Weak plot, Fine directing

Rating: 7/10 (4 July 2002)

After having carefully watched the movie twice, the first time on the big screen of course and the second on DVD, I came to a conclusion that is perhaps shared with the majority of people who watched this motion picture: the plot, despite the more or less unpredictable ending whose surprise factor cannot even be compared with the Sixth Sense's, remains fairly weak and generally not interesting. Personally I believe that the entire idea of superheros and superpower has been adapted to screen countless number of times and has therefore lost its impact and interest on a modern audience. On the other hand, I must say that Shyamalan's directing is impeccable and is characterized, throughout the entire movie, by a considerable amount of style and class. Under a technical point of view everything seems to be perfect, from the photography to the continuous slow movements of the camera which match perfectly the captivating rythm of the film itself. Furthermore, the director's choice of depicting the characters from far, unusual points of view seems to compensate rather well for Bruce Willis's notorious lack of acting skills. In addition, James Newton Howard's score represents ,despite the criticism, the completion of Unbreakable's technical perfection. Hence, Shyamalan can undoubtedly be considered one of the most talented of the new generation directors along with David Fincher and a few others.