M. Night Shyamalan is still the master of the big twist, as fans found out this week when the acclaimed filmmaker surprised a crowd with the world premiere of his latest film, Remain. Film fans came to Los Angeles to attend “Beyond Fest,” the film festival celebrating all things genre. This year, the festival’s central focus was Shyamalan; there were multi-day screenings of 12 of his features, including the Unbreakable trilogy and his apocalyptic thrillers Signs and Knock at the Cabin Door. Yesterday, the festival promised to end things with a screening of Shyamalan’s breakout work, The Sixth Sense; instead, Shyamalan pulled the twist by screening Remain for the first time.
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Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Bridgerton‘s Phoebe Dynevor, Remain follows “New York architect Tate Gordon (Gyllenhaal) heads to Cape Cod to design a summer home for his best friend, seeking a fresh start after being treated for acute depression. Still mourning his sister’s death, he meets Wren (Dynevor), a young woman who disrupts his carefully ordered world.”
That’s about as vague as any synopsis for an M. Night Shyamalan film, but for those who are skeptical, the first reactions to Remain may change your mind.
M.Night Shyamalan’s Remain Deemed “Scary As Hell” In First Reactions From Critics & Fans
As per podcaster and writer Josh Levesque: “I thought we were seeing The Sixth Sense tonight but M. Night came out and said he wanted to show us Remain first 🤯 this one doesn’t come out until February!! Scary as hell and heartbreaking. Loved it.”
Filmspeak’s Griffin Schiller was very impressed by the lead performances, writing: “Gyllenhaal is a perfect Shyamalan lead; subdued but soulful. Phoebe Dynevor is MAGNETIC balancing torment and tenderness with such charm and jubilance. Truly felt the classic Night magic with this one.” He went so far as to proclaim that Remain is “Shyamalan at his most earnest and sincere” and a “throwback to his early work.”
Shyamalan’s directorial technique is also being praised, with “The King of Burbank” calling Remain “M Night’s most polished film in some time. The vistavision photography and INCREDIBLE score by James Newton Howard sell this earnest romance.”
Remain Trailer Teases The Horror-Romance Vibe
As you can see in the official teaser, Remain has been creating the biggest hype by highlighting the connection between Shyamalan and acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks, best known for writing The Notebook. While Sparks did co-write the story with Shyamalan, the screenplay was written by Shyamalan, in addition to directing.
That might very well be the best kind of structure for Shyamalan, who is most often criticized for not having creative partners who can help focus his creative vision and/or rein in his worst creative indulgences. If Sparks gave the story proper heart, and Shyamalan is back to the height of his work in the mystery-horror sub-genre, Remain might definitely be a winner.
Actor and filmmaker Luke Barnett seems to think it’s a winning combination, writing, “REMAIN is going to crush. A great reminder that nobody does “fun, movie theater horror” like M. Night. Has the humor of Signs with tight emotional ghosty story of Sixth Sense. Lot of great scares. See it big and loud when it comes out.”
We’ll all get that opportunity when Remain hits theaters on February 14, 2027. What’s the last M. Night Shyamalan movie you loved? Let us know in the comments!
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