A Sadly Underrated Masterpiece

Rating: Null/10 (18 February 2002)

There is no doubt "Unbreakable" is the finest film to draw its inspiration from the comic book medium, but perhaps this is because the film is more a subtle character study than an all out action pic, which is perhaps why it has been dismissed by so many. The film is also a lot less accessible than "The Sixth Sense" and more ambitious, it is not a "popcorn movie". The acting is nothing short of superb, with Willis, Jackson and Penn all excellent, but it is the sombre mood and excellent photography that linger in the mind, and while "The Sixth Sense" was overshadowed by its overly clever twist ending, here the twist makes sense and sits nicely with the rest of the film. Why the ending was criticized by so many critics still baffles me, although I do agree the captions at the end are unnecessary. Critics are always whining that action films are short on characterization, yet when one does come along it is dimissed, which is a shame. Certainly not a film for everyone but it certainly doesn't deserve merely cult status. Without a doubt one of the most underrated films of the last decade. Four out of four.