I was prepared to live out the rest of my days without forgiving M. Night Shyamalan for “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” The last ten years have seen some incredible flops from the “Sixth Sense” director, but with “Split,” he’s finally made a comeback.
STARS: 4/5
“Split” will remind viewers of older, more mysterious Shyamalan films and is a rebirth of genius for the writer/director.
The brilliance of “Split” is that, like in his earlier films “The Sixth Sense” and “Unbreakable,” the psychological thriller asks the viewer to question everything that is happening. The now-distinctive Shyamalan twist ending is not cheesy nor expected, a welcome change from his previous works.
The film tells the story of Kevin (James McAvoy), a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder, whose 23 different personalities fight for control of his consciousness.
One of Kevin’s personalities kidnaps three young girls, Casey, Claire and Marcia (Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula, respectively) and holds them captive as food for “The Beast.”
McAvoy gives the performance of his career, playing nine of Kevin’s 23 personalities.
McAvoy relies almost completely on his own abilities when it comes to changing his accent, body language and facial expression, rather than relying on costuming or special effects. Each character McAvoy portrays is distinct, a feat which is most impressive when he jumps from one personality to the next in the climactic finale.
While McAvoy is certainly the star of the show, the supporting cast features impressive performances by Betty Buckley and Anya Taylor-Joy.
Fans will recognize Taylor-Joy from last year’s period thriller “The Witch.” She continues her streak of impressive performances in this film as the troubled Casey.
The one thing I’d criticize “Split” for is its poor marketing. Many moviegoers will be deterred as the film was marketed as a horror movie; however, the film is less than terrifying. It would’ve been better advertised as a psychological drama, with many a mystery to be uncovered and twists at every turn.
While “Split” is very “Shyamalan-esque,” with its heavy exposition and somewhat ridiculous psychology, the film will be sure to have viewers hanging on to the edge of their seats.