M. Night Shyamalan is back with his latest haunting thriller, Old. The movie follows a group of people stuck on an isolated beach, which mysteriously accelerates the aging process in all of its inhabitants. While critics and audience reviews are mixed, there is no denying that this film takes on a different and thought-provoking concept that will leave viewers entertained.
The thriller possesses all the signature elements of a typical Shyamalan movie: ominous mood, complex plot, and a shocking twist at the end of the film. For fans of Old looking for a similar experience, there are a plethora of past movies that share the film's tropical location, byzantine plot, or unsettling atmosphere.
Fantasy Island (2020) - Available On Starz
In Fantasy Island, a group of guests arrives at a beautiful resort where they witness the extraordinary lifestyle created by the unusual mysticism of the island. However, as the guest's desires come true, things slowly turn dark, and they must solve the mysteries as the only way to get out.
Jeff Wadlow's 2020 thriller follows a similar plot of a vacation paradise at an unusual location turning into something deadly. Furthermore, while it showcases the exquisite and creepy nature of the island, the film also highlights the plot twists of circumstances happening for a reason rather than random chance. While the movie executes its narrative of a mystical island differently than Shyamalan's film, Fantasy Island is just as suspenseful with supernatural elements and plot twists that will appeal to Old's fans.
Cast Away (2000) - Available To Rent On Apple TV
A heavy storm causes a plane to crash while en route to Malaysia at the beginning of Cast Away. Among the plane's passengers, a FedEx employee is the sole survivor. Stuck alone on an island, he must stay alive with limited resources and develops an unconventional friendship with Wilson, an inanimate volleyball.
Starring Tom Hanks in an Academy Award-nominated performance, this 2000 Robert Zemeckis film may not be a traditional thriller, but it does showcase a similar premise to Shyamalan's film of being stuck in a remote place with only the desire to survive driving the main character. While the character ages like those in Old, it occurs in a more realistic timeframe without any science fiction elements. Cast Away is one of Tom Hank's best movies, and fans of Old will be rewarded with another film that showcases the plight of ordinary people who survive extraordinary circumstances.
1408 (2007) - Available To Rent On Apple TV & Google Play
A grieving author dares to stay at one of the most haunted rooms in America in Mikael Håfström's Stephen King film adaptation of his short story 1408. As the author waits for the paranormal to unfold, he also confronts his devastating past.
Like Old, 1408 also follows a story of a mysterious location in which inexplicable circumstances occur. It is very character-driven, focusing on the author's journey through his stages of grief. Furthermore, the haunted hotel storyline showcases some scary moments. Despite 1408's differences in plotline and character arc, fans of Old will thoroughly enjoy the suspense factor and exceptional performance from John Cusack.
Mother! (2017) - Available On Paramount+
In Darren Aronofsky's 2017 allegory mother!, a married woman attempts to renovate her home, but things turn strange when an unexpected guest stays at her house. Soon, more visitors join them in which her husband plays a welcoming host while ignoring his wife.
Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, mother! shares the eerily and ominous tone of Old. It showcases strange events and behaviors of the characters and setting. As one of the most polarizing movies of the millennium, the horror film is crafty and captivating with its unique story and striking cinematography and direction. Any viewer who enjoys a unique and refreshing thriller like Old will find mother!'s harrowing story intriguing and bold.
Escape Room (2019) - Available On FuboTV & FXNOW
Adam Robitel's Escape Room follows a group of six people who join in the fun of an escape room with the chance of winning money. Although escape rooms are usually harmless, this one is very different in which the obstacles are dangerous and result in imminent death.
This 2019 horror film also shares an intricate storyline about a group of people who need to use their intelligence to solve the mystery of their mysterious confined setting. Furthermore, both films reveal a previously hidden organization controlling the scenarios the protagonists are placed in at the beginning of each film. Despite some criticism for its writing and concept, Escape Room is still an entertaining movie that will appeal to Old fans who like a good scare.
The Rental (2020) - Available On FuboTV & Showtime
Directed by Dave Franco, 2020's The Rental follows four people renting a house to celebrate the success of their partner's thriving business. Much to their dismay, they suspect a violation of their privacy as they find cameras hidden throughout the house. As the night progresses, the guests start disappearing, and the mystery of who is watching them deepens.
Like Old, The Rental also follows a plot device of a vacation gone wrong at an isolated location. As one of the best horror movies about creepy cabins, this skillful slasher film will cause viewers to feel chills and has a shocking ending worthy of Shyamalan himself.
The Shining (1980) - Available On HBO Max & Apple TV
In the 1980 horror classic The Shining, Jack Torrance is a recovering alcoholic and writer who becomes a caretaker at a hotel in Colorado and moves with his wife, Wendy, and son, Danny. As the hotel's crew leaves and the snow entraps the young family, unusual things start to happen with Danny seeing ghosts of past guests and Jack slowly losing his grip on reality.
Stanley Kubrick's acclaimed Stephen King adaptation shares Old's ominous tone and the chilling nature of a potentially supernatural location. Furthermore, it showcases how the creepy Overlook Hotel impacts the character's psychological state and the other characters' desperate attempts to escape. With its striking cinematography and committed performances, The Shining will appeal not only to Old fans but to any movie lover who wants to watch one of the best Stephen King film adaptations ever made.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008) - Available On Cinemax Go
In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Benjamin Button is not like any human being as he ages in reverse, being born as an elder man. Despite the challenges he faces, he tries to live life to the fullest by going on world-spanning adventures and romancing the love of his life, Daisy.
David Fincher's heartwarming drama is not a thriller nor horror, but it plays on the concept of abnormal aging like Old. The difference is that this dramatic film focuses on the social and physical obstacles of reverse aging while Old is about aging rapidly due to a seemingly mystical environment. Nevertheless, it showcases a beautiful story of the mystery about Benjamin Button and the acceptance of his condition. The 2008 film earned 13 Oscar nominations and is considered to be one of Brad Pitt's best movies according to Metacritic.
Shutter Island (2010) - Available On Netflix & AMC+
U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels and his partner arrive at a psychiatric hospital to investigate a woman's disappearance in Martin Scorsese's 2010 supernatural thriller Shutter Island. As they inquire about the case, they learn about the mysterious activities at the hospital while Teddy is confronted with his tragic past that comes to haunt him.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley, Shutter Island shares Old's gloomy atmosphere and confinement to a specific location, with Scorcese's film being set primarily at the seemingly menacing Ashecliffe Hospital. In addition, both films possess shocking twist endings that demand a second viewing to decipher all the clues buried within each film's narrative.