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UNBREAKABLE review
The beginning of UNBREAKABLE starts off with simple letters upon a simple screen. Stating a few uncommon statistics about fans of comic books. They talk about the ‘average’ comic collector. And how the ‘average’ collector ends up with pretty close to 4000 issues and spends about one year of their total life reading said comics.
Well, I am not average. In my house I have roughly 70,000 comic books spanning all of the ‘ages’ of the illustrated story. I have illuminated pages from the 13th and 15th centuries from Portugal… A Tibetan ‘tonka’ illustrating some of the Hindi gods. I also have some Japanese woodblocks of samurai warriors from the mid-1800’s. The Huacho Indians’ yarn painting illustrating a religious quest from pre-World War II, coming from the western sierra madres…. I also have some Mayan glyphs from Palenque illustrating their stories of heroes and gods…. And it even has a word balloon coming out with glyphs saying the dialogue… I collect original comic art and am very very in to the history of illustrated story telling…
Comic books for me have been about the mythology of mankind. Today’s youth doesn’t spend too terrible much of time reading the stories of Jesus Christ in the United States… but many of us can quote chapter and verse according to Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko on the Marvel side… and then we have the Gil Kane, Carmine Infantino, Bob Kane, etc on the DC side… There were the independents like Eisner and his SPIRIT... And then we have the underground creators like Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Dennis Kitchen and Spain… On up to the modern age comic prophets like Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore and so on…
In the world of film, we’ve seen attempted adaptations all come close, but not quite all the way. In the Donner SUPERMAN, we have a brilliant origin sequence, but the film decided to take a bizarre camp tone for the second half. Burton’s BATMAN decided to take our heroes and turn them into bizarre circus freaks…. Shirking real motivations and playing it all in a grand cartoon of reality. Not exactly bad… not exactly great. There were all the others… each succeeding and failing in their own small ways… How can you doubt the heroics and joys of the Rocketeer’s first flight to save his aerial clown friend? But still… it felt like the old chapter plays. Going from sequence to sequence.
Then we had X-MEN this year… hell, it came out on DVD today, and I love that film. It is the closest literal translation from Comic to Film I’ve seen in live action. In the world of animation, we’ve had the brilliance from Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett for years… and those are literally the comics come to life.
You know how in comics, it is usually that wild bold new take that just captures you. Like when Frank Miller brought us the Dark Knight? Or when Spider-Man lost Gwen Stacy in ASM#121…. Or like the anti-drug issues by Neal Adams of GREEN LANTERN that came out the year I was born? When Gaiman introduced us to Death? When I was in High School and Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons brought me THE WATCHMEN.
These were my mythologies. The stories and legends and tales with which me and my friends communicated. We never believed SPIDER-MAN was out there, but we love to pretend don’t we?
Well, tonight when I went to the Metropolitan Theater here in Austin… sat in my perfectly center seat I adore… and sat back awaiting disappointment from M Night Shyamalan… having avoided all knowledge of the film… Having been handed the script and PUTTING IT AWAY… being sent reviews filled with spoilers and forwarding them to Moriarty unread. When I heard that M Night was going to tackle an original Superhero Concept for a film… I had a dream of what I would see.
It’s that same dream I have when I read SUPERMAN: PEACE ON EARTH or BATMAN: WAR ON CRIME or the upcoming SHAZAM: POWER OF HOPE (click here for the special trailer for the comic!!!)
UNBREAKABLE isn’t a tights and spandex universe… It isn’t the story of gigantic robots or ray guns… There is no flying… no superb special effects… Kinda like how BATMAN YEAR ONE was told. No costumes or supervillains… just the real world equivalent.
As of this moment, UNBREAKABLE, upon first viewing, is my favorite film of the year. I still think REQUIEM FOR A DREAM is the best movie I’ve seen this year, but UNBREAKABLE is my favorite. Dear lord this was a perfect issue number one Superhero film.
NOW… we have seen some controversy over the ending of the movie. And to really do the film justice and defend it against its detractors… I will have to get into that… But quite simply… I feel these people to be on some sort of illegal substance. This movie ends in the only perfect way it could end for me. Not one shed of doubt… the ending was perfect… and after talking briefly with about 20 people after the film… they all agreed. From Quint to Robogeek to regular folks to well… others. One wanted it to be flashier at the end, but with the same outcome. I love the understated reality to it all.
And this is where you have to leave. The film opens today across the country. GO SEE IT. See it and come back, disagree if you must, but see it and at least form your own opinion before coming back, because after a countdown from 10… I will begin discussing IN DEPTH… my feelings about the film and its conclusion. Don’t skip down to talk back… don’t read down a bit. LEAVE, SEE THE FILM and THEN come back.
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SPOILER PART OF THE REVIEW COMMENCES…
As I stated above this is that perfect issue number one comic book. Like… BATMAN 1, Spring 1940… Batman had been around for a year, but in issue number one of his first dedicated title… Bill Finger and Bob Kane introduced us to THE JOKER. Lex Luthor didn’t arrive for SUPERMAN for nearly 3 years. And the origin of their childhood meeting and parting of ways would not be told for decades yet to come…
But in the creation of a great Superhero mythology… you must introduce not only the hero but the villain. The more traumatic the better. The more close relationships they have with one another the better… just so long as it doesn’t get hammy. And often times either the villain is responsible for the initial event that creates the hero… or vice versa.
In UNBREAKABLE we have a brilliant origin of a hero and a villain. And since you have ALREADY SEEN THE FILM… I can talk about this with no trepidations.
Samuel L Jackson plays the most brilliant supervillain character in the history of cinema. I’m talking James Bond, Indiana Jones, Batman, Superman, Rocketeer, X-Men… everything.
In this world that M Night has created, the universe is very very tight. The world is, as it is outside your and mine’s windows. We go to work, see movies, buy comic books, toys… etc. There are no gigantic gaudy cartoon edifices in which our heroes and villains lay in waiting.
The villains in the world deal drugs, rape unconscious drunk women, and carry unlawful weapons… there are harsher villains to be sure… but these are the common scum and villainy we see in our world.
Now imagine… You are The Joker or Lex Luthor or Professor Moriarty. You are an evil super genius of means. You have become this because, it is what you feel you must be. Life twisted you somehow. Cursed you just so. And you discover that mass destruction and evil are easy to accomplish. The authorities easy to cheat and fool. That the wheels of justice simply can not catch up to you. You read the stories that inspired you to become said super evil genius… and you realize… the game is no fun with out your arch enemy… the Superhero.
If you exist… then surely there is someone out there capable of being your Batman or Superman or Sherlock Holmes. The yang to your yin.
And wonderfully, you set about to search for your hero. Your adversary. Samuel L Jackson’s Elijah Price is just such a character. Cruelly twisted by the fate of the world… for the bemusement of his fellow man. Mr Glass they call him, cause he breaks like glass. Unable to play like other children… forced to develop his mind. Punished for every step he’s taken, having to fear stairwells and uneven surfaces.
His escape… his vindication, to become bigger than life. A villain on a grand scale. The type of villain that can not be caught by mild mannered enforcement.
He creates a series of incidences out of which he is hoping to find his adversary. And one day it happens. He painfully needs this… Like Hannibal Lecter needed to be caught so the world would know his genius and fear him all the more.
But Heroes are far harder to create than Super Villains. Great evil is needed in order for great heroes to be born. Before UNBREAKABLE was the new long trailer for PEARL HARBOR… and in a very real way, for the United States to become what it was in World War II, it needed PEARL HARBOR.. it needed Hitler and Hirohito. And without them, would the U.S. of become the superpower it is today?
Without the COLD WAR would we have launched into space? Would we have created the Internet and the super technology we now oh so enjoy?
Heroes and Villains. They need one another. This is a cycle… one of those circle of life sort of things. And what is wonderful, what I absolutely adore about the film is that Sam Jackson's character knows his place in the scheme of things. How this cripple, this evil intellect.... he was meant to find a hero, and out of all his insane criminal monstrosities... he makes a man realize who and what he is. And in so doing, damages and hurts the very psyche of that would be hero. It is twisted and insane... but Elijah Price believes he is doing the world a favor in discovering this invincible... unbreakable hero... and bringing him out of his shell. It validates his sad sorry existence.
And Sam Jackson and Bruce Willis, well, they are gods. our super-powered beings in this film. Small ones. Their powers not the greatest… but the scales, that which hangs in their midst… Every bit the Joker/Batman variety… the Captain America/Red Skull (minus the cosmic cube) variety.
I was breathless for much of this film… spontaneously clapping and squealing at moments… like: When Willis pushes the paper to his kid… or when the music rose as Bruce is climbing out of the pool… or when ‘Mr Glass’ is pursuing Gun In Belt Dude down the stairs.
This THANKSGIVING Holiday I will be in Los Angeles attending as a guest at LOS CON
And oh how I would love to discuss this film with a room full of comic book, science fiction and movie fans. But one thing is for sure… I doubt seriously anyone could get me to shut up about this film. I LOVE IT.
I love the cinematography, the editing, the score, the performances, the story, the design and just the very nature of this film. This isn’t about WHAM or POW or a physical manifestation of powers… this is…Remember TIME AFTER TIME? Remember the scene where David Warner has let go of Mary Steenburgen.. and has climbed into the Time Machine… and Herbert has come up next to the door of the machine, put his finger on the crystal key thing, and Warner and he exchange that look where the moment of truth lay… This movie’s ending felt like that.
And damn if I don’t want to see BREAKABLE, which is what I’d call the sequel… and would focus upon Jackson after his inevitable escape from the Home for the Criminally Insane. Oh yes, I know he made preparations… Mr Glass knows he breaks, knew when he shook that hand he would be going to the insane asylum. He knows Willis’ family, where he lives… he knows his weakness with water… Ol Mr Glass has got Willis’ number, and has some underground lair somewhere that his mother has prepared for him.
I pray we get to see a sequel. If not, then for the rest of my life at weird different periods with different folks, I’ll spontaneously leap into a long lasting dialogue about … what next… And that's great. I love that. I love beginnings to longer stories... I like it when the film ends without the villain falling from a skyscraper, or raving like a loon in prison. I love being able to conjur the further adventures. Discussing the what ifs with film fans, and this movie has that in spades.
