MOVIE OF THE WEEK (1/20/17): SPLIT
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| "What do you mean you didn't bring Cards Against Humanity?! I thought I was just bringing the dip!" Hedwig – one of the 23 personalities inside Kevin (James McAvoy) – talks with Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) as Marcia (Jessica Sula) and Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) look on. Credit: John Baer © 2016 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. |
WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:
KEY CAST MEMBERS: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckley, Jessica Sula, Haley Lu Richardson, Izzie Coffey, Brad William Henke and Sebastian Arcelus
WRITER(S): M. Night Shyamalan
DIRECTOR(S): M. Night Shyamalan
DIRECTOR(S): M. Night Shyamalan
WEB SITE: http://www.splitmovie.com/
HERE'S THE STORY: The latest offering from M. Night Shymalan, Split stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey, a rather lonesome girl who happens to be hanging out at a local mall in Philadelphia with Marcia (Jessica Sula) and Claire (Haley Lu Richardson). Departing to return home, Casey, Marcia and Claire awaken to find themselves captive, however, in the home of a man named Dennis. Well, make that a woman named Patricia ... Or an aspiring fashion designer named Barry ... or a 9 year-old boy with a lisp named Hedwig ... Or any of the 23 personalities that exist inside of a man who's actual first name is Kevin (James McAvoy).
You see, Kevin suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID for short), which means that while his therapist Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley) is trying her best to help him live a healthy, normal life, she's never quite sure whom she is talking to. Nor does she know about how Kevin's dominant personalities of Dennis, Patricia and Hedwig are the main ones controlling the "light" (a.k.a. spotlight) and driving Kevin's actions for the most part. Thus, once one of Kevin's personalities takes Casey and her two compadres captive, the girls have no idea what to expect, either.
There is one thing that is certain, though: The mysterious 24th personality that all of Kevin's other personalities speak of – "The Beast" – sounds like an awfully unpleasant being to be around if he ever surfaces ...
HERE'S THE STORY: The latest offering from M. Night Shymalan, Split stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey, a rather lonesome girl who happens to be hanging out at a local mall in Philadelphia with Marcia (Jessica Sula) and Claire (Haley Lu Richardson). Departing to return home, Casey, Marcia and Claire awaken to find themselves captive, however, in the home of a man named Dennis. Well, make that a woman named Patricia ... Or an aspiring fashion designer named Barry ... or a 9 year-old boy with a lisp named Hedwig ... Or any of the 23 personalities that exist inside of a man who's actual first name is Kevin (James McAvoy).
You see, Kevin suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID for short), which means that while his therapist Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley) is trying her best to help him live a healthy, normal life, she's never quite sure whom she is talking to. Nor does she know about how Kevin's dominant personalities of Dennis, Patricia and Hedwig are the main ones controlling the "light" (a.k.a. spotlight) and driving Kevin's actions for the most part. Thus, once one of Kevin's personalities takes Casey and her two compadres captive, the girls have no idea what to expect, either.
There is one thing that is certain, though: The mysterious 24th personality that all of Kevin's other personalities speak of – "The Beast" – sounds like an awfully unpleasant being to be around if he ever surfaces ...
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? James McAvoy fans; long-suffering M. Night Shyamalan fans of the director's early films, comic book/graphic novel fans; people who enjoy late 70s-style grime thrillers;
WHO WON'T (OR SHOULDN'T LIKE THIS FILM? People very unfamiliar with M. Night Shyamalan's early work; the premise may be hard for people to buy into, especially once the big reveal is made; those who understand the significance of certain key scenes and dialogue
SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? For a man who made his name off of delivering films that serve as morality/life lessons and/or fairy tales, the biggest twist about M. Night Shyamalan's latest film is the one that is the one his long-suffering fans will be most pleased to hear: Split – which opens up a whole realm of possibilities in regards to the filmmaker's future works – is really, really, REALLY good.
An acting tour de force by McAvoy, Split features what arguably is the finest performance of his career. His role one that could easily divulge into terrible B-movie schlock, McAvoy instead delivers a nuanced performance that nails every beat, ranging from comical to asinine to perfectly intense as called for in each scene. Minute details are not left to the wayside; instead, McAvoy uses each one as a showcase to illustrate the conflicted being that Kevin is – all of which make his transformation during the film's apex a perfectly suited mix of edge-of-your-seat, what-will-happen-next excitement.
