The Visit

Two adolescent kids (Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould) go to spend a week with the maternal grandparents they've never met (Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie), even though their mother (Kathryn Hahn) hasn't spoken to her parents in 15 years. Of course, the girl is making a video record of their trip, and that's what we're watching. Question: What is even drearier than yet another “found-footage” horror movie? Answer: One by M. Night Shyamalan. Shyamalan is the Incredible Shrinking Artist—with every movie he makes, it becomes harder to believe he ever did The Sixth Sense. This one is contrived and obvious, from the kids constantly entering dark rooms to their never turning off their damn cameras, not even to recharge the batteries. Shyamalan should recharge his batteries too—if it's not too late for that. J.L.