I want to preface this review by stating that I really enjoy both Unbreakable and Split, though I have only seen each film once. I am not a die-hard fan of these films to the point of ignoring glaring faults, but I am however invested in this world and these characters and was looking forward to this new film. I believe I went in with a good mindset: expecting some mindless fun and interesting interactions between these well-written characters, but not expecting anything too deep or creative. For the most part, that's what I got (with a few exceptions).
Let's begin with the pros. The first thing I thought when the film ended was how much I enjoyed the score. The ticking clock featured in most of the tracks was very suspenseful and made every scene much more enjoyable. The cinematography (for the most part) was pretty good. I enjoyed the composition of many shots and there are quite a few close-ups on characters that really worked for me. There are, surprisingly, some very creative things that director M. Night Shyamalan did with the camera in this film. Upside down shots, long takes, dutch angles, etc. These things have been in other films, of course, but as someone who expected this film to be shot very blandly, it was a welcome surprise. It was very fun to watch Mr. Glass and David Dunn back on the big screen again, and especially exciting to see them interacting with Kevin and his many personalities. Despite the very different tones of Unbreakable and Split, this film manages to bring those worlds together in a way that feels natural. And, of course, the best part of the movie was James McAvoy's performance. He is one of the best actors working today and this film proves it. He switches personalities so seamlessly it honestly feels like a completely different person every time. He stole the scene every time he showed up on screen and the film is worth seeing just for him.
Unfortunately, the film is not perfect. I have many problems with it. For starters, David Dunn is somewhat irrelevant in this film. He does not go through a character arc and, in fact, disappears for what feels like 20 minutes in the middle of the film. Bruce Willis does what he can with what he's given, but David has nothing to do in this film, which is massively disappointing for fans of Unbreakable. Thee writing is not too great either. The story feels both empty and crowded. The first half of the movie feels like you're caught in a time loop as the same conversations and situations are repeated over and over in the mental facility, then as the second half of the movie rolls around, Shyamalan throws everything at the audience hoping something sticks, making the climactic ending feel too messy. The dialogue, while serviceable for the most part, had some rocky moments as well. For example, the new character, Dr. Ellie Staple, is given lines that feel way too over the top for a character meant to be taken as seriously as her. She also says the same speech about superheroes at least 4 times throughout the course of the film. As well, characters from Unbreakable and Split, such as Joseph Dunn, Elijah's mother, and Casey Cooke, are thrown into this film yet serve no purpose. Elijah's mother and Casey had some fine moments but felt very thrown in, but David's son Joseph was distracting by how bad his acting was at some points. I don't think I have ever said this, but he was better as a child actor. Finally, the direction Shyamalan took with the ending was surprising (and not in a particularly good way). Without spoiling it, there is a reveal at the very end that has absolutely no set up throughout the film and feels very lazy. It is also the weakest "twist" of the trilogy, as it affects almost nothing except providing us with a new perspective on the events of the film, though by that time I was read for it to just end.
So, while GLASS has some really excellent moments and a lot of good things going for it, it also has many problems and plot-holes too big to ignore. It is equally parts good and equally parts bad. A 5/10 score is very fitting for this film. My opinion is very "split.'
Let's begin with the pros. The first thing I thought when the film ended was how much I enjoyed the score. The ticking clock featured in most of the tracks was very suspenseful and made every scene much more enjoyable. The cinematography (for the most part) was pretty good. I enjoyed the composition of many shots and there are quite a few close-ups on characters that really worked for me. There are, surprisingly, some very creative things that director M. Night Shyamalan did with the camera in this film. Upside down shots, long takes, dutch angles, etc. These things have been in other films, of course, but as someone who expected this film to be shot very blandly, it was a welcome surprise. It was very fun to watch Mr. Glass and David Dunn back on the big screen again, and especially exciting to see them interacting with Kevin and his many personalities. Despite the very different tones of Unbreakable and Split, this film manages to bring those worlds together in a way that feels natural. And, of course, the best part of the movie was James McAvoy's performance. He is one of the best actors working today and this film proves it. He switches personalities so seamlessly it honestly feels like a completely different person every time. He stole the scene every time he showed up on screen and the film is worth seeing just for him.
Unfortunately, the film is not perfect. I have many problems with it. For starters, David Dunn is somewhat irrelevant in this film. He does not go through a character arc and, in fact, disappears for what feels like 20 minutes in the middle of the film. Bruce Willis does what he can with what he's given, but David has nothing to do in this film, which is massively disappointing for fans of Unbreakable. Thee writing is not too great either. The story feels both empty and crowded. The first half of the movie feels like you're caught in a time loop as the same conversations and situations are repeated over and over in the mental facility, then as the second half of the movie rolls around, Shyamalan throws everything at the audience hoping something sticks, making the climactic ending feel too messy. The dialogue, while serviceable for the most part, had some rocky moments as well. For example, the new character, Dr. Ellie Staple, is given lines that feel way too over the top for a character meant to be taken as seriously as her. She also says the same speech about superheroes at least 4 times throughout the course of the film. As well, characters from Unbreakable and Split, such as Joseph Dunn, Elijah's mother, and Casey Cooke, are thrown into this film yet serve no purpose. Elijah's mother and Casey had some fine moments but felt very thrown in, but David's son Joseph was distracting by how bad his acting was at some points. I don't think I have ever said this, but he was better as a child actor. Finally, the direction Shyamalan took with the ending was surprising (and not in a particularly good way). Without spoiling it, there is a reveal at the very end that has absolutely no set up throughout the film and feels very lazy. It is also the weakest "twist" of the trilogy, as it affects almost nothing except providing us with a new perspective on the events of the film, though by that time I was read for it to just end.
So, while GLASS has some really excellent moments and a lot of good things going for it, it also has many problems and plot-holes too big to ignore. It is equally parts good and equally parts bad. A 5/10 score is very fitting for this film. My opinion is very "split.'