Split (2017)

Split (2017)

7/10

Starring

James McAvoy

Anya Taylor-Joy

Betty Buckley

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

For those who doubt here is me confirming it, M. Night Shyamalan is back to his glory movie making days with this psychological horror movie, Split.

To be honest I never believe Shyamalan would be able to get back on his feet again because after he made us acknowledge his ability as a master film maker in Sixth Sense (1999), made us addicted to watching Unbreakable (2000) more than five times to appreciate his awesome story arc style. He started to dip with Signs (2002) a good movie, but not so great and things went downwards with him making movies that were either box office disasters or a critical nightmare.

I guess it is great to go back to a style that had you respected, Split is that movie for Shyamalan, a thematic sequel to Shyamalan's Unbreakable (2000). Waiting seventeen years to see a follow up to Unbreakable is great, the movie is not just a link to Unbreakable (2000) it does well as a solo movie and it is in the last minutes of screen time that you will be able to make the link. A very weak link it is and births curiosity of what Shyamalan will do next since he has these two movies linked, with one showing an all-round good guy and this one showing an abused child grown to become the all-round bad villain.

There is much to acknowledge in the way James McAvoy was switching between characters, especially in the end and the others in the movie did serve their purpose, but none could provide a resounding performance like McAvoy.

The movie plot centers around the character Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) who suffers from dissociative identity disorder (DID), who has 23 prominent personalities. In this movie, the personalities we get to see are Kevin himself, Dennis, Patricia and Hedwig.

Dennis kidnaps three young girls and keeps them locked in an unknown location. He continues to see Kevin's psychologist pretending to be Kevin, trying to keep up appearances while waiting for an upcoming major event in Kevin’s life.

Two of Kevin's personalities tell the others of the coming of the 24^th personality known as “the beast”, who is a hybrid of dangerous wild animals. The three kidnapped girls were being kept and taken care of for the beast who is to come.

The movie plays through the events that will lead to the coming of the 24^th personality and we get to see if he does come will he have the ability of a superhuman like Dennis and Patricia have been telling the other personalities which they call The Horde.

Split is a movie I can say watch. When you do, and enjoy the movie you will like me be curious on what Shyamalan will do next.