Absorbing and fascinating

Rating: 10/10 (25 November 2000)

An early holiday gift from a top-notch storyteller. M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" is a fascinating, totally absorbing film that does for the tale of superhero vs. super-villain what "The Sixth Sense" did for the ghost story. It refreshes a done-to-death film theme and draws it completely into our own real world with thoughtful, sympathetic writing and performances of wonderful subtlety, humanity and depth. It is so exquisitely spare and minimal - especially in its dialog - and so careful to pick up every thread it lays down, that it puts 98% of the crowded, messy, noisy flicks out there to shame. Anyone who's turned off by the idea that this might be a "comic-book movie", PLEASE put that thought aside - this is not about explosions, special effects or black/white solutions, but about the very nature of heroism and villainy (and I do *not* mean "good and evil"), and the searching of soul that extraordinary beings must do before deciding what their work in the world should be. And the results of their search can be both inspiring and chilling, as we see here. Willis and Jackson are absolutely perfect, Willis' painful and troubled everyman honesty exactly contrasting Jackson's steely conviction and laser intensity (every fan will cheer the scene in which he icily rebuffs a sorely misguided gallery customer!). But no one here is a toss-away character, even the adversary's mom has importance. And the expected twist ending is a beauty; some apparently saw it coming sooner than I did=), but I was completely blindsided and loved it. --Again: if the idea of a movie with a comic book theme bothers you, please take my word on this and don't let it keep you from seeing "Unbreakable". You'd be missing something far too worthwhile.