The Visit (15)

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie

AS with many box office horrors nowadays The Visit uses eerie handheld camera footage throughout – but this is far from being just another Paranormal Activity or Insidious.

Director M Night Shyamalan's latest project delves far deeper than the traditional themes associated with the big screen.

Yes, it does have the expected scenes set up purely to make you jump.

But there is a real story here – one which would no doubt give every parent and child nightmares.

Becca, played by Olivia DeJonge, and younger brother Tyler, played by Ed Oxenbould, say goodbye to their mother to visit their grandparents' remote Pennsylvania farm house for a week-long trip.

This despite their mum's estranged relationship with her parents ever since she left home in her younger days.

Following communication with her parents, who now run a successful business, she agrees to let her children visit and waves them off.

On arrival in the chilly conditions the youngsters are greeted by an elderly couple, both thrilled to see them.

But are the couple who they seem to be?

As the film escalates deeper and deeper into the trip, day by day viewers learn to know all is not quite right.

Among the incidents are late-night vomiting, naked wall scratching, yes you read that right, and fits of rage – some of which are captured through the children's video recorder.

But it is only during a video chat with their mum when the children show the elderly couple outside do they realise they have been living with strangers.

This is where Shyamalan's work faces criticism.

Even in Hollywood, this sudden revelation is hard to believe.

But at the same time, an influx of questions for those who are captivated by the twist, which admittedly will be many, lies ahead.

And with it being so deep in the film, in many ways this is a clever ploy by Shyamalan.

The ending sparks scenes of emotion as the police flood in with the children's mum, played by Kathryn Hahn, before they are reunited.

But although it does entice viewers to keep their eyes locked on screen, this can't be put on par with Shyamalan's box office hits such as The Sixth Sense and Signs.

However, it is by far his scariest movie to date, and he should be credited for testing the common boundaries found in many horrors nowadays.

And he still manages to mix in comedy during parts of the 90-minute film, right until the very end, helped by the impressive performance from Oxenbould.

Critics will say horror and comedy should be kept completely apart but somehow The Visit finds just the right balance and there is no doubt viewers will leave knowing exactly what genre film they have watched.

It is fair to say a few night lamps will be doing overtime in the coming weeks.