'Unbreakable Potential'

Rating: Null/10 (18 September 2011)

'Unbreakable' is a film that revolves around two men who have very special lives. "David Dunn" portrayed by Bruce Willis is a father who is trying to hold on to a broken marriage. His son looks up to him as more than a father. He sees him as indestructible, a hero of sorts. 'David' happens to be the only survivor of a tragic accident. This sets him apart because as certain situations arise he is able to put to use unknown supernatural capabilities. Samuel L. Jackson stars in this film as "Elijah Price", an art dealer with a very peculiar disorder. He has a physical condition that causes his bones to break very easily.
This is a movie whose theme is simply potential. It forces the audience to watch, learn, and attempt to discover the main characters' destinies. Since 'David' and 'Elijah' are so unique it is obvious that they are destined for something extraordinary. Director M. Night Shyamalan was able to bring over a few elements his used in 'The Sixth Sense' that made it stand out; mainly, the mystery and the lighting. The element of mystery in both films keeps viewers interested. As for the lighting techniques, the tone of the film is low as is the lighting. Both of these men live lives that seem to carry a heavy weight of uncertainty. So the somberness is shown through the dim lighting seen throughout the film.
While this movie does not have as much power as 'The Sixth Sense' there is something genuine about it. The mystery is not as astonishing in the end. The performances by these well known actors are a bit scaled down. We have seen both men, (Jackson and Willis) play larger than life characters so this is a movie that shows them in a different light. The writing for this film is quite limiting compared to what we have seen in previous films. One thing these two actors do well in this movie is they cause the audience to feel compassion and wonderment for their situations. Willis does a great job at making 'David' seem invincible and Jackson is able to make 'Elijah' disturbing yet intriguing.
As a whole this movie is interesting enough to be remembered. Not necessarily for Oscar worthy acting or stellar writing but for the unique style that tells a story. We are not superheroes but our potential allows us to push ourselves beyond being mediocre. 'Unbreakable' gives us the opportunity to relate to these characters that live seemingly normal lives but have extreme potential to be more effective to the lives of many people.