And here we go again. Another movie where I just need to try really hard not to be a fanboy of Mr. Shyamalan.
He did it with the Sixth Sense. He did it with The Visit. And now he’s done it again with Split.
Last night I went to see this last movie at an Epic theatre. You know, that movie theater with incredible comfortable seats and an extra super large screen. Something unusual happened that doesn’t happen that often anymore… The entire theater, which would fit approximately 400 people, was packed up. And for a good reason.
Now, allow me to get straight to the point. Split doesn’t waste time at all. Two minutes inside the movie you’ll already be watching action, suspense and thriller at the same time. Trust me, there’s no time for you to get to know any of the characters. You’ll be amused on how fast things happen (which is actually unusual in Shyamalan since he tends to introduce the characters and stories behind them before he let’s any of the creepy stuff come out).
Split isn’t a scary movie. Please! Do not go inside the movie theater thinking you’re going to jump out of your seat. That didn’t happen to me at all. You will however have some back pain since the level of tension that this movie creates is simply unbelievable. Shyamalan is great at what he does, which is combining tension, suspense, thriller and some incredible funny moments that will make the entire theater laugh. He’s the only one that can combine such opposite feelings into one movie. It truly is a remarkable skill.
The movie has two main characters, the incredible and absolutely wonderful Tray McAvoy who plays Berry/Dennis/Beast/Patricia (and the list goes on and on since he has multiple personalities) and Anya Taylor-joy, who plays Casey, one of the three main girls that gets kidnapped. They are both absolutely fantastic. They develop a connection throughout the film that is simply stunning. Words cannot describe how good of a job they do.
When it comes to the plot, it doesn’t disappoint at all. Thriller movies tend to focus on scaring people out of their seats, forgetting about keeping up with a good plot that doesn’t make the audience fall asleep. Split does this in an incredible way. Shyamalan (who also wrote the story) combined tension with a good plot to keep us watching till the end. Speaking of which, I was a little bit confused about the ending, which I will obviously not reveal.
The way the movie ends is unusual. Don’t expect happy or sad endings. It’s a mixture. It’s actually weird. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending, but then again, I’m still a little bit confused about it… Which is another of Shyamalan’s specialties, endings. Maybe this time he took it way too far though…
Verdict: 9/10
Please! Go watch it! It’s a must watch and it’s also an amazing way of starting this 2017 movie-wise.
Author: Tony Lewis
Marketing nerd, blockchain enthusiast and part-time planet Earth explorer. I like building (and acquiring) long-lasting assets.