M Night has crafted a film about a mild mannered, in every way, working class schmoe, who discovers that there is quite a bit more to the way the world turns. He takes this day job fella, and gives him a reason to feel special... the dream to go out and make a difference. And that is why I will be seeing this movie again tomorrow night. Of this, I have no doubt.
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I think this one will be good. Bruce Willis is one of the only older actors that can still do quality films (unlike Arnie and co.)
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Harry, you are completely right. Never have my friends talk about an ending like this one before. We just got out of a radio screening in Riverside, CA tonight, and oh man I can't wait to see it again on Thanksgiving day with my dad. He's gonna flip out. And yes, this is definitely the best comic book movie around. Bar none. Anybody who doesn't like this movie really needs to get their head together!!! Hopefully, the DVD comes out in 4 months like X-Men, huh? :)
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There is allways a possiblity of over reacting on this one man. Chill a bit will ya?
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Nov 22, 2000 1:45:51 AM CST
A thousand time better than the other Thanksgiving movies like 1
by kaylob
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(reading comic out loud)"But Aquaman, you cannot marry a woman without gills! -(atom bomb about to collide) Oh I've wasted my life..." - Comic book guy.
Seriously, comics are pretty lame. Very very precious few have anything good in them besides the pretty pictures, and even those are fuckin hard to come by. Comics are the absolute epitome of what it means to "beat a dead horse" I mean look at basically any popular comic: X-men - about 50 different stories and sets of stories, Batman - fuck I mean come on, how many versions of his life do you want? face it- comics are NOT good entertainment, they cost too much, they don't have enough in them, 99.9999% of all comic writing is below the WORST WORST WORST of bad TV, and only a few have decent artists. fact! -
Okay ComicBookGuy, first off your "fact" is nothing more than your opinion. You would do well to remember that.
I love comic books. Love 'em. Exciting stories, great characters, gorgeous artwork, etc. Some are more POW! ZAP! than others, but I enjoy these as well as the more intellectual stuff.
Comic book writers are some of the best writers out there IMO. Some of these writers script out multiple titles a month. How many people could come up with one single issue of dialogue and plots that others would be interested in? There aren't that many good storytellers out there (Hollywood and TV have shown us that on multiple occasions), to read interesting stories month in and month out is a past time I look forward to.
I'm rambling I know but it's late, just got back from an employee screening of 'Unbreakable' which I really enjoyed. Time to pop in the X-Men DVD. -
Damn this sounds like an awful movie that's intended for geek fan boys (no offense you fucking losers). This seems like the classic Harry Knowles bad recomendation, just like Gladiator and X-men, in case you didn't notice-- those movies weren't good. I also hate that shit when people say BLANK1 is the greatest movie ever, but BLANK2 is their favorite movie ever. That makes no fucking sense at all. Stand by your fucking opinion! If PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (or something else) is your favorite movie, then just say it's the greatest movie ever made! If you find it more appealing than any other goddamn movie, and that you could watch it everyday for the rest of your life, and you named your dog Amazing Larry then just say it's the best fucking movie ever made! We understand it's your opinion. So instead of seeing UNBREAKABLE I'll go see Requiem For A Dream a second time. My favorite movie of the year/ The best movie of the year. PS just to let you know PI is a rip off of TETSUO: THE IRON MAN. For more info check out my talkback in the REQUIEM FOR A DREAM review.
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Nov 22, 2000 3:58:41 AM CST
I cheated too! Read all the way to the bottom without seeing the
by regis travolta
Hah-Hah Harry I cheated I cheated! But it sounds nifty so I will see it over the Turkey Weight Gain holiday weekend then I will come back here and weigh in on it. Have fun at Los Con you sentimental fool you!
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If you consider DARKMAN and THE MATRIx comic book movies, no, but otherwise....
Anyways, I hope this makes as much money as THE SIXTH SENSE and sets up a franchise.
I want McFarlaneToyz action figures of Bruce Willis in the green "security" raincoat and Sam Jackson in the wheelchair, with the leather gloves and the glass cane !
www.projet9.netc.net/norm/main.htm -
Harry is absolutely right. And I didn't think he would be. Sure, there are some things I'd change, but the movie flows and the actors do quality work here. Cinematography is TOP-NOTCH. In a way, I was prepared not to like this. I'm glad I do. I will tell you this though...this movie will polarize people more so than BLAIR WITCH ever did. People will hate it...and they'll hate it for all the wrong reasons. They'll let tiny imperfections get in the way of an excellent film. By the way, Harry...the newspaper scene is my favorite too. I would like to see another one of these. But I get the feeling that's not going to happen.
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Yep. Harry's right on this one. A remarkable piece that manages to maintain an eerrie sense of tension and suspense without the standard tricks. No blood and guts. No over the top heroes and villains. No spandex. No gazillion dollar effects. Just unusual, moody photography, sound editing, and superb, understated performances. Real people as heroes and villains. )Foiled by a pool cover!)
This is a great film but...The only problem is that it may face an audience that demands flash & trash, that won't buy into its understated universe. That would demote this film from blockbuster to quirky cult film status. I truly hope the film does well, but no filmaker has ever made money by overestimating the intelligence of his audience. -
UNBREAKABLE is awful. Harry is waaaaayyyyyy off this time. This film is slow and boring. The comic book allegory is the worst element of the story. It doesn't work and definitely does not pay off. This is the least satisfying movie I've seen all year. Save your money and do not see it.
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*** A poem for Harry and his review. A review that was skued and smelt bad of poo. A review who knew what he was trying to say. A review that failed in everyway. Try again Mr. Harry sir, oh yes please do. For who knew this review could be so bad as to smell bad of poo. Try again Mr. Harry sir, oh yes please do. For otherwise, we may have to start laughing at you.
-dash101 out. -
Hey, I just read that Carrie Ann Moss is the front runner for being "the" Terminator 3, anyone have any more info on this?
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Besides his mother's birth canal, does Harry even know what the inside of pussy feels like? Dude is corny.
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Am I the only one that felt that the ending to this movie was very much like countless endings seen on those sappy ABC After School Specials?? I mean I was expecting the freeze framed subtitles to extend to Willis' son and his wife too. Just a brutal ending to an otherwise enjoyable film...
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Am I the only one that felt that the ending to this movie was very much like countless endings seen on those sappy ABC After School Specials?? I mean I was expecting the freeze framed subtitles to extend to Willis' son and his wife too. Just a brutal ending to an otherwise enjoyable film...
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This will inflate M. Night Shalyabsdnbanfb or whatever the hell his name is's ego even further.
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Hold on? PI ripped off TETSUO? Two completely different movies telling two completely different stories, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they both relied on hyper-kinetic imagery and direction, but does that make PI a rip-off of TETSUO? Nope. I like both movies and think Tsukamoto and Arronofsky are equally talented, but I don't see what you're talking about. Similar scenes do not a rip-off make. Next thing you know you'll be telling me SALO: 120 DAYS OF SODOM is a rip-off of PINK FLAMINGOS just because they both feature shit eating scenes. Ah well, whatever
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Nov 22, 2000 10:09:51 AM CST
Bring back "The New Mutants" and make a film about them. Viva Ch
by houdini25
Can't wait to see this flick. Will Unbreakable bring disheveled comic book readers back to the hobby shops?
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after reading one of these ridiculous Harry reviews, I've got douche chills. Get some perspective, for chrissake.
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I bought into that "comics and superheros are today's mythology" mantra until i went and read some of the "ancient comic books," like the Illiad, the Odyssey, the Aenied, etc.
Lets highlight some differences:
Comparing Superman and Spiderman to Apollo and Hercules.
The big difference between them is that while Supes and Spidey are out to help people, Apollo and Hercules are egotistical and often murderous. Apollo, being a god, has little interest in helping people unless they make sacrifices to him. He prefers bedding nymphs.
Hercules(or Heracles) is a different case--since he is only half a god(or a demigod). He was seen as a notorious figure, being quite violent and murderous in his own right.
Other differences: Greek Mythology etc came out of the religious beliefs and story telling traditions, they were intended for a wide audience. Modern comic books(at least in North America) are aimed at juveniles--and are driven by economic concerns(though one could argue that ancient charlatans exploited stories about the Gods for economic beneifit as well).
But in general, many of the adult themes and philosophical concerns you find in ancient stories are not as evident in comics--which I might add, also suffer from the pressures of having to churn out a new edition every month.
Comic books are secular. Batman, Superman and Spider-man gain their powers through scientific means as opposed to the supernatural(in fact, what do all three have in common? They are all scientists or the children of scientists).
Comics are fun, but they are a shallow definition of a mythology when compared with actual ones.
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Nov 22, 2000 10:33:14 AM CST
Modern Comics are most certainly not lame SimpsonsQuoteMan
by cooler-than-thou
I don't know what series you're reading but nowadays they've got some comics around that are better than novels. I dare you to pick up any of Brian Micheal Bendis, Garth Ennis and Brian Azarello's work and tell me it's anything but excellent. Powers, Preacher and 100 Bullets contain some of the best stories going around and none of them can be considered 'lame'.
