Students walked into University Union’s advance-screening of “The Visit” on Thursday hoping for a scare, and no one in the room was let down.

As the lights dimmed, you could feel the excitement of Gifford Auditorium. There was an absolutely packed house with people scavenging for whatever seats they could find. There was a nervous tension in the air as the film began. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, ready to be scared and hopefully be taken on the ride only cinema can create.

Watching “The Visit” with a bunch of rowdy college students turned the theater going experience from a good one to a great one. Everything was magnified with this audience. The jokes weren’t just funny, they were hilarious. The scares weren’t just scary, they were horrifying.

With every humorous quip and pop-up scare, the reaction of every student created a spiral resulting in an extremely responsive crowd. Sometimes this crowd was a little too responsive, with the screams and laughs so loud that you couldn’t hear the movie. The casual and familiar atmosphere of Gifford Auditorium made students feel so comfortable that they had no problems talking or over-exaggerating their excitement. This loud atmosphere might have been annoying at times, but horror films are made to be watched in groups. This excitement ultimately made the film more enjoyable and memorable.

In terms of the film itself, “The Visit” is an extremely effective, if not somewhat standard, horror flick. The film does a great job balancing humor and horror, as when something gets very scary or tense, soon after there is some comedy to lighten the movie up. More than anything, this dichotomy really results in a fun experience.

Very few things are more cathartic than laughing, and when your heart rate is so high, the laughing is even more valued. This film really marks a return to form for director M. Night Shaymalan, who has been in a bit of a slouch lately with flops such as “After Earth” and “The Last Airbender.” Here, he creates a film that is low-budget, simple and does the job.

The Syracuse student body might not have been the hardest crowd to please, but by measuring the level of which they were entertained, it’s fair to say Shaymalan has a hit on his hands. Let’s hope University Union can keep bringing us quality entertainment and screenings, as the year is off to a scary, but rolling start.