Split is a thriller written, directed, and produced by M. Night Shyamalan. Jason Blum also steps in as co-producer. It was released by Universal Pictures.
After a birthday party, popular girls Claire (Haley Lu Richardson), Marcia (Jessica Sula), and outsider Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) are kidnapped by a mysterious man named “Dennis” (James McAvoy) an OCD person who has sinister ideas for the girls.
While trying to figure out a way to escape, the girls are greeted by “Patricia” who is “Dennis” dressed as a woman, and later by the childlike “Hedwig.” Their kidnapper has disassociative identity disorder which not only causes personality changes, but there is a hidden Beast that is so terrible and frightening, that he is almost superhuman. The girls know they must get out before the Beast awakens.
Shyamalan seemed to have lost some of his film-making magic with such movies as The Happening and Lady in the Water, but he seems to have gotten a little bit of his mojo back with this film. It is by no means as epic as his early works, but it is still solid.
While I would not say that my spine tingled the whole time, I can honestly say that I was creeped out the whole. You genuinely connect with the girls and hope that they will escape, especially as you learn more about Casey, seeing how she is being abused by her uncle. This gives her an edge in helping the others survive.
As for the performances, McAvoy and Taylor-Joy are particularly excellent in the film. The two of them bring the movie to a different level from the usual “jump scares.” They have good chemistry as kidnapper and victim. The rest of the cast does a good job as well, helping to flesh out the story.
A movie about a killer with different personalities and a victim who has an abusive home life was not released without some controversy. Mental health professionals accused the film of perpetuating the stereotype that people suffering from DID are dangerous, but in fact, the film goes out of the way to say they are not. Simply this single person is on the frightening psychopath scale.
The movie is unique in that is lacks the infamous “Shyamalan twist” at the end, except that we discover is a “stealth sequel” to Unbreakable. Do not worry, that is not a spoiler. Shyamalan seems to be backing away from that and focusing more on driving the suspense of the film.
Bottom line, Split is a return to form for Shyamalan. It is far from perfect, but this one seems to have some of that old mojo from his old films.
PARENTAL CONCERNS: Violence, foul language, disturbing images, sexual innuendo
FAVORITE QUOTE: The broken are the more evolved.
Check out the movie trailer:
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