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I saw UNBREAKABLE last night. I loved it. I had even read the script first. loved that. and like the film. but of course there were a few things... I felt like some of the subdued tone of the film, which was overtly "sixth sense," wasn't totally necessary. I felt like it was M. Night saying "look, I made 6th sense, and people want horror, so I'll come at them this way, and before they know it they'll be an hour into this superhero movie." again, I don't think that's a bad thing. but I felt like because of that slow paced, super-understated, drawn-out tone, many other GREAT GREAT scenes were cut from the film. (those who've read the script know) after David (Bruce) comes home from the accident and cries from the tragedy, we flashback to an 8 year old Elijah with his mother at a carnival. they were winning prizes all day. His mother (who was supposed to be a "striking African American woman" and wasn't) goes to the bathroom and young Elijah sees the teenagers getting on a carnival ride. he decides to get on, taking special care to pad himself with stuff animals, but the spinning of the ride shakes the animals free, and he's left in the metal box of the ride by himself. it's a sick and grotesque scene as the ride spins and we hear the loud CRACKS coming from Elijah. and it makes us CARE about him. with that scene cut we identify less with Elijah, and I think that was a mistake. I'm sorry, but I'm not a fan of the end-title/where-they-end-up cards on fictional characters either. Animal House & American Graphitti are the only exceptions, otherwise it means nothing if they're not real people. did the 6th sense say "and then Bruce went to heaven" and "Bruce's wife finally moved out of the house and remarried." no. it didn't need to. and I don't think this needed to either. I guess my biggest criticism is, I liked the original scripted ending. now before this turns into some stupid underground internet rumor, the original ending was the SAME (of course), but it wasn't "dumbed down" with extra dialogue. when David came into the backroom, Elijah was overjoyed and motioned to the paper. when David went to pick it up he BRUSHES PAST ELIJAH'S ARM and that starts the last vision. Elijah is still talking about the future, about how great things are, how they're going to be a team, but now David knows the truth of the extent to which Elijah has gone and, horrified, he just backs away and leaves. the difference is slight, but important in such an otherwise understated movie. up until that point, we had the sense that Elijah, though BREAKABLE physically, was UNBREAKABLE in spirit, and Bruce was his opposite. so it was like Elijah was setting the two of them up as a superhero TEAM. alone, they're nothing, but together they make one complete man, one complete HERO. in fact, that's what's great about the original ending: Elijah is talking like "wow, this is the start of a beautiful friendship" but Bruce finds out and can't believe it and leaves without even telling Elijah that he knows what he's done. it's better that way. more subtle. more in keeping with the tone of the rest of the film that went before it. imagine if Bruce, when discovering he's dead in the end of 6th sense saying outloud "so I've been dead all this time?!?!" we didn't need it.(I'm using that asa an example not because that's the only other movie I've seen. but rather, it points to a well done execution of similar ideas.) Hitchcock said the thing he hated about PSYCHO was the ending where Lawyer explain "... so the mother was dead the whole time, and Norman Bates actually believe he was his mother..." he hated it cause he felt that if someone needed to be told that, they didn't need to be watching the movie in the first place. and he was right. but the studio made him put it in (so he added the thing with the fly on the hand and the wicked smile... but that's another story). so I guess I'm saying that I think M. Night Shyamalan second guessed himself on this one. he wrote an incredible screenplay. and made a fantasticly well told move. (all the interview where he said he was really trying for new shots and trying to avoid cliched camera work, he totally pulled off) but I think that he cut a bit too much. and changes in the script, he just shouldn't have done. BUT I did like it. A lot.
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ok ok.
Have you written a film Harry?
I hear you have good Hollywood contacts and even turned down a job or two in the past...do you make a good living?
Just wondering.. -
is it mostly about him discovering all his new powers? that'd kinda bite. That Captain Marvel comic trailer kicked ass.
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I was thinking about something the other night. NEVER go into movies with a twist trying to figure out the twist. Two examples: I was told the Usual Suspects was a GREAT movie, especially the twist within a twist at the end. Okay, I go in to watch the movie and I pick out that Verbal MUST be Keyser Soze five minutes after the name is mentioned. Why? Simple, he's "the man with the plan" but never really plans anything. He has no physical talents that add to the gang. And obviously he's the least obvious (therefore the clich
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Seriously, you should be forced to preface all your reviews with that sentence. No one should ever forget that you LOVED a movie which was so poorly constructed that they had to invent "space dementia" in order to come up with a third act threat.
Having said that ... there are many amazing things in "Unbreakable." But saying people should overlook the niggling little flaws like poor character development, GLACIAL pacing (and no, I'm not a fast-beat shoot 'em up fan, I watch subtitled Russian movies too, and this thing was slower than SOLARIS), an incredibly annoying faux twist ending ... yeesh. Simply put, I can comprehend why you may think this is genius. But PLEASE don't assume that just because somebody hates it they're a mouth-breathing yokel.
Have a nice day, everybody.
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Nov 22, 2000 2:23:16 PM CST
unbreakable is the complete essence of the superhero genre
by aaron_stack
Unbreakable is the complete essence of the superhero genre. It included all the essential elements...
1. One good man in a bad town
2. The sleeper awakes motif
3. The introduction of the ultimate nemisis for our hero
...I just walked in the door from this flick....I gotta agree with Harry...This is the best movie I've seen this year!! It's a love letter to those of us that sometimes ask ...What If -
Even if it was produced by "Art Of War" and "Murder at 1600" Wesley Snipes, BLADE is a damn fine comic interpretation. The cinematography, the subject matter, the tone of the script. Siskel and Ebert both thought so, back before Roger started taking E when he screened a film (the only explanation fo The Cell). Siskel was almost ALWAYS right. But I do think Narry underestimates us. does he think that ANY member of this sight isn't going to see unbreakable today?
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I haven't read Harry's review yet but having just seen the movie, I can definitely say that this will most likely NOT be the crowd pleaser that Sixth Sense was. However, I think it's a far better, much more interesting movie (although I did like the Sixth Sense). The main sticking point with most people - I'm guessing - will be that its ending doesn't "deliver" in the same way that SS's ending did. But I thought it was dead-on perfect for the film and the final on-screen titles that seem to be a bone of contention for some were actually terrific, in an understated way. After all, where else does a comic book supervillain typically end up but in a asylum for the criminally insane? The ending didn't seem at all abrupt to me, it was laid out perfectly through-out the film so it wasn't a left-field cheat and it put everything that proceeded it in a new perspective. I hope that this film will catch on with people but regardless of its commercial success, this is a shoe-in for a cult following.
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O.K., overall Unbreakable was a pretty damn good movie. Willis and Jackson were believable in their roles and it always kept you interested in the movie. It was money well spent. But, the only thing I did not like about it was when Bruce Willis found out that he was all apart of Samuel Jackson's elaborate dream and wasn't real at the end.
Thankyou very much and have fun at the movie! -
"...essence of superhero" The distilled, aged, and classically carafed spirit of heroism. Mr. Glass's obsession with bringing to light the archetype -- it really lit up an image in my mind of a teen looking at a "Biff-Bam!" comic and thinking of Cambell and Jung -- and contrasting that to my style of comic-reading, which is to leer at the uber-women in spandex. Seriously, though, M. Night bashed this one _way_ out of the park.
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Nov 22, 2000 3:30:44 PM CST
Thank You Harry for liking this movie! Those who haven't seen i
by arcturus
I won't give away the ending to this movie, but needless to say, it's the kind of ending THAT'S JUST PERFECT. IT COULDN"T HAVE ENDED ANY OTHER WAY. In addition, THERE MUST BE A SEQUEL. The promise of this movie will not be fully fulfilled without it.
I'm watching C-Span now, and Michael Medved, a critic I have admired in the past, who wrote the magnificent Hollywood Vs. America, is trashing this movie. Obviously, he just didn't get it. Please, don't be dissuaded by his or other critics' views on this film; see the movie and judge for yourselves.
Now, yes, the movie will seem ponderous at times. Yes, the illumination, the colors are all drab and dark. The pace is slow. THESE ARE ALL NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING. IT ALL MAKES SENSE AS IT BUILDS TO A GREAT ENDING.
It's great that the movie is set in Philly. EVERY OTHER PIECE OF CRAP FILM SEEMS SET IN NY or LA. HOORAY FOR CHANGE!
Comis book fans, you'll dig this movie. It comes as close to Watchman as far as a "real-life super-hero tale" goes. What's particularly great about it, is that the characters' situations and powers are vague enough that we're not sure if they are truly supernatural or not. The film is filled with the attention to detail, the little things, that made "The Sixth Sense" so great. I smell another Oscar nomination people! And this time, Willis gets one, too! You heard it here first.
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Nov 22, 2000 3:36:44 PM CST
SimpsonsQuotePrick and Mr. FIlth and everyone else who has a pro
by tender branson
First off, SimpsonsQuoteFuck and Mr. FilthyCocksuckingBastard, YOU GUYS FUCKING SUCK!!!!!!
Okay, that's out of my system. Christ, this is a first. I usually hate Harry's reviews, they read like two separate trying to describe how much better sex with a prostitute over jerking off.
But, Harry, I applaud you, that was a wonderful review and I actually didn't read the spoilers, (That ain't my thing anymore. If I'd gone to see "Crapisode One" without reading this damn site so fucking much, I wouldn't refer to it as "Crapisode One")
As far as comics go, I'll tell you why comics continue to sell and people like me continue to buy them. (You know, I don't think anyone has ever made fun of me for my PROUD GEEK LEANINGS!!! Mainly because unlike all geeks who simply take it and let you so-called, "Hip People" walk all over them, I WILL KICK YOUR FUCKING ASS YOU SAY THAT SHIT TO MY FACE!!!!! Had to say it, giving severe beatings and making wild psychotic threats are a form of over compensation or so my therapist says.)
Anyway, back to my original point.
The reason I love comics, the reason I'm a fan of ALL THINGS COMIC is this: THE WORLD FUCKING SUCKS!!!!! You can never turn on the news anymore without hearing about how humanity has taken another nosedive into the crapper. You look around and everyone looks like they're on the verge of suicide or advertising inspired, anorexic, starvation. Indecision and Impotence (Figuratively speaking, for the most part.) plague our Justice System. Criminals piss all over decent people every fucking day and get away with it. Our leaders assrape us and the rest of the world on a daily basis and all we can do grease up for the next time. The world sucks, it's horrible. There are so many things wrong with the world I cannot even begin to describe it. Technology has made it worse than ever. Murder, Rape, Kiddie Porn, Drugs, Robbery, GENOCIDE!!!! That's all I ever hear lately if it isn't news about how badly the planet is going to self-destruct thanks to the Super-hold hairspray 80's and the fact that no one could possibly only run their air-conditioners when it's hot. Apathy and Depression and a general sense of Nilism have swept not only through America, but the entire world. No one cares, no one wants to hear it, the only happiness anyone really wants is monetary. If it isn't immediately gratifying it isn't worth having or doing. Every day you wake up and it's like the ending of "Se7en" every second of every fucking day. (I'm generalizing here, so don't bite my head off.) Contrary to what happened in the next scene, General McAlister in "Lethal Weapon" was totally right. "There aren't any heros left in the world." He's right there aren't. The only people, so-called "Role Models" are over-priced, drug addled sports fuckos who wouldn't tell a kid to stop doing drugs unless they were either paying him seven figures, it was part of his community service sentence, or if said kid was robbing said sport fucko's private stash. You can't look to the government anymore, they're all too busy trying fuck each other, getting high themselves or dipping their cigars into intern pussies to give a shit. The cops? God bless them, they couldn't find their assholes with search party. The crime rate may be lower, but notice no one ever talks about actual CRIMES SOLVED? it's not too good. There is a serious lack of something vital to the human soul in the populaton of the world. It's called JUSTICE. There isn't any. There's no one who's willing to grab it and most people who need it can't do it for themselves. There are no heros in the world. There's no one you can totally look to and say, "He/She's stands for everything that's right and good and pure and decent!" (Some comics, not so much but you get my point.) There are no heros. Maybe it's just a sub-concious, or not so sub-concious wish to unload our problems on to a cure all solution. But, people need heros.
