M. Night Shyamalan has been a polarising director.
Initially noted for engaging thrillers like ‘The Sixth Sense’ and
‘Unbreakable’, his ensuing output have increasingly drowned in
self-indulgence. His last few films have been unmemorable with little to
recommend them. ‘Split’ may change that. Combining genuine thrills
with psychological terror, it somewhat restores ‘Shyamalan’s lost lustre.
Diving headfirst into its quirky narrative, the issue of one’s identity is
magnified under Shyamalan’s gaze.
Claire (Haley Lu Richardson), Marcia (Jessica Sula) and
Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) are friends heading home from a party. Having
enjoyed a great time, their idyll is shattered when they are kidnapped by Kevin
(James McAvoy). Locked in a small room, they are terrorized by his
strange ways. Acting differently each time they see him, they learn Kevin
has multiple personalities. Dealing with each one as best they can, the
girls hope one of Kevin’s personalities will set them free. Events spiral
out of control as their captor skates towards the edge of unstoppable madness.
As suspense thrillers go ‘Split’ is moderately
exciting. Kevin is a very scary predator whose unpredictability ensures
scenes in which he features are memorable. McAvoy digs deep into his
impressive acting bag to portray the several personalities driving Kevin.
It’s difficult thinking of another actor who could convincingly pull the role
off, which McAvoy does with ease. Taylor-Joy is equally fine as the
troubled Casey who has sinister secrets of her own.
Although Shyamalan always presents a myriad of interesting
ideas, he has difficulty in merging them into a coherent story. ‘Split’
is no exception as, despite some genuinely creepy moments, it fails to deliver
an overly satisfying narrative. There are many slow spots with
Shyamalan’s eccentric story-telling style robbing events of ongoing
tension. He heavily relies on the cast’s performances who carry the often
wonky screenplay well. The musical score aids in generating atmosphere as
does the shadowy gloom of Kevin’s abode which the cinematography lovingly
captures.
‘Split’s success rests entirely on the actor’s
shoulders. It is let down by messy direction and a script lacking in any
sense of urgency. It’s better than recent Shyamalan works as he
temporarily reigns in his creative ego to conjure a movie showing the skills
capturing audience’s initial attention.
Movie Review Rating out of 10: 6
Movie Review by Patrick Moore
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