Great but what's with the microphones?

Rating: 8/10 (14 January 2003)

I really like M.Night Shyamalan's 2 previous films(The 6th sense & Unbreakable) and Mel Gibson is one of my favorite actors so I expected nothing short of a masterpiece. It would have been that if there wasn't for one huge mistake:microphones! They stick out all movie long from every angle imaginable so it sometimes looks like a TV interview. I mean,they had a huge budget and all digital wonders at their hands and still this happens? Mr.Shyamalan please check your prints more carefuly next time. All this had no effect at box office result and wasn't mentioned in any reviews so the film became the biggest hit in Mel Gibson's carierr and had excellent reviews. This is not totally undeserved: apart from mikes everything else is great. Shyamalan proves once more that he's one of Hollywood's best directors. The way he tells this not-so original story(in my opinion Shyamalan is a better director than a scriptwritter)is brilliant. The camera is always placed at the most perfect spot. Thrills and chills are not forced upon you,the film slowly creeps under your skin. Film is emotional and deeply religious without being pathetic and scary without having any gore(less is more!). Calm and inteligent stuff from start to finish, the oposite of ,let's say, Michael Bay's work(one of Hollywood's worst directors). Acting is top notch but that is expected when you have Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix in leading rolls. I rate this one 8/10. It would have been a pure 10 value if not for those damn mikes.