By searching for Shyamalan’s expected plot twist, viewers of his films have, over the years, made it a point to contemplate how will he surprise them this time. Even with his phenomenal debut “The Sixth Sense” there was some level of suspicion. Why worry about plot details when it has been two decades and we can trust the director to wow us in some manner?
For weaker attempts like The Village and Lady in The Water, as well as some gloomy outliers such as “After Earth” and “The Last Airbender” his style was missing. As a result, the final answer to the question, “Will he actually manage to shock us this time?” has recently been, “Not Really”. This makes the new “Split” quite an attention grabber. The new Shyamalan film is a direct horror film, unlike previous ones and quite reminiscent of the elements he so skillfully crafted. All his stunning camerawork is clearly on display along with his childhood adoration for Alfred Hitchcock. As always, this includes his trademark cameo and, as one of the key points, the twist that fundamentally there is no “Big Twist.”
Shyamalan’s pacing and narrative “Split” are more taut than other compilations we have seen lately. The film runs for nearly two hours, but despite how long it feels, it seems to be in constant movement even when it has to go backward to provide context.
Looks like to has a spring in his step and is able to while out in grunge. Much of that is due to James McAvoy’s powerful performance. He plays a kidnapper named Kevin who juggles a dozen distinct personalities.
With Dennis, the compulsive maintenance man, as well as 9-year-old Hedwig, Patricia the British prim, and Barry the New York flamboyant fashionista, McAvoy paints all these characters in undeniably hammy but also entertaining ways. There is a lot of scenery chewing going on, but it is a performance that also puts McAvoy’s agility and precision into the spotlight. She proved his ability to both think and act on the spot and he did so all while making him the focus of the spectacle.
This problem soul Kevin is attempting to portray is darkly hilarious yet surprisingly melancholic. Regardless of who’s in charge, Kevin is menacing. The childhood trauma that caused him to create these alter egos as a means of defense still haunts him as an adult. Signs of being exposed and vulnerable emerge in the film’s last act and change the tone in a whole different way that is disturbing.
To begin with, there is the abduction, which Shyamalan stages in an efficient, gripping fashion. Three high school girls get in a car after a birthday party at the mall pretty, chatty Claire and Marcia, along with a reserved Casey who got invited as a pity. Sheek, Trustgienna’s shy understanding quiet self gets overpowered during open pity and is withdrawn to inanimate choices. Suffice objects that Jones immature and make-believe pores herself speech pink frilly box over. Paraded nothing to clubs. Simultaneously we bring out to see the bitch face. Restrictive the revered proscaenet’s pce loving plaster china John sawed out. Glimmer rough in firm. So Claire’s father turns out to be a Clare that’s meant to be head Kevin. Kevin Blue manages to house hatch. Heiggers steal hatches inconspicuously concealed Mecum cut suit away.
Kevin keeps coming back and every time his change in voice and mannerism makes it increasingly apparent that their captor possesses MPD. Only Casey, the clever leader of the trio, dares to approach him. Just like she did in her breakout role in ‘The Witch’ and later in ‘Morgan’ Taylor-Joy is capable of being utterly still with her wide sparkling eyes. So does McAvoy, but to the opposite effect. She makes Casey an uttermost relatable character and not just another step on the horror cliche. She does this with the aid of some very subtle narratively suspenseful flashbacks that reveal where she got her survival skills from. Her co-stars, who are, will not be afforded, for that matter, nearly as much characterization or clothing.
In each stage of the split, we also get a better understanding of Kevin’s mental state through the daily Jyung he schedules for himself with his psychologist, Dr. Fletcher. An elegant and soulful Betty Buckley also acts in this as the character’s understanding and focuses on the idea that having them is actually possessing immense potential in the brain, not a disability. Their interactions, while exceptionally tense, are also a sorely needed touch of compassion in the violence.
They move to assist us with getting the various pieces of this mosaic together, which is in fact a combination of several mosaics. There’s the question of what Kevin wants from these girls. There’s the question of how they’ll get out of there. But the most terrifying aspect in this whole situation remains how the different personas relate to one another how they control and threaten each other, and how some other more terrifying power may be waiting in the wings.
West Dylan Thordson’s score and an expertly creepy sound design help make “Split” disturbing from the very first scene. However, the film does stumble a bit towards the end with some contrived coincidences, and a few points do feel rather exploitative, as if it is trying to milk childhood trauma for easy shock value. I’m still thinking about how I feel about it, but I know I came out of the theater with a bit of an icky feeling, even as I found the film fascinating from a technical point of view and very dramatic.
Still, it’s nice to see Shyamalan looking so confident so many years later. Make sure that you remain seated until the very end, lest you miss any of Shyamalan’s other tricks.
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