It would be impossible to review Unbreakable without mentioning writer/director M. Night Shyamalan's other film, The Sixth Sense. You may remember it -- that little thriller that grossed $661 million worldwide and spawned the catch-phrase "I see dead people."
Though, perhaps it would be better if you could forget: hoping Unbreakable will be another Sixth Sense will only lead to disappointment.
Unbreakable doesn't have the flawless plot structuring of The Sixth Sense -- nor does it pack the same kind of startling punch -- but still, the films have many similarities.
First the obvious: both star Bruce Willis. This time around Willis plays David Dunn, a melancholy security guard who, as we learn in the film's extended opening sequence, has a strange gift: he's unbreakable. He's the sole survivor of a deadly train crash, and has never been sick a day in his life.
Willis is well suited for the part, but has a void to fill.
For one thing, he doesn't have the prodigal Haley Joel Osment at his side, nor the brilliant Toni Collette.
What he does have, however, is Samuel L. Jackson -- which is an excellent start. Jackson plays Elijah Price, a comic book dealer who's as battered as David is scar-free. You see, Elijah suffers from an incurable medical condition that makes him as fragile as "glass." He's spent much of his life in and out of hospitals, uses a cane to get around and has suffered from over 50 broken bones.
After learning of the train crash David survived, Elijah seeks him out. The comic book dealer has spent his life waiting to find someone like this: a polar opposite, a person as unbreakable as Elijah is breakable.
Upon their first meeting, David is initially scared of him, and it's easy to see why. With his mad eyes, gaudy style of dressing and huge afro, Elijah is quite a sight to behold.
However, as the two men forge a precarious friendship, Elijah helps David to realize his full potential. No spoilers here, so let's just say that David's powers extend beyond being able to survive deadly accidents.
It is here where Shyamalan truly shines, staging some of the most disturbing scenes in recent history.
Unfortunately, though, Unbreakable never rises to its full potential. For one thing, the plot lacks the same intense, precise structure of Shyamalan's other work. Unbreakable comes together like an explosion: the bang of many confusing ideas all smacking into each other at once.
You'll spend half the film unsure of where the story is going: mainly because it zigzags loosely around the plot, not truly finding (or perhaps revealing) its niche until the very end.
The film is very slow to unfold, and only really begins gaining momentum towards the second half. It's the kind of movie a lot of people will grow bored with -- or simply won't get -- and that's a shame. Because despite its far-fetched theme, it's still a shattering film.
Grade: B
(PG-13, 1 hour, 47 minutes)
