M. Night Shyamalan’s new film is the rare studio genre movie to center queer characters. It is a positive sign for sure – but it’s attracting controversies. The thriller focuses on the idea that God will punish us all if a gay couple doesn’t rip apart their family. We see the waves rising and skies falling via news reports, each time they refuse to do the unimaginable, and the contrast between two privileged gay men choosing their own safety and happiness over the fate of the world becomes increasingly absurd as if we have no choice but to root for their destruction. Some refer to it as a “weirdly conservative parable.” Even ChristianAnswers.net reviews respect the film’s decision to show “what can happen when tried and true family units are forsaken for untested alternative arrangements”.
