Top 5 Moments in M. Night Shyamalan Movies

What a Twist!

Say what you will about some of his less successful ventures (and forget The Last Airbender entirely) but when this polarising director get things right, his films manage to deliver in spades. Whether with his now infamous twists or deconstructions of popular tropes, no one can deny the high quality of these now classic Shyamalan scenes!

#5: Aliens in the Basement
“Signs” (2002)

When it comes to Shyamalan, less is usually more. The aliens are rarely seen in “Signs,” but you can always feel their ominous presence. When they invade the Hess farm in the climax, the family appears to be safe in the basement. Lulled into a false sense of security, the viewer gasps in horror as a hand reaches out of a chute and grabs Morgan. Although they prevent the alien from getting in, Morgan suffers an asthma attack with his medicine upstairs. In what’s possibly the most powerful scene in the film, Graham holds Morgan close and tries to comfort him. Wrestling with his fear and faith, the former priest manages to calm his son, allowing us all to let out a sigh of relief.

#4: Part of a Bigger Universe
“Split” (2016)

At first, it looked like the big twist in “Split” is that Kevin possesses supernatural abilities. Just before the credits start rolling, though, Shyamalan delivers a second twist that made us see the entire movie in a whole new light. Cutting to a diner, customers watch a news report that refers to Kevin as The Horde. One patron is quick to draw parallels between Kevin and a guy in a wheelchair who earned a similar supervillain nickname. Sitting next to her is none other than David Dunn, who confirms the person she’s talking about is Mr. Glass. For those who had waited over a decade and a half to see a continuation of “Unbreakable,” there’s little doubt that you cheered and applauded in the auditorium. 

#3: “They Called Me ‘Mr. Glass’”
“Unbreakable” (2000)

It’s only fitting that’d we’d transition from the ingenious ending of “Split” to the shocking twist in “Unbreakable.” A hero can’t exist without an arch nemesis, at least that’s the comic book logic Elijah Price abides by. Determined to find his polar opposite, Elijah caused a series of accidents that inevitably brought him to David Dunn. Once David answers the call of heroism, Elijah drops the bombshell. He was the villain this whole time, killing innocent people to give himself a purpose in the grand scheme of things. In addition to being a jaw-dropping revelation, Elijah’s closing monologue is laced with fascinating and frightening philosophy. If someone’s destiny really is set in stone, then fate dealt Elijah the cruelest hand imaginable.

#2: “I See Dead People”
“The Sixth Sense” (1999)

Then at the age of 11, Haley Joel Osment became one of the youngest Oscar nominees in history for his chilling performance as Cole Sear. Early in the film, we’re not sure whether to be afraid of Cole or to fear for him. As the plot unfolds, we start to see that Cole is the one being tormented, but by what exactly? In this haunting scene, little Cole opens up to child psychologist Malcolm Crowe and tells him his secret: These four words have forever cemented their place in popular culture, even meriting a spot on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Movie Quotes.” Listening to Cole talk about his sixth sense, the audience just wants to crawl under a blanket and hide.

#1: Malcolm Was a Ghost All Along
“The Sixth Sense” (1999)

Our top pick shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. When “The Sixth Sense” made its debut in 1999, though, nobody foresaw the film’s twist ending. Having helped Cole, Malcolm returns home in the hopes that he can reconcile with his wife. Noticing his wedding ring, it occurs to the psychologist that the gunshot wound he received at the beginning of film was more fatal than he realized. Accepting his fate, Malcolm gives his wife a tearful farewell before passing into the afterlife. Once the credits roll, the viewer immediately wants to rewatch the film in order to catch all the clues they missed the first time, like how Malcolm never interacts with anyone except Cole and how the color red is used to foreshadow death. 

Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Director Trademarks.