I kind of love this film?

I rememebr when Lady in the Water first came out, everyone trashed it. Like literally everyone said it was the worst film to come out that year, and one of the worst films ever made. I remember seeing it, and not hating it. But over the years, after re-watching it numerous times, I've come to realize I really kind of love this film. And I don't really understand why peopel hate it so much.

I def get why some don't like it. But worst film ever?

What I really love about this film, is that it's a modern day fairy tale. But not just that, it's a like a kids fairy tale - told through adults. So it's like a child's perspective on things, with tends to be grossly exaggerated and over the top. If you've ever had like nieces or nephews, or even kids of your own, kids tend to have a very exaggerated view of the world when telling stories. And that is what this film feels like to me. It perfectly captures that "bedtime" story feel. That on the fly story that you tell your kids (and it's exaggerated for your kids, because that's how they see the world). And because they have adult characters that are playing the story out, it's a really fun concept.

And this is why I'm kind of shocked that the film doesn't have more fans. Because surely their must be fans of fairy tales. I have to think that because M Night had become a whipping boy in pop culture, there is a lot of people that haven't seen the film. They only see the name "M Night" and associate it with crap. I really feel like there is an audience for this film, and they are missing out on it.

Now, it wouldn't be fair if I ignored the flaws this film has.l And it certainly has flaws. I'll list them below.

What the film got wrong:

I. The camera work. Too many scenes are claustrophobic and zoomed in. I find it bizarre how M Night went from his previous films style, to Lady in The Water. Especially since his previous film - The Village, had gorgeous cinematography and scene framing. Like even if you aren't a fan of The Village, it's a technically amazing film. It's gorgeous. But Lady In the Water? There are so many scenes where the camera is pushed in. It almost looks like they cut off the aspect ratio, and the full picture isn't shown. That's how bad it can be at times. The worst is when there is a character who's back is in frame, and they have two other characters talking to them.

II. M Night himself, finally becomes annoying in his own films. Up to this point, I never had an issue with M Night's cameos. But this film is uh something. For starters, the whole "critic" plot kind of comes off as petty and awkward. I happen to be in the group, that loves The Village.I think the studio marketed the film wrong (as a horror film). And I've seen as time has gone by, more and more people are starting to come around to admitting they actually think it's a great film. I truly feel bad marketing + fan expectation, really derailed that film. That said, even as someone that thinks critics got it wrong with The Village, M Nights insistence to have a plot about about attacking critics, is really odd and out of place in this film. Lastly, M Night writing himself as the most important person to "change" the world, kind of came off as like a god complex. It was sort of eye rolling, how the entire driving plot, revolved around him.

III. The film can sometimes be very brash. It has very exaggerated stereotypes of various ethnicities and cultures that some might find off putting. Personally? I think it's fine, because it's a fairy tale. Everything about the film is completely exaggerated. And even though this elements is kind of off putting at first, I really think the film wins you over by the end (and you really have to look at all these characters as being....exaggerated fairytale characters).

So what does the film get right?

I. The fairytale tone is really fun, if it clicks with you. As I said, I can understand those that find it offputting. But I think this film really nails what it feels like, to tell a bedtime story to your kid. Or what a story is like, through the eyes of a child. And mixing that with a modern setting + adult actors, it's really awesome. In some ways, it kind of feels like what Unbreakable did for super hero stories. But this is that for Fairytales (while it does have some CGI elements, the majority of the film is grounded. It's taking a fairytale setting and grounding it.

II. The music! The music is beautiful. The Village had one of the best score's in the 00's. It even had a performance nominated for an Oscar. It really is that good. Lady In The Water also has a beautiful score.

III. One element that I feel often gets overlooked with M Night's films, is his ability to draw you in with "quiet moments". One of my fav scenes of Signs, was when Mel Gibson and Joaquin have stayed up late at night, and are having a chat about the situation in front of the TV. The scene totally captures that vibe, of you hanging out with someone late at night and having a discussion about life. Or like a sleepover. I think that same element is captured in Lady in the Water (especially in the back half, where all the characters come together to try to solve the puzzle).

IV. It has the right amount of emotional moments. While I can see some people feeling it gets a little too saccharine at times, in the context of the fairytale, I feel all the emotional beats are just right. I feel the film has a heart, that sometimes get lost in fairytales (because there is too much focus on the super natural elements). While the characters are all major exaggerations (basically cartoon characters), I feel most of them carry an emotional weight as the film progresses. And again, kudos to the music in this movie. It really has those sweeping emotional moments just at the right time.

So yeah, I actaully really like this film. I totally get why some don't like the film. But I never understood why people outright hated it. Why it got such a beating from critics and fans. I truly think this film has an audience. And I think it's sad that these people probably wont ever see it. I by no means think this film is a masterpiece. But as a fairytale fiction film, it's a lot of fun. I've showed the film to a lot of people over the years, and everyone that I showed it to, loved it. But I also would only show it to people that I knew would like this kind of film. This film def isn't for peopel that want a good drama. Or a high art film. It's def shlock. Heck, it might even be fair to call it trash. But damn do I love it.