M. Night's best (contains spoilers)

Rating: 10/10 (26 July 2004)

"Unbreakable" is one of those films that garners extreme reactions on both ends of the spectrum; either people love it or hate it.
The biggest criticism is that the movie is too long and too slow to develop, which is certainly a understandable argument. I prefer to look at M. Night's films in a different light; I admire the way that he absolutely refuses to rush through a story, and the way that he lets the characters develop at their own pace. Bruce Willis's slow, gradual transformation is a beautiful thing to watch, a testament to Bruce's incredible talent. The aura of sadness that he projects through most of the movie is tangible, and it's only through the teachings (or manipulation, if you will) of Samuel L. Jackson's character, Elijah, that Bruce's character, David, is able to finally realize his full potential, to understand his place in the world, and to connect with his son in a way he never could before.
I would also like to give special kudos to Spencer Clark's performance as David's son, Joseph. Most kids, especially those not close to their parents, have no understanding of what their parents do for a living. It's more comfortable to live a fantasy, where your Dad is a superhero and you will one day follow in his footsteps. It's no wonder that when the possibility presents itself that David is special, Joseph latches onto that notion, and proceeds to stop at nothing to prove it to his father, even coming a hair's-breadth from shooting him.
David's first adventure as a superhero was magnificently done. He walks into a train station, bustling with people, and lets his instincts take over. Just by touching people, he can see what terrible things they've done (kind of like John Smith on USA's "The Dead Zone", but not as extreme), for example, shoplifting, race violence, and date rape. But when he brushes up against a man who had committed cold-blooded murder, David leaps into action. He follows the man to a house he has taken over - both parents are dead, but the two children are still alive. The confrontation is also very well done. No words are spoken; there is no flurry of blows or martial arts moves; simply one man taking another man down in a way that any of us might do in similar circumstances.
The next morning, David shows his son a newspaper detailing the incident. He silently mouths the words "You were right", and his son sheds a tear of joy; his fantasy has been fulfilled, and his connection to his father can only get stronger from here on out. They also agree to keep his double life secret from David's wife, which is another nice touch.
Given Elijah's life and state of mind, it is very reasonable to understand his motives for wanting to find someone like David. That he used such reprehensible methods for doing so makes the ending that much more shocking.
Most people, especially moviegoers, are easily bored. They are addicted to the quick fix, where something dramatic or exciting has to happen every five minutes or they lose interest. That is why "Unbreakable" has elicited such negative praise from some critics. But I am of the opinion that if the view at the top is spectacular enough, it's doesn't matter how long it takes to get up the mountain.
My score: 10.