rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 2000
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan; produced by Barry Mendel, Sam Mercer, M. Night Shyamalan; written by M. Night Shyamalan
Starring Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright Penn, Spencer Treat Clark, Charlayne Woodard, M. Night Shyamalan
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
'The Sixth Sense' is better for its story and 'Signs' is better for its
film-making, but 'Unbreakable' is still pretty good if you compare it with
most other supernatural thrillers. As in 'The Sixth Sense' Bruce Willis
stars. Here he plays David Dunn, the only survivor of a train accident
involving 132 people. He is contacted by Elijah Price who is nicknamed Mr.
Glass because he breaks a bone with every little accident. Elijah is a comic
book collector. According to Elijah comic books exist out of opposites; you
have a strong person and a weak one. Since Elijah himself is a very weak one
he believes his opposite must exist and in the person of David he has found
that one.
The story develops a little like 'The Sixth Sense'. We have an important
event in the beginning of the film, then the characters get their real
introduction, the middle part is interesting and gives the story direction
and then we have the surprising ending that has to do, one way or another,
with the important event from the beginning. The problem with 'Unbreakable'
is exactly that. Because 'The Sixth Sense' follows this pattern and really
ends with a terrific surprise it is not strange you expect that from
'Unbreakable'. The ending is surprising, but not as big and really not
something you can be excited about.
Endings determine so much when we are talking about opinions of films. With
a different kind of ending there is a good chance this film would have felt
better. Now we have to do it with this, unfortunately maybe, but we have to
remember that other parts of the film are very good. The start is great. Too
bad it gives us a premise for something it can not deliver.