Thrilling, tense, brilliantly acted and directed

Rating: 9/10 (24 March 2020)

When people hear the name M. Night Shyamalan, many will cringe and recall The Last Airbender or The Happening. I make no claims that those movies aren't terrible, but many people judge the director based solely on those films rather than the Sixth Sense or Unbreakable, his two best movies in my opinion. But if someone still needed convincing that Shyamalan is a director worth respecting and following after those movies, I would show them Split next.
Many people call this movie Shyamalan's return to form (I liked The Visit more than most, but this movie is definitely better). After big budget, high CGI blockbusters like After Earth, it's so refreshing to see Shyamalan returning to what he does best: low-budget thrillers. This movie is excellently directed, with the incredible cinematography I've come to expect from Shyamalan. This movie feels very claustrophobic, and it pulls you into the movie and won't let go. I couldn't be happier to see Shyamalan in full control of this movie, and its all the better for it.
Of course, the star of this movie is James McAvoy. He gives himself fully to this role and doesn't hold back, and I would seriously call this his best performance ever. The way he can switch from one personality to another so quickly is astonishing. Anya Taylor-Joy is also very good in this movie, but unfortunately, aside from those two leads, most of the other characters feel one-dimensional and uninteresting.
Overall, this movie is incredible. I would say that James McAvoy carries this film, but there is still a lot to love outside of his performance. Although there are minor problems with pacing and the exposition sometimes feels forced, this movie is thrilling and deserves to be right up there with the Sixth Sense and Unbreakable as Shyamalan's best.