Split, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, is a thriller of Shyamalan-ian proportions. The story is about the battle for survival of three teenage girls, Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy), Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia (Jessica Sula), after they are kidnapped by a man with 23 different personalities, Kevin (James McAvoy), who is that patient of mocked psychiatrist Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley) who struggles to convince the world that not only is dissociative identity disorder (DID) a true disorder but that it may also be the key to unlocking unlimited human potential.
Honestly, trying to write a review for this film without giving away the end is like trying to tell someone how to change the oil before you explain what a car is. As is typical with Shyamalan films, the plot thrives on the big plot twist that, as an any audience member familiar with his films, we are all undoubtedly waiting for. I won’t ruin the ending, but I will say that in this reviewer’s opinion the director did nothing but turn a solid B, maybe B+. Having McAvoy dance to dubstep in a tracksuit definitely upped the films enjoyability from a disappointing C film. He turned what could have been an amazing, psychological thriller into a confusing film with less of an impact, simply because Shyamalan sells movie tickets based on a reputation built on shocking his audiences and throwing them for a loop. If you are a fan of his films, and especially if you have seen most of them, you will surely disagree with my assessment and try to convince me that this is already the film to beat in 2017. You are welcome to try, but I doubt I’ll change my mind.
I will say, however, in the film’s defense, that the first hour and a half left me excited to find out what happens at the end. And while I was disappointed, I cannot write off the film as a whole just because the last hour was a little silly. It raises some interesting questions about the limits of the human psyche and whether or not it is possible to live with two, three or even 23 different voices and personalities in one’s head. I also appreciate that Shyamalan did not simply create a world where DID was an accepted disorder, but rather he addressed the controversy of it and gave the character of Dr. Fletcher room to be an advocate for Kevin and all others like him. Not to mention James McAvoy excels in his role of Kevin, playing multiple people, including two women and a nine year old. I have no negative words to say about his performance.
If you’re looking for a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat this weekend, I highly recommend Split. Just don’t go in expecting any kind of logic or reason.