Actual heros, the kind you don't get anymore. Heros that are or at least SEEM to be above all of the horseshit that plagues humanity today. That's why I continue to buy comics. In between the time you sit down to read a comic, Superman is fighting a neverending battle for truth, JUSTICE and the American Way! Batman is fighting crime and protecting those can't do it themselves. The X-Men are fighting intolerance and facists of ALL kinds. The Punisher is dealing with the scum of the Earth permanently and in the only way they understand. Green Lantern and Silver Surfer patrol the Universe. And (even though it's over.) Jesse Custer is walking the planet trying find GOD HIMSELF and hold him responsible (Or just kill the bastard.) for making the world such a horrible place.
I know it's an empty fantasy. I know super-heros don't exist. I know the only answers are the ones you find for yourself. But, goddamnit, wouldn't it be wonderful if there heros? Immortal and Indestructable Titans who never gave up, never swayed from the path of TRUTH AND JUSTICE AND DECENCY for all mankind? That's the basic ideal of comics.
That's why I keep buying them. It's a total fantasy and something that will never happen. But, it's a good dream. Great review, Harry. Gonna see it at five. -
I saw "Unbreakable" and wasn't terribly impressed. The ending is quite silly. It turns out Bruce Willis didn't survive the train crash and doesn't realize that he's dead.
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Just using Harry's twisted logic.
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and it's pronounced "wee-choal." just thought i'd mention that. i'm also 1/4 huichol. :)
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look for it at www.wheeldealreview.com Or just click here Click Here
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dont click there. HTML bites me on the ass again!!!
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Can't you people post anything better?
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Well, after finding out everything [and I do mean EVERYTHING] there was to know about The Sixth Sense and the Blair Witch Project before seeing them [and thereby ruining the viewing experience in the process], this time I decided to play it smart. I went into Unbreakable knowing nothing about it except that Bruce Willis played a man who miraculously survived a train wreck. That was it. Heck -- I didn't even know there was GOING to be a surprise ending, so I didn't spend the entire movie trying to figure it out.
All of which is to say that this movie caught me totally by surprise and I LOVED it. I assumed it was going to be similar to The Sixth Sense, and I was kept pleasantly off balance during the entire movie. I have to say that I am a long time comic collector, and I was able to suspend my disblief entirely and buy into the movie's premise 100% with no reservations whatsoever.
It's just too bad that the director felt the need to stick those damn titles up on the screen at the very end. Not only were they completely unneecessary, they actually detracted from the "Alice just fell down the rabbit hole" feeling that had washed over me in the previous few minutes. It would have been so much better to freeze where they did and omit the titles, thereby leaving it to the viewers' imaginations what happened next.
Ah well.... -
It seems when Harry likes a movie 70% of the time either the movie bombs or is terrible. Case in point - way of the gun and fight club, and blair witch 2. Add in the fact that said movies will quote Harry in their advertisements and the movie will bomb entirely. M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable, for example, receives shattering reviews from the Los Angeles Times' Kenneth Turan ("starts out implausible and gets increasingly more difficult to take seriously as it unfolds"), the Washington Post's Rita Kempley ("cheats audiences"), the Boston Globe's Jay Carr ('begins with a train wreck and then, figuratively speaking, becomes one") and the Dallas Morning News' Philip Wuntch ("ponderous, pretentious and self-indulgent."). Mike Clark in USA Today sees "dead grosses." Now going for Unbreakable we have fatboys, Lou Lemineck from the deplorable New York Times and Harry Knowles (Damn, I just saw Faculty. Dude, you are a whale!). King fat boy Ebert says the movie is watchable but kinda wishy washy. I will probably see the movie next week using a free pass IF enough people say it's good, only cause sam the man is in it. And Yes The sixth sense also cheats audiences. and Yes, Pi stole a lot of mood and imagery off of Tetsuo and Tetsuo 2 but I wouldn't say it helped it any as the movie was lame.
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I meant Lou Lemineck from the deplorable NY Post not the New York times. Lost all credibility with the nerds, huh? Oh well....
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Let me say up front I like slow movies. Remains of the Day and a lot of Merchant Ivory stuff I really dig. Even though I wasn't bananas about The Sixth Sense, I didn't have any problems with its slow and deliberate pace either. It helped build tension and mystery. But UNBREAKABLE was way too fucking slow!!! Molasses flows quicker!!! There was about an hour worth of story there, an X-Files episode at best, stretched out to 2 hours. M. Night tried to graft his Sixth Sense style onto this material (hey, it worked the first time) and it doesn't work nearly as well. We know exactly where this movie is going and it takes forever to get there. The Sixth Sense was more unpredictable, and there were two stories being told, which helped keep things interesting. But I felt every minute of this movie's running time, and it made M. Night's directing style seem more forced and labored for me. It's a damn shame because practicaly everything else about this movie is top notch, and even the twist ending works for me. Again, let me state, I wasn't expecting The Matrix or Dark City, and I loathe hyperactive movies like Armageddon, but if M. Night could get just a pinch of what Michael Bay's got he'd be the perfect filmmaker.
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Look, dont go to this movie expecting a suprise ending. The ending is soo predictable...Bruce Willis finds out hes really dead from the train wreck and doesnt find out till the end when Samuel Jackson realizes that he can see dead people and Samuel Jackson is the real son of Haile Osmen, the kid who sees dead people too.. Like FATHER LIKE SON. Then Bruce Willis goes to hell at the end for cheating on his wife and Jackson and Osmen go on seeing dead people...Anyways thats the ending to Unbreakable and I hope I didnt ruin anything!
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Well, here i am....back again to review, and in some places, attack....First, let me say that i was one of the fortunate....i didnt have my computer for the past two months, so the hype for me was not as big...all i knew was the premise, and that there would be a surprise ending, and a controversial one at that....other than that, all i had were the commercials(speaking of which, if you know what band performs the song they play in the commercial, then you have my utmost respect.).....and following Harry's advice, i made my way to the theater today, and caught the flick....and yea, indeed, i liked it a lot....a superhero movie grounded more in reality than many many others....the cinematography, the ambiance, the suspense, all VERY well done....that isnt to say i didnt have my insignificant gripes...at the top of the list being that a lot of the shots seemed like they just c&p'd single frames out of Sixth Sense....and I'm convinced that Bruce Willis' kid looks a LOT like Haley Joel Osment...but i digress......but now, i gotta dig into the "other stuff"....if you're here, then that means you've seen the flick, theres no fear of spoiling anything....now, the ending....at first, i felt it was a total cop out, like M. Night was simply reaching for a twist ending, and thats what he came up with....but the farther i walked from the theater, i started thinking about it all...how every hero NEEDS his nemesis...Batman had his Joker...a sick, disturbed, funny-as-hell maniac to counteract Bruce Wayne's dark brooding sense of justice....in this case, you have David Dunne, deadly serious, a bit closed minded, straight laced, blessed his whole life, and non accepting of his fate.....then there's Elijah Price, engrossed in a world of fantasy, and regrettably cursed....the two opposites....and after looking at it in that light, the ending makes much more sense.....and it bookends the film completely....now, the outside the film gripes....this talkback....certain people with their unforgiving Harry bashing because of his positive feelings toward Godzilla and Armageddon...two movies i acknowledge as just cool fun....but it makes no sense why Harry cant be trusted for the hatred of just these two films? As far as my own preferences go, Harry's tastes match my own...(however less experienced mine are)...the last minor disagreement ive had with his reviews was with BWP2, which i thought was good, but not the great wonder of modern cinema he made us all think it was........as for this one, i think he's pretty much dead on....as for some other people's reviews, well, i got no problems with people letting their thoughts be known, but uninspird Harry-bashing is not something i particularly enjoy seeing....:;groan:: I have a headache...i'll be back...Revolution is my name....
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Just a quick comment...i got a bad feeling, though.....this movie is NOT going to be as successful as Sixth Sense....i can see that now...not because of the aforementioned "Harry kiss of death" that SO unfortunately damned Fight Club and Way of the Gun(both Great flicks...but at least Fight Club has a mild cult status)....but simply because it doesnt have that feel that everybody can get into....the audience i saw it with seemed to like it, but it didnt have them spellbound like Sixth Sense did....i have no doubt it'll do business...but for those HSX players expecting the second coming of M. Night, don't jump the gun just yet...ok, NOW im done...
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First, for Filthy Fox. I haven't seen Requiem for a Dream, but have seen stuff about it. Don't you think the "poor drug addict" thing is a bit tired? I mean, maybe the superhero thing is, too, but every movie they call "original" or "groundbreaking" is full of trashy, foul mouthed, unlikable, unsympathetic, and ultimately stupid, considering the writers / director wants you to feel sorry or at least empathize with him / her. Maybe that's realistic, but how much does it take to get the message across that the world sucks? Beyond what's necessary to be realistic in content, it's indulgent and downright hilarious, when you think of it.
Which brings me to the movie Harry reviewed. I just saw it and agree that the concept is great. The acting is good and the mood thick enough to cut with a knife. But in a lot of parts, I felt it was very tongue in cheek. Bruce Willis' character could have been single and the kid just have been someone who befriended him as a father figure at the stadium after a while coming to games with his mother. And the dialogue is so minimal at times, it was as if there were a point beyond which if there they said too much, the whole movie would derail into a satire or tight comedy. In some parts, too much WAS said. And it was obvious Shyamalan wanted to hide clues all over the place like with "The Sixth Sense," but this time, I think he made them a little too obvious. Maybe not in knowing Elijah derailed the train and caused the other accidents, but their contrasting mental states and Elijah basically stalking him gave hints. There was no caring about redemption or saving Dunn, only in convincing him he's a superhero for Price's own benefit.
