Incredibly underrated thriller with huge twist is on TV tonight

Stephen Porzio

Based on a graphic novel, the film mines a universal fear for maximum tension.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Friday, 20 December) is Old, the 2021 horror thriller from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Trap).

Based on the Swiss graphic novel Sandcastle, the film revolves around a group of people – including a husband (Gael García Bernal, Y tu mamá también) and wife (Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread) whose marriage is on the rocks – that find themselves trapped on a secluded beach while on a luxurious holiday.

The group of strangers also quickly realise that the beach is ageing them super fast – one year for every 30 minutes to be exact.

Also part of the cast of Old is Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge), Abbey Lee (Horizon), Alex Wolff (Hereditary), Eliza Scanlen (Little Women), Ken Leung (Industry), Nikki Amuka-Bird (The Outfit), Rufus Sewell (Zen), Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit) and Shyamalan himself in an ingenious cameo.

A box office hit upon release, the movie received mixed reviews – with many critics taking issue with its ending.

While we here at JOE would agree the film’s conclusion is not as successful as what came before, we’d also say this is only because what came before was incredibly strong.

Old sees Shyamalan turning humans’ innate existential fear of ageing – both parents watching their children age, children watching their parents age, as well as what ageing does to your body – into a propulsive ticking clock thriller.

On top of this, the filmmaker does such a brilliant job – through stunning make-up work and the deployment of different actors to play the same characters at various ages – at capturing the effects of this rapid ageing.

Old is airing on TV tonight at Film4 at 9pm. It is also available to rent on Apple TV, Google Play, Microsoft and Rakuten TV.

You can also check out JOE’s interview with Shyamalan about Old right here:

Here are the other movies on TV tonight:

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues – E4 – 9pm

The pretty funny sequel to the Will Ferrell comedy classic.

Johnny Mnemonic – Sky Sci-Fi – 9pm

Keanu Reeves plays a man with an overloaded brain implant designed to store information in this ’90s cyberpunk action movie.

Machete Kills – Legend – 9pm

Danny Trejo leads an all-star cast in this action sequel that homages older B-movies and exploitation films.

Renegades – ITV4 – 9pm

An ’80s action crime flick with Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Philips.

Last Christmas – RTÉ One – 9.35pm

Taking its name from the Wham! festive bop, Emilia Clarke is charming in this rom-com from the director of Bridesmaids about a disillusioned Christmas store worker who forms a relationship with a mysterious man (Henry Golding).

Tenet – RTÉ2 – 9.40pm

Christopher Nolan’s incredibly cool action sci-fi. Easily his most underrated film.

True Grit – TG4 – 9.50pm

The Coen Brothers’ 2010 adaptation of the classic Western story with Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin and Matt Damon.

Cold Skin – Legend Xtra – 10.45pm

In this atmospheric period horror, a young man arrives at a remote island to take the post of weather observer only to find himself defending his new home’s watchtower from deadly creatures which live in the island shores.

Trading Places – Film4 – 11.10pm

The classic Eddie Murphy/Dan Aykroyd-led comedy about a poor street hustler and an upper-class commodities broker whose lives cross.

Universal Soldier: Regeneration – Legend – 11.10pm

The underseen action sci-fi movie gem we recommended recently.

The Duke – BBC Two – 11.15pm

This comedy-drama starring Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent is based around a real-life art theft and holds a whopping 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Judy – RTÉ One – 11.25pm

The Judy Garland biopic that earned Renee Zellweger her second Oscar.

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