A good premise that is sadly wasted

Rating: Null/10 (27 August 2003)

* Terrible * * Below Par * * * Not Bad * * * * Good * * * * * Brilliant
WARNING *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
M.Night Shyamalan is certainly a writer and director with a formidable imagination.Quickly he is also gaining a reputation that is also comparing him to the likes of Alfred Hitchcock.Although I don't neccecarily agree with the comparison he is a man not lacking in talent as a movie maker.His first film since his first major hit 1999's 'The Sixth Sense',which starred Bruce Willis 'Unbreakable' is one part supernatural thriller and one part superhero movie.A unique combination to be certain.
The movie tells the story of husband and father David Dunn(Bruce Willis once again)who is the sole survivor of what is a horrific train crash.What's more not only does Dunn survive the wreck but he comes out of it completly unscathed.A phenomenon that baffles doctors and everyone else around David.It's a few days later that Dunn is approached by Elijah Price(Samuel L.Jackson).A middle aged man who suffers from a rare brittle bone condition that confines him to a wheel chair.A comic book collector in his spare time,Price believes that Dunn is a genuine superhero and sets out to convince him of that.How else could have Dunn been the only survivor of the wreck and come out of it without a single scratch.Soon Price has Dunns son Joseph(Spencer Treat Clark)convinced and his wife Audrey(Robin Wright Penn)concerned as even Dunn himself begins to wonder if he really is what Price says he is.
The early promise that Shyamalan shows in 'Unbreakable' is sadly all we get.He takes what is an inspired and promising premise and squanders it on what is lacking in anything truly watchable.The writer and director spends so much time attempting to build atmosphere and tension that he allows for little to actually happen.Anything that does occur is very rare.The performances for the most part are highly commendable and the dialogue as is usual with Shyamalan is first rate.But it does not detract from the fact that so much could have been improved on in the movies script.Like for anything remotely interesting to occur throughout most of the movie.There is the added hinderance of there being a couple of scenes that sadly don't ring true and could have been handled a lot better.Bruce Willis does an alright Job but the acting honors go to the rest of the cast that includes Wright Penn,Spencer Treat Clark and the always watchable Jackson who gives another inspiring performance as Price who we immediatly find pity with.
While the movies final twist is unquestionably surprising and indeed very clever you will ultimately feel sadly wanting . With the rest of the movie being as dull and lifeless as it is you can't help but feel cheated by what should have been an excellent supernatural thriller.
Robs Rating:* *