Logan Sork Film Reviews
Split
To say M. Night Shyamalan’s career has been rocky would be an understatement. When he released films such as The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, he was viewed as a game-changer of the cinematic landscape with some even dubbing him the next Spielberg. Then somewhere along the line he released films like The Happening, Lady in The Water and After Earth. In just a few short years, Shyamalan went from being the next big thing to a big joke. Seeking redemption, he directed The Visit, a found footage horror film that began to set his image right. His true comeback however, came in the form of the 2016 thriller Split. The film was a surprise hit with fans and proved that Shyamalan still has some kick to his step, and its clear why. While the film is far from perfect, there is a lot enjoyment to be found in this thriller.
Split is written, produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and stars James McAvoy as Kevin Wendell Crumb, a man with 23 individual personalities (collectively referred to as The Horde) inhabiting his body. He is under the observation of Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley), who believes that the multiple personalities inhabiting Kevin’s body are the key to the next step in human evolution. Unbeknownst to Dr. Fletcher, Kevin has kidnapped three teenage girls, led by Casey (Anya Taylor Joy), with the intention of sacrificing them to an unknown personality who has yet to develop, known to the Horde as the Beast. The girls must work together to figure out a way outsmart the constantly changing personalities, while Kevin fights for control of his own body as each personality struggles for dominance within.
The very concept of the film and the way in which it is executed is something that is to be commended. The idea of multiple personalities living within one body is not something that was thought of for this film as it is based on a real life psychological disorder. Instead, the concept is taken to extremes to help make the film more interesting. This could have backfired as the film could’ve been seen as a negative portrayal of the disorder, or just to silly to be taken seriously. Thankfully, Shyamalan manages to write the exaggerated concept in a way that is not offensive and convincingly enough that it never took me out of the film. Praise must also be given to James McAvoy for bringing this idea and character to life in his performance. McAvoy is able to give each personality their own characteristics and unique mannerisms and is able to switch between them so quickly you are almost convinced he is a different person every time he switches personalities. Between the writing of the concept and the performance given by McAvoy, the film is just serious enough that it doesn’t venture off into totally silly territory.
The film is also kept on track by the direction and use of atmosphere. The film mostly takes place only in Kevin’s underground bunker in which he holds the kidnapped girls. Shyamalan finds ways to exploit different design aspects of the bunker. The production designers of the film did a good job of keeping the location not only claustrophobic, but also managed to design it in a way in which a wide variety of designs could be incorporated. Ranging from makeshift bedrooms to dark hallways lines with only the occasional lowlight, Shyamalan extracts some thrilling sequences from the set as he always manages to find interesting ways to film it. Praise must also be given to the cinematography as it contributes to the atmosphere through its use of muted lighting to create a claustrophobic mood.
While there is a lot of enjoyment to be found here, there are also a few problems to be found with it. While McAvoy is truly spectacular in his role, the rest of the cast just can’t compete. The main supporting players Anya Taylor Joy and Betty Buckley are good in their respective roles, but the rest of the cast just flounders in comparison, with many actors coming across as wooden or lifeless. The writing is also another problem in the film. While the actual concept is written well, the dialogue is not. This film has some of the most absurd dialogue I’ve ever heard, with one line in particular going down as one of my favorite lines ever (and I don’t mean in a good way). Another problem that plagues the film is that like many other horror/ thriller films the characters in them don’t always make the smartest decisions, and for a film that comes off as trying to be smarter than other films it just seems like lazy writing.
Still, these problems aren’t enough to keep Split from being a good movie. It has a great idea that is well throughout and written, a great use of atmosphere through directing and set design and a truly amazing performance from James McAvoy. However, there are also bland performances, dumb characters and some of worst dialogue you’ll ever hear. So, while these problems keep it from reaching great status, the film is still interesting and entertaining enough to warrant a watch.
7/10