In 2002, M. Night Shyamalan was once
praised as the new Steven Spielberg, which considering his filmography at the
time had “Unbreakable,” “Signs,” and the Oscar darling film, “The Sixth Sense,”
that was understandable. He was a master at building suspense and tension, he
had a way of creating such intriguing and complex characters, both adults AND
kids alike. It felt like Shyamalan was off to become a new auteur filmmaker.
However, the mid-2000’s led to a majorly drastic drop in quality for the man,
with films like “The Village” and “Lady in the Water” being mis-marketed
failures, and “The Happening” being a ridiculously bad mistake from the
beginning.
After
bombs like “The Last Airbender,” “After Earth,” and the failed attempt at an
anthology trilogy with “Devil,” it seemed like there was no way for this
director to make a rebound. Then in 2015, we got the release of “The Visit,” a
found footage horror film that Shyamalan created with Blumhouse Productions,
and it was actually pretty decent. It wasn’t anything to write home about in
terms of what we see, but it was just nice to see a somewhat enjoyable film
from a guy who we had thought was a star that flew too close to the sun. It
finally put M. Night in a brighter area after over a decade.
With
the arrival of his latest film, “Split,” there was a lot of buzz surrounding it
as it arrived at film festivals. People were talking about it like it was a
massive new discovery, like it was gossip that only professionals can share
with each other. It got me curious about what exactly it was about this film
that made it so special. Well, I can happily say that it delighted me, that’s
for sure. “Split” is not only a truly captivating film, but it is easily a true
return to form for M. Night Shyamalan. This is a film that really has you
guessing at what’s going to happen next. And the tension is nail baiting,
especially with the kind of cinematography showcased here by Mike Gioulakis.
The framing of Hedwig’s dance was easily the creepiest shot in the film.
James
McAvoy is fantastic as always, but this is without a doubt his best
performance. His transitions to completely different people is so fluent and
with such ease, like going from a little child to a fully mature woman, it just
seems so fluent. Every time he popped up on screen, you were never sure what
personality you were going to get, and what they would do with our characters. I
especially love the therapy sessions he has with Betty Buckley in the film,
where the unpredictability is at its finest and you wonder if he’s going to
snap or something. Much like with John Goodman in “10 Cloverfield Lane,” McAvoy
delivers one of the best performances of the year. I would like to see him get
a nomination for something, but…we all know that’s not likely. Anya Taylor-Joy,
best known for “Morgan” and “The VVitch,” plays our main girl, Casey. What I
liked about her character was that she was someone who has been through some
harsh events, but still has a determination that not many understand. You do
feel the trauma she’s felt, and you do end up rooting for her to make it out
alive.
As
for negatives, I will admit that the beginning is pretty stock and clichéd,
along with seeing the camera crew in a very obvious reflection. Top notch eyes,
M. Night. It isn’t really until Kevin enters the film that we actually get the
tension going. I also didn’t really care much for any of the other characters,
aside from the top three billings. Not that they’re bad, but I just feel like
there was nothing about them that was really memorable. I also didn’t seem to
be that happy with the climax of the film. It felt like it was building up to a
strong reveal, only to have it be saved until a later time. That’s starting to
get a little annoying, isn’t it? But, when it got to the point of seeing “you
know who” at the end, it added a little something special to it.
Overall,
“Split” was a massive surprise that I’m glad I got to see. Aside from its first
act and climax, the rest of the film builds itself off of familiar tension that
you’ve never felt in years. And with its upcoming sequel, you can definitely
believe I’ll be there for it. Welcome back into the green, Shyamalan, it’s good
to have you back.
Rating: 8/10
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