Poor guy. He is becoming the guy to ridicule. He has dropped some stinkers lately...but I am not sure this is warranted. He does have a few excellent movies out. But from what I am seeing...the behavior reported in the article in the link is being recorded all over the US.
https://popwatch.ew.com/2010/07/19/devil-laughter-m-night-shyamalan/
The problem with M. Night Shyamalan is he's constantly trying too hard to be original and different, even going as far as bragging about it in one of his films, Lady in the Water. Sometimes it works very well, and other times it can be too different and original, often making for an awkward end result, which often lends itself to the inevitable backlash. Sometimes being original means taking risks that could either be too challenging to viewers or for even the director. Sometimes the viewers don't get it, sometimes he doesn't, and now it seems to be a little of column A and a little from column B with his recent choices. I definitely should give the Happening a chance. This guy was one of my favorite directors prior to the Village, and while most didn't like that film, I enjoyed it for what it was and thought it was a very cool idea. I love the twist endings in his films. Some people just can't stomach his efforts. I applaud him for them. At least he's trying to be creative, unique, and different. Something I can't say about the majority of directors out there. Especially of the Hollywood variety. Which reminds me I want to see the follow up to City of God! I even enjoyed the Lady in the Water even if it had a very preposterous storyline and has equally preposterous characters. I like how everything lined up, and the significance each character played in the movie to help the lead female character.
I enjoy his movies, even if most don't. Then again, I like different movies. I am not a big fan of the Hollywood sequel and remake machine which we're seeing far too often. He's not the director I fell in love with after the Sixth Sense, Signs, and Unbreakable, but I still think he's a lot more interesting than Hollywood's other offerings.
I'll take my foreign films over Hollywood's any day of the week! Only Hollywood's best can compete, and they are far and few between.