Good, but not great. And besides, haven't all of us comic book readers imagined at some point an alternate versions with everything stripped down to ONLY what resembled the real world or the equivalent thereof?
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Okay, bear with me here. My friends and I just saw Unbreakable. I really dug it. I'd say it's one of the best of the year, but then again it hasn't been a good year. :) Anyway, my friend said that he thinks M. Night is a wonderful writer, but there is a scene in each movie he feels is out of place. In Sixth Sense, it's the scene where Cole calls his teacher "Stuttering Stanley" (or whatever) and in Unbreakable it's the scene where David tries to find the drugs on the man at the game. The first scene was odd because Cole has no sense of other people's pasts. The second is odd because David had a vision of the man putting the drugs in his coat, and couldn't find that huge brick upon pat-down. My explanation for SS is that a ghost or group of ghosts of the teacher's classmates was/were taunting, and Cole got caught up in the chant. My explanation for UB is that David *did* find the drugs, but didn't bust the man because it was just a test of his powers, and he was too shocked about Elijah being correct to do much about it. I'm looking for better explanations, though, so please express your thoughts. Oh, and BTW - was the man with the drugs in UB actually M Night himself in his Hitchcockian cameo?
-Lance Steele -
I love comic books. I am a lifelong Superman fan. I loved Burton's Batman, and X-Men was a great film - but Unbreakable tops ever comic related film I've ever seen. It is incredible. The ending left me week in the knees - and like M Night's other opus, I can't believe I didn't see it coming. Unbreakable is unmissable.
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Gee, do you only get your reviews from the one-phrase blurbs included on showbizdata.com? Because you pretty much copied and pasted their daily news summary article. Personally, I'd go with Elvis Mitchell's review in the NY Times: "Unbreakable," a follow-up to "The Sixth Sense" by the writer and director M. Night Shyamalan, is probably the most anticipated film of the season. As such, it is bound to disappoint because there is no way to repeat such a box office sensation. What "Unbreakable" shows is Mr. Shyamalan's remarkable growth as a director. Some of the sequences are particularly fine, crisp and contained, and given his thirst for commercial success, bewitchingly spare with long, fluid takes. Instead of following a huge hit with a wildly overcomplicated movie as long as a night of prime-time television, Mr. Shyamalan goes the other way. "Unbreakable" is tidy and compact, and seems to have been only grazed by plot. This is a superhero comic rendered as a haiku. It is Superman starring in "The Seventh Seal" with an inspired twist: helping others only increases the hero's sadness. Mr. Shyamalan may be the only mainstream director hankering for success with a need to understate; he is like Shaq without the tattoos. The result is a mastery of craft that may leave some hungry for more." You can read the rest on the Times website. Unless, of course, you're one of those people who prefer blurbs to full reviews... or, heaven forbid, actually WATCHING the movie.
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I really didn't need to know that Willis was dead and that the evil guy saw dead people. I mean, Harry didn't say that in his review, and you guys didn't really need to anyways! I wasn't planning to see it in theatres, and I didn't know what it was really about, but, yeah thanks again! (cough cough)
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"Today
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Is it me or is Harry really pedantic? What's with the "I've got comics from ancient times so that makes me qualified to talk about comics while the rest of you are philistines" diatribe? Sounds like pompous jerk stuff to me.
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In Reply: Yes!
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Nov 22, 2000 8:49:21 PM CST
If Unbreakable's so good why'd everyone leave the theatre the wa
by catherder
I thought I'd like it. But I thought wrong. What Shamalamadingdong did with this film was a complete and utter insult to the average viewer.
I know that people will be talking up the film on this board and to tell you the truth, I know that there are probably a lot of people who did not like this film.
I was in the theatre today in Pasadena, with a packed crowd. While moments were fun -- like the weight-lifting scene -- as the film went on and on there was an increasingly nervous giggle and heavy sighing that seemed to prevade the theatre. By the time that the film was over, so many people had just got up and left the film, I was shocked.
I know people seem to like it according to your survey. But I'm more inclined to believe it's just people on your boards. Sorry. The truth hurts sometimes.
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Nov 22, 2000 8:50:18 PM CST
If Unbreakable's so good why'd everyone leave the theatre the wa
by catherder
I thought I'd like it. But I thought wrong. What Shamalamadingdong did with this film was a complete and utter insult to the average viewer.
I know that people will be talking up the film on this board and to tell you the truth, I know that there are probably a lot of people who did not like this film.
I was in the theatre today in Pasadena, with a packed crowd. While moments were fun -- like the weight-lifting scene -- as the film went on and on there was an increasingly nervous giggle and heavy sighing that seemed to prevade the theatre. By the time that the film was over, so many people had just got up and left the film, I was shocked.
I know people seem to like it according to your survey. But I'm more inclined to believe it's just people on your boards. Sorry. The truth hurts sometimes.
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This is film. You should show, not tell. Instead of the captions, why not cut to a scene of the police wheeling Elijah out of his gallery? He passes Willis, who just stares blankly ahead, ignoring everything around him. We then cut to Willis in his kitchen, lost in thought, a newspaper on the table recounting his role in the arrest. We close in on Willis's face, then fade to Jackson's face, then pull back and see him in his room/cell at the asylum. Fade to black, story told, the end. Don't get me wrong, I loved this movie. Classic super-hero stuff -- David Dunn is right in line with Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, and all the other alliterative character names. And if you look closely at the cinematography, so many of the scenes are framed by straight lines -- window sills, door frames, table edges -- giving them the look of a comic book panel. And like Sixth Sense, all the hints dropped become obvious with the ending -- Elijah has thought of himself as Mr. Glass since childhood, he manipulated things to get Audrey as his therapist, he more than likely forged that ticket himself, etc. Unfortunately, the people behind us hated the ending, probably because they were upset Willis didn't turn out to be dead again. This may be a little over the mainstream's heads to do Sixth Sense type numbers, but it deserves to.
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I take issue with your review and the films ending, and by the ending I'm refering to the last minute of the film when we learn the fate Samuel L. Jackson's character. Certain parts of this film are destined to be chapters in "The Visual Storytelling Handbook" so why did M. Night leave us with words on a screen? It developed interesting characters, it took them along and there was a revelation, then it stopped so abruptly that I found it jarring. The ending was creatively bankrupt and so heavy handed that I really wish someone just ended it at David's kitchen table. It spent all day picking out a box, wrapping a present and than stuck the cheapest, smallest, ugliest bow you could find right on top. Damn near ruined the entire film for me, which up to that point was superb. And shame, shame, shame on you Harry... you know that the ending was pulp... Talking about how your comic collection doesn't change that... It just makes you extremely bias... not a good quality for a reviewer.
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I started reading your post and thinking "What a psycho" and I ended cheering. You're right. The world does suck nowadays. Everyone we're supposed to look up to has let us down. We need heroes -fictional or otherwise. My personal hero is Tintin, the greatest graphic serial EVER!!!
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Just because a film bombs at the box office doesn't mean it isn't any good. You should know better. (Although, after Gladiator and X-Men, my wife refuses to see films that I say were recommended on this site). But, the thing is, Harry, being the fanboy that he is, manages to find something he likes in a film, not matter what. I'm kind of the same way. Hell, I loved Far and Away with Cruise and Kidman, not because it's particularly good, but because of the frost on the window behind them when they break into the mansion and pretend they live there. I know the movie is pretty cheesy, but I loved that frost on the window. Maybe we should realize that it's a good idea to take Harry's reviews with a little teeny grain of salt. The guy loves movies, can you blame him? Who Knowles? Harry Knowles!
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Nov 22, 2000 9:27:52 PM CST
When people find out the "secret", they're gonna be pissed (spoi
by joeywhoa
I just saw Unbreakable a few hours ago, and while I'm not into comics, I kind of enjoyed it, mostly. But the gimmicky trick of getting people to see a movie about comic superheroes and villains without letting them know it ahead of time just ain't gonna fly. The pack house (at 2pm!) of people were grumbling horrible things about this film as they were leaving, more negative comments than I've EVER heard about any movie before. And this movie deserves it for its false advertising and cheap trickery. If Unbreakable had been a relatively low budget independent film, it would have been excellent and a lot more acceptable, but being the big budget star vehicle it is, with certain expectations attached to it, it's just not cool to do this kind of thing. It won't fly, regardless of how good or bad the movie may be. Why didn't the CONSTANT ads for this film reveal at least a little about what the REAL subject matter is? I'll answer that...because they knew only comic fanboys would go see it, so they decided to trick the world at large into seeing it. Yeah, great joke...it's gonna bite everyone involved with this film in the ass.
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Just got back from seeing "Unbreakable" with my husband. He loved it; the jury's out for me. I think it was a real gift for comic book lovers...a thinking fanboy's dream. Though the story itself struck me as a little underwhelming, the direction, tone, and overall look of the movie was more than compelling enough to keep me involved. I was wondering, though...for anyone who's seen it, what did you make of the numerous upside-down shots? It occurred to both me and my husband that the skewed shots all related to Elijah. Any ideas? By the way, that was M. Night as the drug dealer in the stadium cameo...it's credited. I found the mood in the theater as the credits rolled to be rather subdued and hostile. I think this film will appeal to a much narrower demographic than "The Sixth Sense", but I also believe that its fans will be (like Harry) fiercely loyal to and protective of it.
