Not a bad film, but left me feeling cold

Rating: 4/10 (24 January 2017)

"Split" is a movie that will, no doubt, divide audiences. Advertised as a suspense thriller, what we get instead is a more nuanced and subtle film that touches on many uncomfortable topics in its first two acts, and then becomes clinically insane during its final third, but in the end left me unsatisfied.
First of all, how was my man James McAvoy? Really good. Each personality that he played felt distinct and completely different from the other. Some personalities were kind and sympathetic, while others were downright menacing and oozed filth. There were even scenes where (slight SPOILER) McAvoy was playing a personality pretending to be a different personality, and as a whole his performance was brilliant. I'll be buying this film on Blu-Ray for the sole purpose of watching his acting again, and also for Anya Taylor-Joy. Not only is she the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life (seriously Anya if you're reading this feel free to send me a private message because I am single) but she plays a character, Casey Cooke, that has a level of depth and characterization that is unheard in modern day thrillers. She isn't just a pretty face who makes the worst possible decisions known to man, as is the norm in horror movies. She is actually a fully fleshed out character who has a past that affects her present and the choices she makes. She makes decisions that only make sense when you go home and think about the things her character went through. Things she says or does may not make complete sense until you stop and think about her characterization, and I loved that about the film. In fact, even though I didn't enjoy this film very much, I really want to go and watch it again to pick up on all the little details about her character that I missed, and this just adds replay value to the film. Anyaoustly, sorry I mean honestly, she is truly mesmerizing and has a very hypnotic quality to her that adds to the surreal and fantasy-like tone of the film.
Also, the opening credits of this film were masterful. They teased a schizophrenic pace, maybe something akin to "Inland Empire," and even thought that isn't exactly what we got, the opening credits were enthralling nevertheless. But with all these praises, what didn't I like about the film?
First off, it felt unnecessarily sexual at times. For example, (slight SPOILES in this here paragraph) one of McAvoy's personalities has extreme OCD and freaks out at the slightest hint of uncleanliness. So, when one of the girls that he kidnaps gets dust on her shirt, he makes her take it off and she spends the rest of the film in her bra. Similarly, another girl gets dust on her skirt, and if you can't guess what happens next, let me tell you: she is forced to strip off her skirt and for the majority of the movie she is seen in her underwear. Now I get it, I realize that this was meant to convey how much of a weirdo this personality is, but was it really necessary to have two females shown half naked in order to do this? The answer is no. It wasn't a necessity, and in my opinion it cheapened the experience. I didn't need to see two frightened girls forced to take their clothes off to know that this specific McAvoy personality was evil; I got that when he kidnapped the three girls in the beginning of the movie. It was just so uncomfortable (which was the goal, I know) and unnecessary, and it almost felt like, instead of wanting to contribute toward good characterization, M. Night just wanted an excuse to get these girls naked, and it overall took me out of the movie.
Another thing I didn't like about this film is that nothing feels resolved at the end, and as a whole the film feels unsatisfying and unhappy. Now, I don't need every film to have a happy ending, but when you have a likable and sympathetic character like Casey, a girl who goes through what is probably some of the most traumatic experiences anyone could ever go through, at least let her have a victory at the end. (SPOILERS) Instead, what we get is an ending where it is implied that Casey, after living in Hell since her early childhood, goes home to even more unspeakable atrocities. It's "sad", as in go home, curl into a ball, and cry for hours "sad." And maybe you'll like this ending, and that's fine, but for me, I didn't expect, or want, to feel suicidal walking home from the movie theatre. I'm not being funny either. I seriously felt dead on the inside for hours. And speaking of nothing being resolved at the end of this film, the ending (mild SPOILERS) of this movie is a blatant cliffhanger for a sequel that will tie up all the loose ends and complete the story. Look, I get it, sequels are popular, but if you're going to make a movie where the audience doesn't know there is going to be a sequel to, you better at least make it have a strong and satisfying conclusion, but in my opinion "Split" has neither. And this is irritating. A movie shouldn't have to rely on a sequel to be enjoyable, especially if the audience doesn't know it's going to be the first (or second) movie in a franchise. The story feels wide open at the end of the movie, which is so disappointing, as the trailer seemed to promise a tightly crafted story.
"Split" is not a bad movie by any stretch of the imagination. The acting, the directing, the production value, and the music are all great, and at times are truly masterful. However, the relentlessly bleak ending and unfinished feel of the film kept me from enjoying it.