Split - Movie Review

By
Kathy Graves
7.5

10

0
7.5

10

Split

There are lots of writers/directors in the film industry, but only a few are so exceptional that they can afford to only direct their own scripts, explicitly; M. Night Shyamalan isn't one of those people.

While his debut with “The Sixth Sense” sets the tone and pace of his unique directorial input, the fact that he deviated after that from his iconic use of Alfred Hitchcock’s trademark school.

That being said, fans should rejoice after watching Split, because of how it’s a great tribute to Shyamalan’s earlier work. As a matter of fact, this movie is the second installment after Unbreakable.

The only downside for this movie is that it’s a sequel to a movie released 16 years ago, yet, it’s still a really thrilling standalone movie.

Split commences just after a birthday celebration, with the kidnapping of three adolescent girls. Their abductor is a weird and terrifying guy who, as we discover earlier than expected, suffers from a serious split-personality condition of 23 distinct individuals.

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/1602385741315Split-2.webp Split - Movie Review

During the movie, you will encounter a few of them, among them Dennis, who is dominating, Patricia who is womanly, and Hedwig, the boyish personality. They claim that the "Beast" is coming to feed on the three girls.

Dr. Karen Fletcher, the therapist, believes that "The Beast" is either a being previously unseen or an illusion. Regardless of that, you are bound to stay on the edge of your seat the whole movie.

The movie's plot and tempo are leaner and more pliable than more recent work seen in Shyamalan's movies. Given its running time, closing in on two hours, it seems like it is always forging ahead, besides the backward movement in the form of a recollection of a memory, which serves as a context provider.

Split truly is an enjoyable watching experience, from the script, to directing, to camera work, and editing. However, one can’t really say that this movie could’ve ended up the way it had if it weren’t for James McCavoy’s jaw-dropping performance.