Buckley deserves her fair share of credit as well; for she uses her therapist position to really attempt to enhance McAvoy's character minus any Dr. Loomis/Halloween pablum. Anya Taylor-Joy likewise adds a fine character to the seemingly timeless "final girl" hall of fame, building to a climax that Shyamalan uses to pay homage to horror films of yesterday while still making it his own work.
However, there is one major – and I mean MAJOR – facet of Split that makes the film ... Problem is, without giving it away, it's very difficult to explain what it is and why it has a huge impact on the movie. And since yours truly does his best to avoid any sort of big reveals, let's just say it's on the level of this famous scene ... Or perhaps this one (language is NOT safe for work; something about that Kevin Spacey, huh)? It's a reveal that is so clever and slick in its delivery that you might put your head down to check that text message you've been holding off from reading for 2 hours ... It's the type that if you have no clue as to what it is referencing you'll be completely left wondering why others in the theater are left doing this ... And one that IF you get it, you and your friends will likely produce a reaction akin to triggering your inner Joey Tribiani or, if you're a little more subdued with your emotions, might make you react like our outgoing commander-in-chief and his partner in bromance, Joe Biden. And here's the greatest thing about the trick: Shyamalan doesn't try to mislead you; you simply just don't know what movie you're actually getting until he is ready for you to know, even though he drops a few breadcrumbs along the way. Stan Lee himself might be prompted to yell "Excelsior!" in approval.
While it might be far too early in the game to say M. Night Shyamalan is quote-unquote back, Split proves he's still got plenty of great tricks up his sleeve – this one possibly being his most clever one yet.
SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? For a man who made his name off of delivering films that serve as morality/life lessons and/or fairy tales, the biggest twist about M. Night Shyamalan's latest film is the one that is the one his long-suffering fans will be most pleased to hear: Split – which opens up a whole realm of possibilities in regards to the filmmaker's future works – is really, really, REALLY good.
An acting tour de force by McAvoy, Split features what arguably is the finest performance of his career. His role one that could easily divulge into terrible B-movie schlock, McAvoy instead delivers a nuanced performance that nails every beat, ranging from comical to asinine to perfectly intense as called for in each scene. Minute details are not left to the wayside; instead, McAvoy uses each one as a showcase to illustrate the conflicted being that Kevin is – all of which make his transformation during the film's apex a perfectly suited mix of edge-of-your-seat, what-will-happen-next excitement.
Buckley deserves her fair share of credit as well; for she uses her therapist position to really attempt to enhance McAvoy's character minus any Dr. Loomis/Halloween pablum. Anya Taylor-Joy likewise adds a fine character to the seemingly timeless "final girl" hall of fame, building to a climax that Shyamalan uses to pay homage to horror films of yesterday while still making it his own work.
However, there is one major – and I mean MAJOR – facet of Split that makes the film ... Problem is, without giving it away, it's very difficult to explain what it is and why it has a huge impact on the movie. And since yours truly does his best to avoid any sort of big reveals, let's just say it's on the level of this famous scene ... Or perhaps this one (language is NOT safe for work; something about that Kevin Spacey, huh)? It's a reveal that is so clever and slick in its delivery that you might put your head down to check that text message you've been holding off from reading for 2 hours ... It's the type that if you have no clue as to what it is referencing you'll be completely left wondering why others in the theater are left doing this ... And one that IF you get it, you and your friends will likely produce a reaction akin to triggering your inner Joey Tribiani or, if you're a little more subdued with your emotions, might make you react like our outgoing commander-in-chief and his partner in bromance, Joe Biden. And here's the greatest thing about the trick: Shyamalan doesn't try to mislead you; you simply just don't know what movie you're actually getting until he is ready for you to know, even though he drops a few breadcrumbs along the way. Stan Lee himself might be prompted to yell "Excelsior!" in approval.
While it might be far too early in the game to say M. Night Shyamalan is quote-unquote back, Split proves he's still got plenty of great tricks up his sleeve – this one possibly being his most clever one yet.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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