It's McAvoy's movie, but he's standing on thin ice.

Rating: 5/10 (25 December 2019)

When the Visit came out, it seemed like Shyamalan was coming out of rock bottom. With Split, he shows a continuum of that momentum. However, unlike the Visit, this is not an entertaining movie.
Split is the story (actually to call it a story is being a bit generous) of Kevin Crumb, a man with 24 personalities. In the opening scene, he highjacks a car, and kidnaps three girls. They are kept in a locked room, in what looks like a renovated heritage building. Every now and then the door opens and the girls get a visit from one of Kevin's, alter egos. The movie intercuts between the girls escape attempts and Kevin's session with his doctor.
The fundamental problem with Split is that there is really no story to tell. It feels like an isolated chapter of a larger narrative, and indeed it is, (tying in to Unbreakable and the follow up movie Glass). The editing is erratic, including flashbacks into the life of the principle heroine, whom the movie is not about. On top of that, the whole catalyst of the plot. (the kidnapping) is never coherently explained.
The movie is at its most compelling in the smaller scenes, such as when the camera is on McAvoy and his doctor. We see a character who is paradoxically fighting to keep his secrets yet at the same time to reveal them.
In the end, Split is watchable because of McAvoy. As he ping pongs between his personalities and emotions, he creates a 'poly-character' that is simultaneously whimsical, and frightening, even sympathetic at times. The personalities are self aware that they exist to 'protect' their host. Whether or not this is an accurate picture of a mental condition is sometimes questionable. The line between mental ability and supernatural is raised in a rather expository (and obviously fore shadowing) scene midway through the picture. The 24th personality of 'The Beast' (yet to be seen) keeps getting mentioned in conversation, which unfortunately is the movies only dramatic momentum. It leads to a rather cliched horror film climax, in underground tunnels, with the heroine's clothes getting progressively shredded (another cliche).

In the end Split is a mediocre movie about a fascinating character.