Brilliant thematic sequel to Unbreakable

Rating: 7/10 (7 February 2017)

Split is the thematic sequel to 2000's Unbreakable. Unbreakable is about super heroes and villains who are almost ordinary people, except for some small, almost coincidental, differences. It's a slow film, but a brilliant concept.
****Major Spoilers****
If Unbreakable is about the rise of a new super hero, then Split is about the rise of a new super villain. Kevin suffers from DID - Dissociative Identity Disorder, or split personalities. These personalities were created to protect Kevin from childhood abuse and trauma. There are 23 of them, and they are all distinct as individuals. There is a rumour of a 24th personality, known as the Beast. Just as the other personalities surfaced to protect Kevin, the Beast now protects the personalities.
****Major Spoilers****
James McAvoy is great in the lead role. Anja Taylor-Joy follows up from the recent film The Witch, but this is McAvoy's film. The set is sparse, the dialogue uncomplicated, and the sense of rising dread expertly handled.
Any film requires you to buy into it's premise. If you're not prepared to do that, then why bother going to the movies at all? Unbreakable required that. Aliens required that. Split does as well, but keeps it's premise within the boundary of what might be possible. That's the underlying concept of both this and Unbreakable. It's not Marvel-style super heroes, but the everyday things that can't quite be explained away.
The Beast. He's on the move and when he arrives, he brings with him a gritty, bleak new super villain.