forest.
I’m looking forward to seeing what Ishana Night Shyamalan‘s next film will be and I’m sure that being the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan she has had plenty of inspiration for a career as a director.
On July 15, The Watched will be available for early Premium Digital Ownership at home and for 48-hour rental via PVOD on participating digital platforms where you purchase movies.
On August 26, The Watched will be available to own on DVD.
Creepy with Twists and Turns
Movie title: The Watched (2024)
Movie description: A young artist gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
Date published: June 26, 2024
Country: UK
Duration: 1h 42m
Director(s): Ishana Night Shyamalan
Actor(s): Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Summary
A creepy first feature directorial debut from Ishana Night Shyamalan that has plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
