Please allow yourself to be entertained...

Rating: 9/10 (30 July 2004)

I've read several bad reviews on this movie. If only people would relax their critical, idealistic attitudes, allow themselves to enjoy being told a story, and just ride the wave of imagination, this movie is well worth a viewing. It WILL scare you at times, if you let it. You WILL care about the characters, especially Ivy, if you let yourself, and you WILL be surprised at the end, if you want to be. I mean c'mon, you paid for the ticket, let the man entertain you. It's not hard. He does it well, in my opinion, with this movie. Shyamalan does with his movies what Stephen King does with written words, that is, draws a warm, soapy, poignantly pungent bath of eerily abstract imagery and unfamiliar sensations into which those who experience them can immerse themselves and emerge refreshed and cleansed of the tedium of normal life.
Don't see this movie with teenagers. Wait until midweek when they are at home being shallow and pretending to have a clue about what constitutes good entertainment. 9 out of 10 from me.