Examining the Icon of the Hero

Rating: 8/10 (25 November 2000)

M. Night Shyamalan has again created a wonderful film that is unique and surprising. Pacing is something Shyamalan pays a lot of attention to and it pays off here just as it did in Sixth Sense. The story is well thought out with wonderful touches of social commentary that are anything, but preachy.
The cinematography and camera work are superb and well matched by the sound design and editing. The costumes are perfectly real while still putting the characters into the look necessary to represent their place in the heroic cycle that this film represents. The drama is real, be it harsh, funny, or thought provoking. A great examination of what is a hero.
I would say that this film is very in the tradition of Hitchcock; it has a man who doesn't want to be a hero becoming the hero, this man must face things within himself that he doesn't want to, a woman/love is his primary weakness and the thrills come from the pacing and drama that creates the tension we all know and love. The action and music are the spices!
Enough about the more technical stuff. This is the best comic book movie ever made because it concentrates on the subject of the Hero as Icon and explains why comics have had the power they have always had. Comics are very much like movies an let us hope the audience realizes this by the end of the film. The power of words and pictures (or no words at all) is astounding and if you don't think this is true then you need to think about this idea a good deal more. This film many well be as misunderstood as the medium of comics, but it will help many see them a little bite differently.
The best thing though, is this was still a fun film with good suspense and action for those who need either, or.
The acting was top notch as we expect from the primary actors with Samuel L. Jackson showing us again why he is "the man", or one "Bad Mother----". Willis is once again the super hero he is nearly always cast as, but never so blatantly. This film would not be what it is without these two actors. Robin Wright Penn and Spencer Treat Clark also wonderfully accent them leads and their themes.
A must see for folks who just love film, who love comics, or who love good father and son flicks.