A better film then The Sixth Sense

Rating: Null/10 (8 January 2001)

Watching this film for a second time, I became convinced of something I had suspected in the first place: ten years from now, when passablr but unremarkable films like Gladiator, Erin Brockovich and Cast Away have faded from memory, Unbreakable will still have a strong following. While it would be a stretch to say that Unbreakable is one of the very best films of 2000, it certainly deserves props for its immaculate craft, as well as for the intensity of its performances. I think, in many ways, this is a better film then the Sixth Sense, if only because its story is not so transparently constructed to provide a payoff. I liked the Sixth Sense a lot, but the twist was easy to predict because SOMETHING had to happen, or else the movie was just a how-to guide for aspiring spirit mediums. If the ending hadn't turned out as it did, there would have been no point to what came before. Unbreakable also has a big twist towards the end, but it doesn't just justify the film: it enhances its scope. Granted, Unbreakable must be taken with a grain of salt: it's a comic-book fantasy, and its real-life trappings have confused some viewers as to that fact. The point is not that Shyamalan means Unbreakable to be realistic: he just observes the action realistically to set the comic book elements in an interesting new context. Everything about the movie has been constructed to echo the plotting and character development of an "origins" issue of a comic book, and on that count, the film is a total success. Bruce Willis has become a great and self-effacing actor as of late, and that's not a misprint. I felt he was robbed of an Oscar nomination for the Sixth Sense -- if only because his performance was more central to that film's mystery than Osment's -- and I might nominate him again this year if given the choice. He's an interesting choice for the heroo, but ultimately he's the right one: he's low-key but not at all wimpy or ineffectual. And Samuel L. Jackson is excellent in support: this is an unusually low-pitched performance for him, but he makes it work. Their rapport is phenomenal, and it drives the film. There have been complaints about the plausbility of the action scenes, and about the slowness of the pacing. I find that Unbreakable moves slowly, but that it's a build, and not a drag. I found the major action sequence at the end of the film terrifying and beautifully controlled: it expertly pressed the audience's buttons without smacking them over the head.
Yes, some of the details are muddled, but in the best anything-can-be-explained-away comic book tradition. As for the ending, it IS abrupt, but it has a great "To Be Continued" feeling that has me longing for sequels. About the only point that EVERYONE can agree on is that this is a great-looking and sounding film: everyone somewhat pithily recognizes Shyamalan is a technically proficient filmmaker. He has a command of the camera that is thrilling, and the editing rhythms are just beautiful. There's no need to hold this against him: he's young, he's successful, and he's definitely talented. His movie is a good one, and bodes well for the future.