What if superheroes are based on reality?

Rating: 7/10 (4 October 2015)

Released in 2000, "Unbreakable" was M. Night Shyamalan's follow-up to his most successful movie, 1999's "The Sixth Sense." The plot revolves around a man (Bruce Willis) who becomes increasingly aware that he possesses superhuman abilities, including invulnerability. This attracts a man on the opposite end of the spectrum who can barely go a week without injuring himself (Samuel L. Jackson). The latter is seriously into superhero-type comics and begins to see the truth about the former. Robin Wright Penn and Spencer Treat Clark play the wife & son of the protagonist while Leslie Stefanson has a glorified cameo.
The movie scores high points for originality as the idea that superheroes are based on real-life people adorned with extraordinary powers is intriguing. The tone of the movie is akin to the slow drama with spiritual undertones of Shyamalan's other films, like 2002's "Signs." Unfortunately, the ending feels arbitrarily tacked-on and leaves a sour taste. Then again, it might enhance repeat viewings.
The film runs 106 minutes and was shot in Philadelphia.
GRADE: B