The Shyamalan Experiment: Part 2 - "Unbreakable"

“The Sixth Sense” (1999) ** out of ****


The Shyamalan Experiment
Part 2
“Unbreakable”
November 22, 2000
**** out of ****
Cast: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Wright Penn


I really enjoyed some of the positive feedback on my “Sixth Sense” review. I posted it on Digg and realized that at least fifty people clicked on it to read it. Some of them, who didn’t comment on my actual post, sent e-mails to my FilmArcade e-mail address and praised me. One of them even offered me Shyamalan’s address so I can send a letter to him. I declined because, well, I don’t have the money for stamps. I don’t even have money for his one movie starring Rosie O’Donnell, let alone for stamps. And they cost less (not much less, you can probably find that movie in a two dollar bin).

But one comment from a guy who clicked on my article sent an e-mail to me. In a nice and very understanding way, he told me about how wrong I was about the film. He even brought up a point that since I didn’t like the twist, I didn’t like the movie. I love constructive criticism when it comes to my reviews, and even Fred the Wolf dissed “The Blair Witch Project” in the one comment for my review, and this guy did it in a perfect way. Not the least bit ignorant and very understanding. I like that.

I just guess that no one really “got” my opinion. I don’t hate “The Sixth Sense” because of the twist. First off, I don’t hate “The Sixth Sense.” I hate “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” but not “The Sixth Sense.” And secondly, I don’t hate the twist. Actually, if Shyamalan didn’t make it so clearly obvious within the first thirty minutes, it would have been a perfect end to the movie. I don’t like the movie because it was boring and just not scary. It’s overly predictable and unless if you wear a helmet on your way to work as you drive in your car, you could figure that out.

But his film after that, “Unbreakable,” is much different than “The Sixth Sense” was. Whereas “The Sixth Sense” is boring and very predictable, “Unbreakable” never loses speed and the twist at the end is very surprising. I’m sure that everyone, including me, will be comparing the two films together, with “The Sixth Sense” probably winning most battles, but there isn’t a doubt in my mind that “Unbreakable” is Shyamalan’s masterpiece, and probably the second best comic book film ever (behind my favorite film of all time).

And not only was “Unbreakable” great, but it showed a different kind of side of M. Night Shyamalan. It shows the geeky and true master of suspense. He doesn’t beat Alfred Hitchcock, but when you compare “Unbreakable” to that film starring Rosie, you got a guy who has improved over the years. Shyamalan clearly shows how much he loves comic books. He throws in references here and there, gives props to some of his favorite heroes and villains, and ends the film in a perfect way. We can cheer for the hero, but even the villain is just part of the hero’s discovery.

From the day that Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) emerged from the womb, he came out with broken bones. He was born with Type I osteogenesis imperfecta, a disease where bones break easily. During school, kids tormented him and called him Mr. Glass. There was only one thing that kept him from going insane – comic books. He later started to believe that if he is as weak as he is, there is someone who is unbreakable and invincible like the people that he reads about.

On the other end is David Dunn (Bruce Willis), a security guard at a football stadium that was never able to live the life of a football star due to a car crash. He lives with his wife Aubrey (Robin Wright Penn) and his son Joseph. (Spencer Trent Clark) After a massive train-wreck that killed one-hundred and thirty-one people, David came out as the only survivor. Elijah meets David one day and tells him that he believes that David is invincible, that he is more than just human. Joseph believes it also, and so David and him go downstairs into the basement, and in probably one of the greatest scenes ever in a superhero film, David begins to lift weights. First he lifted 250, then 270, and then 350. Maybe he is a superhero after all.

You could have sworn that I just gave you the twist to this film but all I have left to say is expect nothing of the sorts. What could have been a superhero origin movie where the superhero already knows that he has powers and fight against a villain, M. Night Shyamalan decides to take the entire movie into the origin of the superhero. He decides to let Willis get used to his super powers. Other than lifting the weights, there is a scene where Bruce Willis searches a drug dealer (played by Shyamalan, no less) and he tries to get used to his superpowers. This scene is so perfect that it begs the question whether or not it is Shyamalan trying to fuck with the viewer or Willis.

I can’t say that the film is flawless. The reason why I took off half of a star when I reviewed “Iron Man” was because it didn’t have a great villain. Usually, the rule of a superhero origin film will end with the hero killing the villain, or bringing him to justice. The film never has a clear villain, but you can’t complain. This is probably the most in-depth superhero movie that I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t need a villain as long as there is a conflict for the superhero. The conflict for this film is (other than Willis trying to get use to his powers) who Willis should decide is right – his son, who believes that Elijah is right, or his wife, who believes that he is nuts. It wasn't a problem with me, but I'm sure someone will have their panties in a bunch over it.

The other best part about the film is the acting. Bruce Willis is perfect as a superhero. When he is no longer the dead person, he is the person who will never die. Samuel L. Jackson is awesome in his role. He’s perfectly believable. I’ve seen people like his character before, but I think Sam plays them better than they do. Those final moments create the real intensity between the two. And just so I don’t get another e-mail in my box, I actually LOVE the twist ending.

My only problem is that “Unbreakable” is too short. According to Shyamalan, he wrote one very long script that dealt with the origins and a few villains. Instead of including the villains, he decided to focus on just the origin of the superhero, which he thought was the most interesting part of the script. I don’t think that I’m alone when I ask for a sequel for this film. Can M. Night Shyamalan possibly start one of the greatest superhero franchises ever?

If all of his films were like “Unbreakable,” my job would be easy.


Due to the unavailability of "Signs," I'll have to skip it for now and go to his next film - "The Village." That one will be posted probably Monday night.

UPDATE: I JUST received a copy of "Signs" from my video-store, so I'll do that one first. It will be posted as soon as I watch it.