M. Night Shyamalan on DeBaser: reviews, twists, faith, and fear

The Profile

M. Night Shyamalan (born Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan) is an American filmmaker best known for suspense-driven thrillers that often hinge on a late-film twist, and for recurring themes of fear, faith, grief, and family.

Publicly known for writing and directing The Sixth Sense (1999), and for the Unbreakable–Split–Glass trilogy; he is also known for occasional acting cameos in his films and for being frequently described as a divisive auteur.

Across these reviews, Shyamalan comes off as a famously divisive auteur: admired for atmosphere, craft, and twist-driven tension, and criticized for uneven scripts and misfires. Recurring themes highlighted include fear of the unknown, grief, faith regained or lost, and love as a stabilizing force. Several writers praise standout entries like The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable, and The Village, while others call out later-era inconsistency (notably Glass and The Visit). His Unbreakable–Split–Glass run is framed as a comic-book/superhero trilogy filtered through his personal, suspense-forward style.

Notable Quotes

❝ "In every one of my films, there is always faith, even if it's not visible on the surface, even if it's not directly talked about. What matters to me is that the film evokes deep emotions. My films usually don't go unnoticed: they are either loved or strongly hated."