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Every review I have heard about M. Night's movie "Unbreakable" was unfavorable. What people had to say about it was a little less than what the filmmaker would have wished. You can imagine my surprise when I found the movie to be absolutely fantastic. Maybe not what everyone thought it to be, but a fascinating tale of an ordinary man facing extraordinary powers and circumstances.
Bruce Willis plays "David Dunn," a man who is facing relationship issues with his family and discovers at the same time that he has a few very powerful and extraordinary powers. Willis plays the part with a quiet and reclusive nature that reflects an average everyday guy wile at the same time making, it believable that he could be a super hero. Trapped between two worlds, the subtlety of his actions makes everything real to life. Just take a look at the scene in which Willis' son tries to shoot him. While other actors would act straight out panicked, he approaches it in a whole different way that stays true to his character and shows an amazing skill.
Samuel L. Jackson plays "Mr. Glass" a man born with a genetic disorder in which his bones can break at a slight touch. He is an obsessed and surprisingly strong individual whose sole purpose is to find the opposite of himself, someone who can't break. We all know that a character who is obsessed to such an extent can come off comedic if played by a lesser actor. Fortunately, we have Jackson who brings absolute intelligence and passion to his character that otherwise might come off corny and unrealistic.
We can't walk away without taking about the visuals. Now, as you start watching this film you find out quickly and easily that this film is a comic book. Not necessarily the ones that your kids have, but the ones you had when you were little. They looked like real to life sketches drawn out in incredible story lines. This is what "Unbreakable" is. From the grayish blues to the startling red, real life becomes a comic book. The scene with Willis and the rescue during the kidnapping will be your prime example. It's amazing how much like a comic book it looks. In this scene even the rain looks drawn.
The writing is, of course, unsurpassed. M. Night always pulls out the stops in his writing. I never fail to be amazed by his plot turns and the precision he uses in executing them. I am one of those who guess plotlines easily, but M. Night almost always surprised. This movie was no exception. I won't tell you what happens in this one, but you will just have to find out for yourself.
I have loved all M. Night's movies (yes, even "Lady In The Water"), but "Unbreakable" holds a certain special place in my mind. I think of it often and to me that is a mark of a good filmmaker. He makes you hear what he is saying and you apply it. Alls I have to say is give this movie a chance. Tune out what everyone has said before and make your own decision. You might just be amazed.
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