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Nov 22, 2000 9:36:33 PM CST
HARRY YOU AREN'T EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT THIS FILM IS REALLY ABOUT!!!
by metatron
I saw the film today, and my life is forever changed. I'm serious. No.. I'm fucking serious. For me, it's personal, because I can identify with both Willis' and Jackson's characters... as if each of them are two sides of the same person... me. That is a very crucial element of WHAT this film is ACTUALLY a reference to. I'll get to that, but of course not yet. After I saw The Usual Suspects, I never thought I'd be likely to see a film so visually powerful and mentally stimulating that would draw me in with all the power of an electromagnet (or Cindy Crawford... but then I met my future fiancee and that part at least had changed). THEN, The Sixth Sense came out... and KERBOOM, a 90s movie that actually MADE ME THINK very long and hard about the perplexing depth of the story and the intricacies, attention to detail of which M. Night has obviously become a master. I guess I can also identify with the cultural influences that make Shyamalan such a perfectionist, being from India originally. I wouldn't say that if it hadn't been for the interview on the Sixth Sense DVD. M. Night talked about creating a "cultural phenomenon" through cinema as being one of his great dreams. Everyone made that happen with the release of Sixth Sense, but who would EVER imagine that the successful combination of elements could ever be matched by another story??! Written, Directed AND produced by M. Night, Unbreakable is the most original way of telling an ancient tale of good and evil that I have ever seen... and I have lately been tossing and turning, DYING for a film with some... ANY substance AND style... and I get the motherlode. One the one hand, you have Willis who doesn't believe in all this superhero mumbo jumbo... until he detaches himself from the comic-bookesque idea of superheroes... and a person we eventually find to be his exact polar opposite in every way, including virtuosity... Sam Jackson, yes, the "ultimate supervillain"... if there's any reason this story sounds familiar to some of you, it's because of a very crucial aspect that Harry in all his exploitative use of his reviews as his ground to talk about how vast his comic book collections are (which, considering how this film wasn't marketed widely as a comic book adaptation, I doubt anyone would care about...) Besides, none of those great "collectibles" have, amazingly, clued Harry into what Unbreakable ACTUALLY is about. Something none of the promoting will ever bring out because it's intended to be a universal message of a film... no one NEEDS to realize this to actually love the shit out of this film... but it makes it interesting for those who know about what I'm going to tell you... WARNING: However, BEFORE I DO... anyone who wants to see it again until they DO come to this conclusion on their own might not want to read what follows... However, don't expect what follows to be a big climactic revelation... for some it may not be, for others it will be... it depends entirely on your perspective...
Considering M. Night Shyamalan's Hindu origins, and his entrenchment in Hindu mythology, which I became very aware of after seeing his interview on the Sixth Sense DVD, it occurred to me only after seeing the entire film that the story of Mr. Glass and Mr. Unbreakable is actually an allegory to Vishnu and Shiva... respectively, the preserver/protector and the destroyer... In Hindu mythology, there is no actual delineation of opposing forces as being simply "good" or "bad" in the western theological sense of those words. Vishnu and Shiva who, together, define each other, and cannot exist without one another have one purpose... the balance of the universe is in their hands. Unbreakable is the greatest modern interpretation of this tale I have EVER seen. It is very possible when one thinks about it that Mr. Glass is right in stating that all the modern "Comic book heros" of whom Harry is clearly as great a devotee as the nerdy, fat comic bookstore employee on the Simpsons, are all derived from the "superheros" and "supervillains" of mythology/religion. This particular case happens to be drawing very heavily from the eastern mode of thinking... yin-yang and "maya"... the world is an illusion according to Hindus, and in order for that illusion to continue existing without unbalancing and ultimately shattering itself to pieces, Shiva and Vishnu must do their jobs... anyway, where was I? Sam Jackson's character stated their relation perfectly... that the bipolar opposites he has speculated about as being a rare but genetically feasible possibility are somehow indelibly linked to one another, and aren't necessarily good or evil... but just doing their job. In fact, I've read several books on Hinduism that describe Shiva and Vishnu as exactly that... two guys just doing their jobs. And yes, each of them has a weakness... in one tale, the Mahabharata, the last chapter, the Bhagavad Gita, we find more "superheros/villains" in the form of cousins fighting a battle against each other... Arjuna, a warrior, expresses his doubt to god about his ability to fulfill his duties... he is torn between duty and family and it takes intervention from god himself to help him overcome his fears. Just as Willis must overcome his fears... and just as every Superman must overcome their kryptonite weaknesses at some point to do what they were born to do. I'm really disappointed that Harry's infinite knowledge didn't lead him to this conclusion, but again, it was not a conclusion that necessarily need be drawn to love this film to pieces. It's just my insight on letting everyone know that A) I'm not a comic book freak, and B) I still loved the SHIT out of this film and C) Comic books, which Im sure are another love of Shyamalan's, were the incidental vehicle used to make this story modern and therefore something people across cultures could identify with... because I guarantee you that a vast number of people who read this post won't be any more thrilled about knowing the true inspiration behind Shyamalan's tale, though some of you might be intrigued and I would recommend books by S. Radhakrishnan as well as the Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharata (get the Peter Brooks film on VHS if you don't want to read... it's actually a pretty good, if abridged, version of the epic poem)... Lastly, it is my dear dear hope that SOMEONE, somewhere hears this and tells Shyamalan that we get his story, we love it to death and it is sure to be a second cultural phenomenon from one GENIUS of a screenwriter and director whose best work I'm SURE is yet to come (and I don't mean Unbreakable 2... I don't peg Shyamalan as the sequel type...but that's just me.). -
I couldn't help noticing the obvious use of the color purple in this movie, evidently as the trademark of the supervillain, Elijah Price. He wore purple in every scene. The first comic he received was wrapped in purple. At the end, the room he had Willis in was almost all purple. Anyone else notice this? It is the same trick Shyamalan did in Sixth Sense with the color red.
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Nov 22, 2000 9:42:14 PM CST
This film was probably the years best! And that Pearl Harbor tra
by gravyakira
I cant wait to get that on quicktime
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Harry:
First, props on the nice review, I'm glad I waited to see the film before I read your spoiler. You are exactly right, this film is just PERFECT! Sam Jackson was awesome as the villain, and it actually was a better 0 issue than a first issue, b/c those never give good enough origin info. I loved the lighting, it was very well put together, Shyamalan wrote a great script and had great pacing to the film. I've been emailing all my friends, telling them to get on board and see this movie, I hope they listen, I'm trying to spread the word!
Anyway, I agree, like my user id? I want to see this movie at least a couple more times, I'm definitely buying it when it comes out. Take it easy,
Jman -
The weightlifting scene someone described as an entertaining moment in the film... WHAT? If anything that was the one scene most CAPABLE of descending into some sort of commercial karata-kidesque "Hey, lets try 10,000 pounds now..." bullshit. If that sort of scene entertains anyone who hasn't seen this film yet, don't see it. And another person didn't get the cinematography... the rotating camera shots... the whole purpose of that was to allude to the bipolar relation between villain and hero, Jackson and Willis. And the people claiming this to be a disaster because of its mismarketing... you must have read Harry's diatribe on the comic-booky aspect of this film... it was NOTHING like any other comic book film adaptation though it has that element to attract such viewers. It's your own damn faults for reading the initial part of Harry's review thinking the entire time the film's mainly about comic books and then bashing it because you're transfixed on the comic book parts of the story, of which there aren't many, and all the while therefore ignoring the imagery, cinematography, etc... I guess some people don't relate to the film, and I don't consider them idiots, but I do think you did yourself a disservice if you gave Harry's comic book posturing too much weight when seeing the film... or after the fact.
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Again, I kind of enjoyed Unbreakable, but there are some MAJOR problems with it. First of all, there is not adequate motivation given to Sam Jackson's character for all the stuff he does, besides the fact that he's probably insane. Having brittle bones and being called a cool nickname (Mr. Glass)? Sorry, but that just doesn't cut it. You might imagine the hard life he could have had, but they didn't SHOW even one second of it. Maybe comic book aficionados will instinctually understand Mr. Glass' NEED to find his polar opposite, or to have his horrible evil-geniusness revealed to the world, but as is obvious by the advertising of this film, the intended audience is NOT comic book readers. Given that, his character, and the story in general, was not developed enough to justify the gimmick plot. "That's what happens in comics" is just not a good enough reason.
Secondly, Unbreakable is way too slow. I enjoy when movies take their time, but who didn't know where the movie was going by about 20 minutes in? When movies have to play catch up to the audience, that's bad. We KNOW what you're doing, get to it already!
And what was with the text at the beginning about comic books? Was that "Lots of people read comics and pay lots of money for them, so remember that when you get pissed off about the load of shit we're about to feed you"? Sorry M. Night, nobody's buying...and putting that in was just pandering and cheapening of the subject matter that the filmmakers obviously care about.
Okay, one last thing for now...the ending fucking SUCKED. The guy above was right, it's a movie, you SHOW, not TELL. It's an out-of-the-blue betrayal of a character we care about, which would have been okay if it had been properly set up and delivered on at least a LITTLE BIT afterwards, but to slap everyone in the face and then just wrap it all up in 20 seconds with some stupid and lame title cards is unacceptable. The movie probably should have ended like comics do, and comics don't do that crap (at least, not good ones).
Unbreakable has elements of brilliance in it, and doing a comic book plot in a realistic setting is a neat idea. But it wasn't executed correctly nor advertised properly. Overall, a failed, but interesting, experiment.
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that's i-impossible! >choke<
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In case someone doesnt want to read the nerdy senseless drible that Harry and others here wrote, Ill just be straightforward with this POS movie. I wasted my money on it, hopefully you wont make the same mistake after reading this...
Rather than just go into the usual on this movie, which was a disappointment (and I only spent 5.50), I will just give the storyline, which is silly and very basic. Bruce Willis survives train wreck, gets note from Samuel Jackson who tells him he is like a "comic book superhero". It takes almost the whole movie for Willis to realize this, even though its right in front of him, and Samuel Jackson is the opposite, a man who breaks very easy. Bruce decides he accepts it, helps a family being tortured, goes to Samuel to thank him, finds out that Samuel is the bad guy who caused the train wreck and other calamities. Just like in comic books, there has to be a hero and a villain, and Samuel's charachter ends up being the villain in the wheelchair.
This was a very childish movie that could have and should have been done in 30 minutes, instead Shayalaman drags out the film, probably hoping to get the same effect he did from 6th Sense, which he fails at badly. Wait for video, or better yet, just skip this. I can see why they tell you nothing in the trailer...its because the whole movie could have been done as a trailer. -
It was a good flick - could've been told just as well in a one hour episode of "Amazing Stories," though.
