Don’t reflect on the past (Unbreakable (DVD))

Member Name: TJ-Mackey

Product:	Unbreakable (DVD)
Date:	12/01/01 (152 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Shyamalan’s directing and the re-teaming of Willis and Jackson

Disadvantages: A rushed ending made it a bit disappointing

Do you ever wonder where comic book writers get their ideas? Okay, most probably conjure them up from their imagination, but maybe some of those heroes and villains with extraordinary powers are actually exaggerations of real-life people. Of course I’m not suggesting there are really people with x-ray vision or the ability to fly, but maybe there are special people out there, who don’t even realise they are special.

When David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is the only survivor of a high-speed train derailment, it draws the attention of reclusive comic book collector Elijah Price (an interestingly cast Samuel L. Jackson). Born with a condition that renders his bones extremely brittle, Elijah believes he may have found his exact opposite in David, who is seemingly unbreakable – he barely has a scratch on him after the crash.

As I’m sure you’re aware, this film is the first to be directed by M. Night Shyamalan since the hugely successful The Sixth Sense. And this is almost certainly the reason why many people have dismissed Unbreakable as being not very good, even though the two are entirely different movies. That’s the point I want to stress the most in this opinion – don’t go into the cinema expecting 'The Sixth Sense 2' or you’ll almost certainly be disappointed.

So where was I? Oh yes, Brucie survives a near-fatal incident and starts to reassess his life. And there I was saying this was completely different to The Sixth Sense!! Honestly though, that’s where the similarities end.

Shyamalan is clearly ambitious, that’s for certain. From the opening few scenes of the film, it’s clear he’s an exciting young director just from admiring the innovative uses of both camera and lighting. The opening train journey and David’s awkward attempts at flirtation with a woman passenger are shown to us entirely through the eyes of a small child sitting on the seat in
front. As we move back and forth between Dunn and the woman, the seat often gets in the way as the child tries to follow the action.

The early scenes of Elijah’s childhood, from his horrific birth, to his mother’s attempts at building his confidence up, are shown to us solely as reflections. Firstly in a mirror, then in a television set, and finally in a framed comic book illustration, we see Elijah as the kids at school refer to him: "Mr. Glass".

One knock, and he shatters. This is demonstrated in the most graphic manner possible at one point early in the film, and I, along with most of the audience, winced in shock.

Bruce Willis, despite having many critics, has really impressed me with his recent choice in roles. Since playing the troubled boxer Butch in Pulp Fiction, Willis has taken on a number of very interesting characters, the best being the tragic Cole in Twelve Monkeys. Here, he is playing a character who seems very normal, but has many facets hidden beneath the surface. In my opinion, this is one of Willis’ better performances, and one that he hasn’t been given enough credit for.

With regards to Samuel L. Jackson, the director certainly couldn't be accused of typecasting. A million miles away from the character of Shaft or even Jules (from Pulp Fiction), here Jackson comes into his prime as a frail yet determined man, facing up to his condition despite the obvious disadvantages it offers him. Apart from one scene, this is Samuel L. Jackson as I’d not seen him before, and I was pleasantly surprised. The scene that’s an exception to this is a classic (and very reminiscent of Jules), but has fanned the flames of a rumour that a certain Mr. Tarantino helped out with the dialogue.

My best advice when going to see Unbreakable is to ignore the crap being spouted by the film’s critics, remove any memories of The Sixth Sense from your mind, and enjoy it for what
it is. Admittedly the ending is a bit rushed and therefore slightly disappointing, but other than that I really liked Unbreakable. Oh, and if you’re a fan of comic books, you’ll probably get even more out of the movie than I did.

All in all, this film is well worth watching. As well as being cleverly constructed by Shyamalan, it also contains a very understated performance from Willis, without a vest in sight.

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