Watching McAvoy transform into the different personalities is an experience that is worth the price of admission.
Split begins with the abduction of three young girls from a parking lot. The girls are sprayed with drug of some kind and wake up in a makeshift prison cell that, strangely, features a separate and immaculately clean bathroom. They soon meet their abductor, Kevin (James McAvoy,) who suffers from an extreme form of dissociative identity disorder (DID.) It’s so extreme that he has 23 separate personalities.
Among these personalities are Dennis, a stern man with OCD; Patricia, a woman who has some control over Dennis; Hedwig, a nine-year old boy who likes to dance to Kanye West; and Barry, an aspiring fashion designer. While these personalities may not sound very threatening, all of them have been working together to prepare for the arrival of a 24th personality that is quite unlike any that’s been seen in DID patients before and who wants to do terrible things to the girls.
Kevin undergoes therapy with Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley), who is the only medical professional that believes that his extreme form of DID exists. She’s hoping to make progress in his treatment before this 24th personality emerges. Unfortunately, she doesn’t know about the girls he’s captured. They are on their own to find a way to escape their captor(s). And, since this is an M. Night Shyamalan film, one expects a twist ending is in store.
Shyamalan is responsible for some of my favorites films of the last 20 years, including Unbreakable, Signs, and The Sixth Sense. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been the most consistent writer/director since those films hit theaters. Movies like Lady in the Water, The Happening, and The Village have not only been of lesser quality, some of them have actually been embarrassingly bad. Maybe that’s why I was initially resistant to see Split.
As it turns out, Shyamalan’s writing and direction, along with an absolutely stunning performance by James McAvoy, are the reasons to see the film. Shyamalan has crafted a taut thriller that defies boundaries and expectations. Watching McAvoy transform into the different personalities is an experience that is worth the price of admission. And, yes, that trademark Shyamalan twist is present and accounted for but with a much more meaningful and pleasant impact than one might expect.
The only downside to the film are the characterizations of two of the three young women at the core of the story. Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula are cast in roles that could have been played by anyone. Anya Taylor-Joy’s Casey is the only developed character and that makes a major difference on the impact she makes on the film.
It’s difficult to review a movie like this without sounding extremely vague. The challenge is to recommend it without spoiling what makes it worth seeing it in the first place. So, I will just say this: put aside any preconceived notions about Split and give it a shot. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, you should have a great time.
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
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