If you put together all the IMDb reviews of Old that are higher than 2 out of 10 but lower than 9 out of 10, you get a pretty accurate composite review. If you read the same thing over and over again in reviews as well, chances are there's truth to it. Still, I think several points were missed in the composite review that need mentioning. First, many complained about how bad the acting is. Point missed: I believe that this is the style that M. Night was after, trying to reflect how uptight and awkward people really are. Great actors are at ease in their roles, and M. Night did not want that reflected. I think this works....the bad acting is actually quite effective. Second, many complained of plot holes, inaccuracies, and things that were unrealistic or didn't make sense. Point missed: I believe that this was also intentional on M. Night's part. Old is a fantasy film after all. It is a film about the supernatural. It has psychological elements to it. Therefore, weird, inexplicable things can happen, and M. Night can have some fun in his uniquely artistic way with that, sort of like David Cronenberg used to do. Finally, many complained about how bad the writing is. Yes, it's pretty bad, but...Point missed: The way a lot of people talk (myself included) when they're trying to talk meaningfully during intense times in their lives is disappointing, in my experience. You don't expect people to break into Shakespearean soliloquys, but it's not like in the movies where people are saying really clever things all the time after they've reached a higher level of clarity. People don't change much. So, the clunky script kind of worked for me. Despite what the people were going through on the beach, this did not elevate them to wordsmiths.
Review of Old
