Lots of style, a little substance

Rating: Null/10 (10 December 2000)

What really stands out in Unbreakable is Shyamalan's style. He likes to play with the audience's expectations. We know from the trailer that there's going to be a train wreck early in the film, and he has us on the edge of our seat waiting for it. Both Willis' and Jackson's characters (but especially Jackson's) are based on certain stereotypes that Shyamalan uses effectively to develop the plot.
The camera work is excellent, with many scenes shot in unconventional ways: instead of seeing the characters, we see their reflection, or they are off-screen. One conversation is viewed entirely from the perspective of a little girl peeking between train seats. And, remarkably, several key scenes are shot upside-down!
Unfortunately, the plot is less satisfying than The Sixth Sense. Why hasn't the truth become evident to Willis' character at some point earlier in his life? The comic-book premise that Jackson proposes is just too far-fetched. And Willis' weakness, when revealed, seems arbitrary.
Still, it has a certain cleverness and you will be recalling all the clues you missed after seeing the film. It's worth seeing, but don't expect the same shock value as The Sixth Sense.
*** of *****