Throughout the last couple of decades,M. Night Shyamalanhas become known as one of Hollywood’s foremost masters of suspense. Known for his story-like dialogue and shocking twists, Shyamalan has become an A-list name. Throughout his films, some of his actors have delivered truly memorable performances. Here is a list of the best of those performances, ranked.
8Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie - The Visit (2015)
This 2015 horror-thriller film took audiences on aride full of twistsand turns.The Visitstarts out as a sweet family-based film about two siblings getting to meet their grandparents for the first time. The kids' mom hadn’t spoken to her parents in 15 years after a falling out, but after her divorce, they reconnected and decided a five-day stay with the kids would be a perfect way to get to know them. After the kids arrive at their grandparents' farm, they are told to never go down into the basement and never to leave their room after 9:30pm. When peculiar things start happening, the kids must survive in the secluded house with the elders' increasingly terrifying behavior.
Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie, who play Nana and Pop Pop, did an amazing job. They had three different aspects of their characters to play as the story progressed. They started as loving and wonderful grandparents before the story reveals that they may be acting strange due to their age. Audiences were torn between being scared and worried when Nana is seen running through the house at night completely naked. Then, their behaviors become more sinister and ghastly, as the kids have to fight for their survival. All around, Dunagan and McRobbie’s performances were alarming and incredible.
7Adrian Brody - The Village (2005)
The 2005 thrillerThe Villageis a highly successful film with an enthralling story. The film follows the story of a small secluded village that lives in fear of creatures that roam the woods surrounding them. Each of the village’s inhabitants faces their own struggles and trials that give a feeling of life and realism to the film.Adrian Brody’scharacter, Noah Percy, is a young man with a developmental disability. He has a child-like innocence that often leads to dangerous naivety. While many films show a developmental disability as a background character only good for noise or emotional association, this film showed an in-depth look at a young man that has a legitimate crush on a woman and how his brain processes rejection.
6Mel Gibson - Signs (2002)
The 2002 thrillerSignsmixed together a story about faith, family, and alien invasions. Following the story of a former priest, the film sees how his family struggles after the loss of his wife. Their everyday life changes again when crop circles begin to appear across the world. It becomes clear that the family must protect themselves and each other from an invading presence, both in their home and in their hearts.
Mel Gibsonplayed the lost shepherd role well. Gibson was able to portray a man who used to lead his congregation in everything, but now could barely find a footing in his own faith. His character was also seen struggling in his role as the head of the family. Even his younger brother, played by Joaquin Phoenix, questions him about it.The performance was exactto what the film called for and contained a special nuance that related well to the audience.
Related:Signs: M. Night Shyamalan’s Masterpiece 20 Years Later
5Bryce Dallas Howard - The Village (2005)
SinceThe Villagetook place in a 19th-century secluded village, the film’s story had to be captivating and the performances had to be spectacular. Seeing an entire population of individuals living in terror while still trying to lead happy and normal lives isan odd concept. While none of the performances in the film were less than great,Bryce Dallas Howarddid a wonderful job driving the story. Her character, Ivy, is the blind daughter of the village elder. She is the only person in the village that is not completely afraid of the monsters that lurk. Her connection with her fiancé drives her bravery and pushes her deep into the unknown woods. She faces her deepest fears and shows her dedication to those she loves.
4Haley Joel Osment - Sixth Sense (1999)
The 1999 horror movieThe Sixth Senseis the film that took the world by storm. Following the story of a child psychologist that tries to treat a child who claims he can see dead people. An entire generation will never forget the famous bone-chilling line “I see dead people” quote. Seeing a child in extreme distress and facing things that would terrify most adults is an experience audiences could not forget.Haley Joel Osmentplayed the paranormally gifted child that longed for any true support. He faced terrifying things on a daily basis that caused him to be ostracized from any kids his age. The film even showed a rift that separated him from his mom.Osment’s performancerivaled that of an actor that was three times his age, and conveyed the serious tones of the film well.
3Bruce Willis - Unbreakable (2000)
The 2000 filmUnbreakabletook a more realistic approach to the superhero category. After a horrendous train crash, David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is found alive with no injuries. He discovers that he is practically invincible and a disabled comic book store owner takes a special interest in the case. The film brought unconventional powers to everyday people and let a superhero origin story play out. Willis' character is a great everyday man that just tries to do the best he can in life. He was given an incredible ability, and he had a choice of how to use it. He made the choice to do good and become a hero and savior. This is shown in contrast to the villain of the movie, Elijah Price.
Related:M. Night Shyamalan Explains How Unbreakable Reactions Led Directly to Signs
2Samuel L. Jackson - The Unbreakable Trilogy
The 2000 filmUnbreakablewas the origin story of the hero David Dunn, but it is also the origin story of Mr. Glass. Elijah Price was given the worst of the genetic mutations. He is extremely fragile, to the point that a handshake could break his fingers. However, fragile his body may be, Price’s intellect is beyond that of an average person. It brought a personified battle between brains and brawn. Jackson’s wonderful performance continued inthe third installmentof the trilogyGlass. The audience found themselves captivated by the sheer brilliance behind Price’s plans as they unravel in the midst of three high-powered beings are caged together.Samuel L. Jacksonis the perfect fit forthis role as he could portray someone that is trapped in a vulnerable state, and as someone who has absolute control of what happens around him.
1James MacAvoy - Split (2017)
The 2017 thrillerSplitwas the surprising second installment in theUnbreakabletrilogy. The story follows the gripping tale of three girls trying to survive after being kidnapped by a man that has multiple personalities.James McAvoyplayedmany different characterswith their own stories, personalities, and nailed them to the smallest detail. The performance kept audiences captivated, not only by the survival story, but by the story of the boy who was so traumatized that he literally split. McAvoy returned in the final film,Glass. It was great to see him set against Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson as they all gave great performances.
