This film should be taught in video and writing classes.

Rating: 10/10 (16 April 2002)

This is by far one of the most original films in years. In my opinion, it's much better than The Sixth Sense (a film on IMDB's top 250). Everything about the film could be of good use for studying in writing and film classes.
You have David Dunn, a character who perfectly fits the superhero mold. He is an average Joe and seems to be a bit of uncomfortable in his oversized suit in the opening scene. In a typical superhero origin story, he knows not that he is special. So even after he is the sole survivor of a massive train wreck, he doesn't know what to make of it until along comes Elijah Price (Samuel L Jackson), a comic book connoisseur who thinks-but is not sure-that David may be one of the people that his comic books are written about.
Elijah is a main character himself as he is the opposite of David from the very beginning of the film. He is a man who is quite breakable, unlike the never-been-sick David. How far different the two characters are is not revealed until the end. Between then and the beginning is a good look at a superhero's life: trying to patch up a broken marriage, raise a son, discovering the limits of his "powers," and analyze the relationships of characters in comics.
Even more intricate than the plot is the magnificent camera work, cinematography, direction, and sound. The framing of most of the shots in the film is a great take on the comic book theme, which themselves are frames within a page. So in shots you will have a banister, a doorframe, train seats, etc. framing up the shot. It's done to a noticeable extent. The shot lengths themselves are long and show how well the actors play their parts since some shots are over a minute long like in a Kubrick production. Also of note is how-as Elijah comments on-the "villains" in David's telepathic-like visions stand out in a crowd. In the crowded scenes, there is very little color by 99% of those around. But those who rub against David that wear a colored type of clothing cause flashes of their crimes to appear in his head. When we get a better shot of the perp later, they definitely look like they stand out. There is the guy in the vivid camouflage jacket, the drug dealer in the deep blue windbreaker (played by M. Night himself), the jewel thief in the bright red dress, the frat boy who takes advantage of a drunken girl in the neon green shirt, etc (and that etc. includes one other surprise character). And the score... the score was magnificent! It was quite eerie in parts. The sound complimented it quite well. That was eerier in parts as well, especially if you check the bonus materials of the DVD and see the deleted carnival scene as a younger Elijah breaks his arm on a ride. The sound makes you wince in pain with the kid!
I gave the film 10 and wonder why it is not in the IMDB top 250 where it belongs. It was the best film of 2000 (not that overrated Traffic).