Brilliant...

Rating: Null/10 (21 July 2004)

*-Catch it on TV **-Worth a Rental ***-Buy it Used/On Sale ****-Buy it New/Top Dollar *****-Worthy of a Blind Buy
Unbreakable is M. Night Shyamalan's unique take on superheroes. Liked by few and hailed by what may seem like only a handful, Unbreakable tells the story of two men. David Dunn (played by Bruce Willis) is a security guard that emerges as the sole survivor of a horrific train wreck unscathed. Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) is a man who has a rare disease that limits the density of his bones, making him "breakable." Elijah approaches David with an idea that, initially, David finds to be ridiculous. Elijah believes that comic book heroes are real and everyday people. Futhermore, he believes that David is one of these people. What follows is one man's journey of self-discovery.
I am one of the handful of people who feel that Unbreakable is a magnificent film that does not deserve the harsh treatment it has received. Shyamalan's slow pacing and attention to detail that was so evident in The Sixth Sense is back and staples itself as Night's style. The pacing works differently in Unbreakable than it did in The Sixth Sense. In The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan utilized his now trademark pacing to create tension and make the film more creepy and atmospheric. This time around the pacing is used to show the inner struggles of David. The film moves slowly as David ponders Elijah's theory and ultimately discovers his destiny. While the twist at the end of the film was quite a revelation, I felt that it did not weigh heavily on my feelings on the rest of it. Not to say it wasn't shocking, it just did not reinforce my feelings for the movie.
Shyamalan brought back Bruce Willis from The Sixth Sense for the role of David Dunn. I can't imagine anyone more suitable for this role. Willis' mere presence is remarkable considering the tone of the story. Samuel L. Jackson does not disappoint. He is equally as impressive as Bruce. The delivery of his lines, especially when the character is discussing comic books, shows you how passionate Elijah is towards what he is talking about. Of course, Jackson could be talking about lint rollers and still hold my interest for an extended period of time.
James Newton Howard reteams with Shyamalan to deliver another astounding score that matches the brilliance of Night's direction. The music in the train station sequence is very engrossing, as is the rest of the film's score. Howard's music, coupled with Shyamalan's brilliant direction and writing make up for a truly incredible spin on the comic book hero subgenre.

I think the reason this wasn't as successful as it should have been was because everyone got hung up on the fact that is "from the writer and director of The Sixth Sense." While I do believe it is on the same level as The Sixth Sense and (dare I say) even better than it, I think the majority of people who disliked this film was not expecting a realistic comic book film. It took a few repeat viewings for me to enjoy it as much as I do now. However, to compare it to The Sixth Sense is somewhat the same as comparing apples and oranges. Both are incredible films but for vastly different reasons. This deserves a ***** rating and should definitely be given a second chance by people who immediately wrote it off. It is a talent filled and realistic portrayal of comic book heroes and is the reason I am as big a fan of M. Night Shyamalan as I am today.