Great atmosphere, camerawork; problematic storyline

Rating: 6/10 (25 August 2001)

While Unbreakable has a number of strong points--the unnerving atmosphere, and some interesting camerawork, among other things--the plot has some logical problems (even if you accept the premise).
Can't say more without venturing into Spoiler City...you have been warned.
It is hard to imagine a man living thirty-some-odd years before finally realizing that he is, in nearly all respects, indestructible. The Willis character does not seem to be dumb as a brick; why did it take him so long to catch on? For that matter, one would have expected his parents, friends, wife to notice. At the very least, it would have become a topic for conversation; and once noticed, it would quickly have become obvious.
The Price character's argument that comics are a kind of popular-culture version of ancient legend, or some such, doesn't hold water. A little help from Joseph Campbell would have been appreciated here.
It seems to me that this could have been a much, much more interesting movie. If David had turned out to be, after all, just an ordinary guy who hadn't happened to have ever been sick or injured, and this were revealed somehow in the end (through something as simple as cutting himself shaving, say), he (and we) would have been suitably shocked--on realizing that he was almost fatally shot by his son, risked his life to subdue a murderer/burglar, etc. Many interesting things could have been done with Price's reaction as well.
Unbreakable has much in common with The Sixth Sense--great visuals, interesting story, spooky atmosphere, twist ending--but unfortunately in both cases the storyline doesn't bear scrutiny, even if you accept the respective premises.