I look forward to M. Night's commentary on the DVD. -
I'm afraid. I'm really afraid. I'm scared and afraid because the new Newsweek had a negative review. The friend that always talks during the movie is with me along with my sister's giggly friends, who are blasting the new Backstreet Boys album. I try to put it behind me; I buy tickets in advance and arrive at the theater 30 minutes early. I get the obligatory popcorn (mucho grande size) and head for the fifth row, fifth seat. I sit, endure the local advertising slide show, and wait to be disappointed. Suddenly, the lights dim, I get that butterfly feeling in my stomach, and I adjust in my seat. The trailers come on. The first one is CATS AND DOGS - cute I think, reminds me of the Taco Bell dog. Then JOHNNY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS, THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE, and SHREAK. God, I think, why so many animation trailers? All of the sudden the Disney logo appears, a few seconds of black, and then the blaring annoyance of "Who Let the Dogs Out?" "Jesus," I almost blurt out as the opening titles of 102 DALMATIONS play. The audience erupts in boos, moaning, and cries to be put out of their misery. Luckily, the problem was fixed momentarily and I was plunged into a brilliant PEARL HARBOR trailer (thank god for plastic underwear). Wow, I think, even if UNBREAKABLE sucks the PEARL HARBOR trailer was worth 8 bucks. And if that wasn
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Harry are you crazy? A sequel? No way. This is an open-ended film that was written, shot, edited, and directed with a sense of "lets have the audience do some thinking". The reason Shyamalan put the white lettering over the freeze frame was to put closure on his realistic story, a closure that topped the cake with a cherry and certefied it a comic book movie...no need for a sequel because we can imagine what will happen...that tis the point my dear friend.
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I just saw "Unbreakable" and I thought it was great. Granted it had its flaws (too many "mirror" shots and extraneous titles), I think M. Night has a gift for storytelling. He is not only consistent, but he is also capable of creating interesting characters that draw people in. I like the twist-at-the-end thing because it makes the movie less predictable. The most impressive aspect of the movie for me was the sympathy and interest that all the characters retain. I CARE about Bruce's character, I wanna know where he's taking this newfound skill. I CARE about Sam Jackson's character, I don't wanna see him get hurt. Take a movie like "Charlie's Angels," which I thought was fun but not great... Do we really care if they succeed or not? Not really... The camera shots (overall shot selections) were great, and I love the long takes that give the actors more chances to shine in their performances. The opening scene was greatly-executed, panning from character to character to make everything feel uneasy and like there was something wrong. Finally, kudos to great performances from Bruce and Sam, especially to Bruce in non-dialogued scenes.
For all the haters of this movie out there: If you guessed the ending, good for you--you're so much smarter than everyone else. The funny thing is that so many people in this talkback hate this movie so much it's scary, not to mention that they think movie-making is so easy. Okay, you didn't like the movie. You can find 1,000 things that "suck." Go and write one that's better. And on top of that, get funded to make it. Not gonna happen is it? Gotta figure out how to use words other than "fuck" and "crap" first, huh? We all need to just calm down and remember it's just a movie, like it or not. I rarely read these posts because I get more annoyed at the lame reasons people love or hate movies (i.e. "I thought I'd like it. But I thought wrong. What Shamalamadingdong did with this film was a complete and utter insult to the average viewer."). Um, not knowing how to spell the director/writer's name is somehow supposed to convince we you can even review a movie? Odd...
Finally, don't say a movie sucks just cuz someone else who has a taste in films different from you didn't like it. That's the worst way to judge anything. Go see it and make your own opinion. Well, off to eat dinner... Hope no one gets offended by my unimportant opinions and decides it's necessary to talk trash about me on the post... Hehe. -
I just got back from catching "Unbreakable"....and I am really wondering what all the hype is about??? OK, great cinematography, acting was par, and some good suspense building....but Genius? I don't think so. I think Harry is losing his mind. I would give this one a 3 or 3.5 out of 5, tops....anyone else agree with me? To me, the movie felt too fragmented and a tad slow....plus, it seemed to build, and build and made you expect something along the levels of the "Sixth Sense" trick ending...and all you got was a close up of Samuel L. Jackson's unkept afro. I will keep away from giving spoilers in the forum, but I felt let down a bit at the end. Oh, and the kid actor, Somebody Treat Clark, sucked....M Night Sham. had better ditch the old "9-year old supporting role" trick. Kids are too much of a liability in movies. Period. All in all, it was a "good" film. But whoever wrote this business about "Genius" and ranting and raving all weekend...well, see it for yourself, but don't carry these kind of expectations into the film like I did. Then again, Harry calls "Batman Returns" Genius in his DVD reviews, so maybe one needs to take his reviews with a certain grain of salt.
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Before I get flamed, let me just say that I completely understand why some people are totally in love with this film...but I only agree in theory. After separting myself from the viewing experince of the film, I could say that this is a good superhero origin film. However, THE PACE OF THE FILM DOES NOT FIT THE SUBJECT MATTER!!!
This film did not need to be slow. All the pacing did for "Unbreakable" was build the viewer's expectations to an unreasonable point. "Sixth Sense" was special because the revelation matched the heightened expectation. On top of that, the film left enough time to properly process the revelation.
"Unbreakable" takes forever to get to what feels like a silly and abrupt revelation. The only reason it feels as such is because it is dealt with in a manner contrary to the rest of the film.
BTW, I love "The Watchmen." -
Just saw the movie tonight and Harry's review is very accurate. However, i felt it was ultimately not about the characters being "super heroes." Sure, our hero has these "powers" that slowly unfold, but the movie was more about Elijah's descent into madness. It was a bit plodding and VERY heavy-handed, but it is still one of the most unique stories you will ever see. I know that most of the "Sixth Sense" crowd that go into this movie not knowing what to expect will HATE this movie. It will get mixed reviews, and many will giggle in bad spots. (Three fourths of my audience was LAUGHING HISTERICALLY at the boy pointing the gun at his father). But, this movie needs to be appreciated for what it is: highly stylized, interestingly photographed with several beautiful motifs, and wholly original. I was unsure what to think until the ending (much like the sixth sense). It seemed kind of goofy until the villain is revealed and I'm thinking "OH YEAH, that's what he's going for." Except it would have been even more powerful without the "...but you killed all those people!..." line and the STUPID ANNOYING what happened next freeze frames. Oh by the way, if you've read through this review and haven't seen the film, YOU ARE DUMB. If you went in knowing next to nothing like me (I literally thought i was in the wrong theater when that opening text came on the screen) then I hope you enjoyed the experience as much as I did.
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Nov 22, 2000 11:46:23 PM CST
Shyamalan is probably reading this TB and laughing his head off
by darius25
It's very simple - HE FUCKED YOU!!! you fell for it. That was the point - Manoj knows he can do anything he wants after The 6th Sense. He made a movie that builds and builds and builds but when the ending finally comes, it's something you would NEVER expect. And I'm not talking about the twist either. What Harry said made perfect sense. The only reason Shyamalan ended the film the way it did was to piss people off. He's a GENIUS!!! Can't wait to see his next film.
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Remember after Bruce's character takes care of the man in the orange suit. The very next scene he is carrying his wife up the stairs. If you notice, the way the scene is shot it looks like nothing is below her. To me, it's a nod to Superman carrying his love, Lois Lane, in his arms as he's flying. What do you think???
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Tender Branson that was a great rant, I almost copied and pasted it to a folder. This movie sounds better all more and more.. and the guy who posted the SPOiLER for Usual Suspects and didn't type it sucks.
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Harry,
I have to say that the premise to this movie is beautiful. It was executed very well . . . up until the ending. I have a LOT of beef with the ending.
First of all, how can a movie like this end? This is a perfect issue number one and that's fine, but this is not a comic book. It is not a series This is a movie. Movies need to be self-contained, especially nowadays. As a comic-fan, I can SEE where M. Night was coming from, but my friends who aren't comic fans saw this and were like "what the hell? man, i thought this was going somewhere!"
Secondly, I thought that the ending insulted the intelligence of the audience. I hate the movies that end with text coming up saying "This character did blahblahblah". Hell, Usual Suspects could have ended 5 minutes earlier with the following text: "Verbal Kint was discovered to be Keyser Soze; but was never apprehended." It has the same conclusion, but THIS ENDING FUCKING SUCKS. The two minute "revelation scene" in Usual Suspects is PERFECT. "Unbreakable" needs something akin to this. An ending that leaves the audience with their jaws open saying "holy shit! i can't believe that!!" and STILL leave room for a sequel. The ending scene tried to do this, but failed. It came close, but missed.
I wish with all my heart that this had have been a comic book. It would have sold off the stands SO AMAZINGLY FAST. It would have been to today's generation what "The Dark Knight Returns" was to the 80s. But it was born a movie; and it will die a movie.
As far as movies go, it was mediocre. As far as comics go, it was excellent. I shall leave it at that. -
It's come to my attention that there is a weak type of person out there that creates nothing-yet feels free to critisize the creativity of others-well-FUCK YOU-GET A LIFE AND CREATE SOMETHING-ANYTHING-QUIT BEING A LOUD MOUTH-I HATE IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE LOVES IT-OXYGEN THIEF-ANYBODY WHO'S NOT PRODUCING SHOULD JUST SIT BACK-KEEP LETTING YOUR PARENTS SUPPORT YOU AND SHUT THE FUCK UP!Prsonally I felt a warm yet creepy connection to the coming of age neoclassic"Superman's Man For All Seasons"no matter how the film turned out it was worth the money and more importantly the TIME invested watching it I thought it was great escapist cinema..strongest recommendations
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Okay, now that i have your attention (which i only want for two minutes) I believe the purpose of talkback is to talk about a film NOT TO RIP ON HARRY OR BITCH THAT THERE MOVIE EXPERIENCE IS SPOILED!!!!!!!!!!! Come on! Isn't a "countdown to spoilers" enough to perk your damn ears up. And i believe this web site is called AINT IT "COOL" NEWS!!! To me, that means that movies are cool, they do not have to be intelligent, they do not have to have naked women, they do not need special effects.. By that rational, HARRY DOES NOT HAVE TO LOVE JUST INTELLIGENT FILMS! I left my brain at the door when i saw Godzilla and i ended up enjoying it. To me, movies are meant to SUCKER the audience into the creators mind.
I guess the moral to this paragraph is if you don't have to say anything intelligent (or at least on fucking SUBJECT to the talkback) then dont say anything at all. If you feel harry has a weight problem or you might be concerned he hasent felt the inside of a woman since birth, then maybe you should email him privatly to share your concers... i do not think the talkback to UNBREAKABLE is the time or place.
**onto my review***
NEVER! Since I have been logging onto aint it cool news (which has been four years now WOW) have i been looking foward to
1:coming home and reading harrys review for a movie
2:the real want to share my thoughts about a film with people.
