Shyamalan returns with another pet horror flick

Above : “Old” is M Night Shyamalan’s latest offering. It opens wide on Friday. (Photo/Universal Pictures)

Few filmmaker have made more of an initial splash than M. Night Shyamalan. His 1999 film “The Sixth Sense,” his third feature, was a sensation.

He clearly had found the genre, a blend of contemporary horror and suspense, that fit his filmmaking temperament.

A series of similarly themed films followed: “Unbreakable,” “Signs,” “The Village,” “Lady in the Water” … and so on.

Unfortunately, the films – though mostly structurally sound – became more and more outlandish and incomplete (if not clichéd) in terms of plot. By 2008’s “The Happening,” Shyamalan was having nature attack humanity.

And maybe worse, casting Mark Wahlberg as a high school science teacher.

Shyamalan has continued directing, either making fantasy adaptations such as “The Last Airbender,” sci-fi productions such as “After Earth,” or continuing his pet mini-genre with such films as “Split” and “Glass.”

Now, he’s returning with “Old,” which opens Friday, a film about a group of people who find themselves trapped on a secluded beach in which everyone ages rapidly.

Is he back in form? I’d offer some critical comments, but it seems as if the film wasn’t screened for critics. Or maybe they’ve been required not to post their reactions until the film opens. Not a good sign.

The Twitterverse, though, is having its say. For what it’s worth, one fan Tweeted the following: “Oh we can talk about OLD? Ok. It’s M. Night back in full-blown THE HAPPENING mode. Whether or not that’s a good thing will be up to you.” The Tweet added that she liked “The Happening,” so …

The rest, as is written, is up to you.

Two other films are scheduled to open on Friday as well:

“Snake Eyes” : Henry Golding stars in this origin story of the ninja-like character in this “G.I. Joe” spinoff.

“Joe Bell” : Starring the Wahlberg mentioned above, this based-on-real-events story involves the father of a dead teenager who decides to express his grief by walking across America.

Lots to see out there. So go. See a movie. And be safe while doing so