*** warning this review contains a few spoilers about the films Split, Unbreakable and Glass 

Writer/Director M. Night Shyamalan is redefining what it means to be a superhero with an unexpected twist. It’s no surprise that Shyamalan is a fan of developing movies with a shared cinematic universe.  Together, Split, Unbreakable and Glass are the “Eastrail 177” Trilogy. It’s a new story. One that appears to be a psychological thriller but uses elements of a classic superhero movie to study the psyche of three very unique characters.

Bruce Willis is David Dunn in Unbreakable, a story about former football player turned unconventional superhero when he discovers his superhuman strength, invulnerability and the ability to see crimes others have committed simply by touching them. Later, the denouement of Split reveals that Kevin Wendell Crumb, the main antagonist, lives in the same world as David Dunn. 

THE ACTORS 

Before we get into the storyline let’s talk about the characteristics of the film. Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis were amazing!! But I cannot get over James McAvoy’s performance. OH. MY. GOODNESS.  I don’t know about you, but McAvoy’s ability to play 21 different personalities still gets me EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. Truly a top-rate performance. Homeboy even had a personality that spoke Spanish! Fue incredible y no me lo esperaba. My favorite personalities are Hedwig, Dennis, and Patricia. Dennis acts like he’s the boss. Hedwig’s dialogue is funny and relatable. While Patricia reminds us all that she’s really the HBIC. Although THE BEAST is supposed to give me nightmares, I couldn’t help but notice McAvoy’s abs and biceps. 

Every time he had to take off his shirt to become the beast I was terrified yet intrigued all at the same time….

I love how the film kept the original cast from the movies! That was an amazing detail and really helped tie all the movies together. There was even footage of Unbreakable that was used as a flashback! Once I saw young Bruce Willis on screen I screamed in the movie theater. “YESSSS THIS IS WHAT EVERY MOVIE NEEDS.” The “This” I am referring to is 1) young Bruce Willis <3 and 2) ACTUAL flashbacks.

*Note: I’m a loud movie watcher so if you ever hear someone screaming at a theater, its probably me. 

ROMANTIC INTEREST?!

When Kevin is placed in a mental institution, Casey Cooke, the sole survivor from Split, visits Kevin…and his 24 other personalities. During the visit, there’s a bit of chemistry between Casey and Kevin. Hedwig, one of the other personalities has a crush on Casey so naturally, he doesn’t like this. But to be real, Casey needs to back up off my man James McAvory. With his incredible performances in Split, Wanted and Glass, he’s shaping up to be one of the hottest actors in 2019. SO HANDS OFF.  

THE BIG TAKE AWAY: Don’t let the haters stop you from doing yo thang. EMBRACE YOUR INNER SUPERHERO

There are four Twists in the film:

1. Kevin’s dad and David Dunn were on the same Eastrail 177 Train 
2. Mr. Glass is responsible for the Eastrail 177 explosion, killing Kevin’s father.
3. Dr. Staple is apart of a secret organization dedicated to eliminating superheroes and villains. 
4. Kevin and Dunn were never supposed to make it to Osaka Tower

All of these are excellent twists in the film, but I’m going to focus on number 3. 

Dr. Ellie Staple is a psychiatrist that specializes in people who believe they are superheroes. Throughout the entire film, she is trying to convince Mr. Glass, Kevin, and David that they don’t have superpowers. According to her, David Dunn is a man with a heightened sense of intuition. Kevin, although he suffers from DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), does not have the animalistic “BEAST” personality seen in the last moments of Split. 

But she’s wrong. 

We discover that the crazy Mr. Glass was right. They were all superhumans and Dr. Staple reveals that her organization is responsible for destroying these special types of beings. 

The message: believe in yourself and the superhero in you will rise. 

It sounds cliché, but why does it have to be? There are many times where we loose faith in ourselves. People question our character, ideas, identity and worth. In a split second, we have someone else tell us not to believe in ourselves… and sometimes we listen. We spend years developing the strength to be comfortable in our own skin and for what? Just to have some random person or even a close fake friend tell you something otherwise. I started reflecting. I have experienced some “Dr. Staples” in my own life. People who have tried to list some B.S. reasons why I am not super. Wanna know what I think?

Bish I am super. We don’t have to bust through walls, have 24 personalities or even one good personality for that matter. Embrace who you are and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

I know what you are thinking. This is a lot taken from a film. But you know what? I don’t care. You know why? Because this is who I am. And if you read this far obviously you like what I have to say.

(I appreciate you reading btw, you rock).

Moral of this superhero story: Don’t let the haters stop you from doing your thang. 

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