A man with a severe multiple personality disorder kidnaps three
young girls in order to appease a personality nobody knows about. HORROR
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Split (2017)Written and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Starring James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, Betty Buckley Sequel to 2000's Unbreakable |
I never thought I would say these words, but M. Night Shyamalan is back and better than ever. After 2015's The Visit proved to the horror community that the king of the twist might be due for a comeback, it was only a matter of time before he released a film that knocked everyone's socks off. I'm happy to say that Split is that film. Split shines a light on the trials and tribulations of living with multiple personality disorder, especially when one or two of those personalities are hostile. James McAvoy leads this cast of relative unknowns in a performance that will go down in film history, in a film that brings Shyamalan back to his suspenseful roots.
McAvoy's role as Kevin is the role he will be remembered for forever, as he fulfills the impossible by playing not only Kevin, but Kevin's 23 additional personalities. McAvoy doesn't phone it in the slightest. He gives every personality its own unique look and voice, even going so far as to walk differently for each one. They all feel like different characters thanks to his immense skill as an actor, from Hedwig's childlike innocence to the fearsome horror of the Beast. I highly doubt any other actor would've been up to such a challenge, but this film just made me respect James McAvoy even more. Split is a simple yet complicated story, as Shyamalan had to create a sense of isolation coupled with a realistic depiction of multiple personality disorder. By the film's end, I was blown away by how much care he put into this one. I don't know where this M. Night Shyamalan has been for almost a decade, but this is the director who gave us The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, not After Earth and The Happening. Plus, the final ten minutes are unbelievably shocking, so much so that I'm still reeling from it. I'm glad Shyamalan was able to finally put ego aside for the sake of the craft. It definitely paid off and now I can't wait to see what's next. |