Shyamalan's second masterpiece - and his last good film

Rating: 9/10 (24 November 2016)

M. Night Shyamalan's follow-up to THE SIXTH SENSE is a remarkable one; remarkable in the sense that it's very nearly as good as the film that made Shyamalan's name famous, and that it proves that he wasn't just a one-hit wonder. UNBREAKABLE offers up the same kind of intense spooky atmosphere as his first film, and yet isn't a horror movie at all. Instead, it's a gripping thriller that draws you into the lives of a diverse bunch of characters and doesn't let you go until the very end.
Every element is just right in UNBREAKABLE, from the superb acting to the music. The deliberately slow pacing of the movie may be off-putting to some (and, I admit, I did find some moments in the middle hard going) but works in creating realism and building up tension. There is little in the way of action in the film, but when it happens, it's extremely suspenseful and absolutely riveting (two set pieces, one involving some subway steps and the other a janitor with a dark secret, are phenomenal, and the latter actually had me moved and in tears at the cinema). Criticism has also been levelled at this film's "silliness" in places, in that it concerns a man who may be a superhero and the comic-book link is always strong. This just isn't so, as these elements help to make the movie fantastic in both senses of the word. It's probably the best comic book film I've seen as, unlike over-the-top others, the subtlety of the film and the fact that its set in the real world - unlike Tim Burton's fare - give it an extra involving edge. Forget Batman and his rubber suit; this is the real thing.
Bruce Willis is, once again, a revelation, and a mile away from the two-dimensional wisecracking characters he was playing ten years ago. His moving, subtle performance really draws us into his character, creating a real man with real emotions and experiences whom we care about very much. Acting honours also go to Samuel L. Jackson, who plays perhaps the oddest character of his career, an sufferer of a brittle bone disease which sees him walking with a stick or in a wheelchair for the entire film. Jackson's presence is an intense and commanding one. The supporting cast is also great, from Robin Wright Penn as the haggard, tired wife to Spencer Treat Clark as Willis' son, who, while not being as endearing as Haley Joel Osment, is still pretty good.
Of course, with it being a Shyamalan film, there has to be a twist ending. At first I considered the ending here to be trite in nature, but it's grown on me since I watched it last night and I now think it was a very good one after all. It may not match the jaw-dropping final moments of THE SIXTH SENSE but it provides a fitting conclusion to the film. With masterful direction, and intelligent, literate script, oodles of tension and fine acting, UNBREAKABLE is definitely one of THE films of 2000. Addendum: I recently reappraised this movie and found myself enjoying it even MORE than the first viewing. The twist ending now seems to be so obvious yet so brilliant. Congrats to all involved with the making of this masterpiece.