THIS MOVIE BLEW MY MIND! I could not believe that i felt chills run down my arms and lightheadedness fill my mind.. it was more of a release that i knew i wasnt going to walk out of the theater a pissed off patron. Like MOST people who LIKED it, i knew nothing about the film. Only what the trailers told me.. i also remember reading the director (i dont remember how to spell his name nor am i geared up enough to look it up) hoped people were not going to be disapointed that the "twist" ending was not going to be much of a twist. i also remember seeing something on this site that this was "the best movie of the year with the worst ending"
I am out of town right now for the holidays. Tonight with the family it was either unbreakable or seeing meet the parents for my third time. i sat down not really wanting to see this movie... but that doesnt mean i wasnt going to try and enjoy the film. when the info came up about comics and comic readers, i thought to myself "what the hell was that all about, oh that must be the directors little shout out to all the comic fans out there" with the train wreck, the only part that disapointed me was the shot of bruce willis when he saw he was going to be in a crash.. it wasnt long enough... i wanted the white light in the background to pass bruce and fill up the whole screen... -
I've only read a few comic books in my life, but I've read enough to understand the mythology that is inherent to every good comic book tale. M. Night did an excellent job filling this movie with all those details and yet not tipping off the audience right away as to what his intentions were. When we find out what Elijah has done to find Willis' character, at first I thought M. Night had pulled a stupid trick on the audience, but within a minute, thinking back on the film, I realized how perfect it is. And the brilliant part of all this is that the ending worked almost simply on how the film was marketed.
To be sure, if THe Sixth Sense hadn't been the superhit that it was, Unbreakable would have never been made, or if it had, not with two stars like Jackson and Willis and with all the marketing it had. The studio had to let Shymalan do what he wanted, so they marketed the film as if it was another Sixth Sense. This certaintly will work for the first weekend, as I imagine the movie will make pretty good box office this weekend. However, the movie is really for the type of nerd who read this page, and the audience certaintly realized this by the end: I heard people cursing and vilifying the film as I was walking out. I hadn't heard such complaints since the end of Sayles' Limbo.
But imagine if this film HAD been marketed as a comic book flick. Imagine trailers with Jackson telling Willis that he's a superhero, and shots of comic books and Jackson's sleek colorful outfit at the end, etc. Then we would have all walked in looking for comic book elements in particular, and might have realized that the first scene, showing the Jackson character as a baby being born, was a throwback to the usual villain background stories that are common in comic books. And of course the Mr. Glass thing, which was so cool when I realized when I made the connection. Honestly, through most of the film I thought Jackson was going to be a sort of Mr. X to Willis - stupid me didn't think about villains.
Anyway, so I've said it's amazing this film got made and marketed, cool that it's intended market will see it, and it will probably not do well financially after the first weekend due to bad word of mouth from the average filmgoer, who doesn't, mind you, read comic books or even know much about them.
Thus I will take a moment to poke a small hole in the film, as this bothered me after I saw it. Elijah's technique for finding Willis was just plain silly. I mean, he probably killed, what, hundreds of people - a few thousand at the most. What are the chances that a man with superhuman powers will be among that group? It's absolutely improbable! We're talking about a handful of people here, but I guess Elijah was lucky. I think this could have been avoided if Elijah had done research to find people who have survived car crashes, etc. in the past, and then crashed the flight they were on to see if they survived again. He could have found the newspaper clipping about Willis and then went after him specifically to see if he could survive a crash. This random guessing that he did, though, just wouldn't work.
Oh, and one more last thing: I hope that they don't make a sequel for this movie. One, they won't because it won't do very well in the box office after the first weekend, and two, Shyamalan shouldn't because this movie is all about the mythology of superheroes - the discovery, the realization, the making of a villain. It isn't a plain comic book film. It wasn't about the plot between Willis and Jackson, it was about how they got to where they ended up. That's cool - continuing the story as an x-men-like battle between good vs. evil would negate all this film accomplished.
Wow, better stop here and get some sleep in preparation for the stuffing. -
RE:Metatron's second post: I loved what you had to say about Shiva and Vishnu in your first post. I was intrigued. But when I asked for other opinions about the upside down shots, it wasn't that I didn't have my own opinions. I understand the intention of underscoring the oppositional nature of the main characters. But the beauty of a film as visually complex and layered as this one is that it lends itself to varied interpretations. Your interpretation is indeed an interesting one, but I wonder what the rotated shots meant to other people? I think that the device also worked as a window into Elijah's "upside-down" world. Other than that minor gripe, I love how passionate you (and others) are about this film...I'm loving this thread.
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Nov 23, 2000 1:18:10 AM CST
Interesting about the Hindu reference. What is this? World relig
by catherder
I don't know about the Hindu stuff but if it's true, it's an interesting idea. BUT (and there is a 'but') does that have much to do with the ill-appropriate marketing of this film? Expectations will probably run high to see this film, but once the disappointment and anger I've seen in the theatres spreads, will it really matter?
Shammy will probably sweep this Thanksgiving week until the second week. I'm sure we can rant and rave whether we like it or not, but we'll only really see after the second week if this film has legs. Maybe. Maybe not. A real coin toss.
Anyone's guess. -
Great review, Harry. I just got back from seeing the film myself. The film completely absorbed me throughout. I must admit, however, that the ending, at the time, seemed a bit disappointing. It ended too quickly. I expected a bit more, I suppose. But after reading your review, I looked back upon the ending with a new perspective. It surely is a fantastic origin story. I'm left crying, "More! More!" I thank you for enlightening me.
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UNBREAKABLE REVIEW
Ok. The big question most people had about Unbreakable is weather or not M Night Shyamalan, who wrote and directed the mega-hit The Sixth Sense, can hit another homerun with his sophomore effort. Baseball may be the wrong sport to use an analogy for this question, but more on that later.
I was pretty in the dark as to what this film was about, the only info I knew was that Bruce Willis survives a train wreck with out a scratch and Samuel L. Jackson is a man who was born with a deficiency that causes him to have brittle bones.
David Dunne (Willis) is the only surviving member of a terrible train wreck. The amazing thing is that he doesn -
if you are down this far I hope you have seen it. If not, then go. Forget the reviews, go into it blind. It is amazing. It is smart, dark, creepy, and beautiful. Kudos to all involved because it is truly one for the ages. Lotsa hyperbole I know, but it is a fantastic unforgettable movie. I'm already salivating for the DVD release.
Happy Turkey day all! -
Just saw the movie unbreakable and I hate to say that this movie wasn't that good. I do not know what the big deal about it is. The acting was great and the ending was good but overall if this is going to be the best movie of the year we are in big trouble. It is extemely slow maybe I was expecting to much. I did go into it spoiler free but common guys this movie for all the hype and buildup is an extreme let down. The best part is when Bruce Willis kid is going to shoot him, that was intense but the rest of the movie other than Samuel L. Jacksons acting is really not that great. The story is cool but the movie, I don't think it will be in the 1 spot for long if it even gets there. I have to disagree with harry on this movie, it just isn't that great.
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Let me begin with the fact that I am a Talkback virgin. So I'm a little nervous but here goes...
Harry, I really hope you read this first and foremost.
For about 2 years now, I have been sporadically visiting this wonderful page, and each time I do so, my interest in film only grows bigger. So I thank you for writing cool and unpretentious fan-based reviews.
You done good.
OK. Unbreakable. I have friends who work at a theatre. (I know, the best friends to have.) So I was invitied to a midnight screening see this movie. Just a few people in the theatre. Like many others, I didn't go to any lengths to find out what the plot was because I was already a little weary...after all the success of that...."other movie"...it was only bound for dissapointment. But I really had faith in M. Night. I truly do have a feeling that he will be the next.... great one. I sat with some friends but sadly enough some frat boy macho types sat behind me and made really unfunny comments the whole time, making the film a little tougher to get into. It was like MST3K, but just really bad and without the um...wittiness. Regardless, I loved this movie. Really.
Ok. A little background.
I started collecting comics when I was a little kid, and oddly enough, I wore my Batman and Joker shirt that says "Arch Enemies" to the movie. I had no idea this was a comic inspired film which gave me a cool weird feeling. The thing that I really dug about this movie is the fact that it was a gradually building superhero story. In most cases when I read a comic, the hero is just there. The origin might be explained but it's usually something that's mildly fucked up and unbelievable. IE.---Some guy eats a nuclear glowstick or something. Whatever, I don't buy it.
But in Unbreakable, it just sort of.... happens. I'm sitting here, watching a movie for a good hour, and all of a sudden it hits me. Bruce Willis is no longer just a security guard with a dying marriage. He's a superhero with a dying marriage, wearing a psuedo-uniform, battling a rapist with another psuedo-uniform.(a cool idea, by the way.)
These are the things that stuck out in my head about this movie. The reality and the confusion that comes with it.
M. Night Sh...(sp?) is destined for greatness. He can set up a shot and make it feel supernatural. One very cool thing I noticed is that almost every shot was skewed in some way, altering the way we see people and things. The first shot of Glass Man is through a TV while his mom's talking to him. The 2nd shot is him in a reflection of....you guessed it, glass. The first shot of the son is him watching TV upside down. A lot of other shots are reminscent of the golden age of film that was the 70's, and stay on one angle for a long time, a big F you to the MTV/Bruckheimer generation that has overtaken theatres. But M. Night knows this. And maybe he wants to piss people off. Maybe he's happy that half of the people I saw the movie with laughed at the end and said it was the "stupidest movie they'd ever seen." Who knows?
In one scene with Glass Man and his mother, she gives him a comic book to entice him to play outside. "I hear this one has a surprise ending," she says to her fragile son. This is very much true. Ok, no one is really dead the whole time. No true "twist" occurs. This was not a Usual Suspects jaw dropping ending, but in a way, it was. I for one did not expect to see a freeze framed aftermath scene with subtitled explanations. It caught me off guard totally, and I thank M. Night for this. For bringing the element of a surprising ending. For introducing something exciting and fresh. Keep on keeping on. I will be the first in line.
-----Merk PS. Thanks Harry.
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Dude, you are wasting your life on all this shit. Think about it.
To all geeks. Don't waste your fucking lives. -
70,000 comics, like 500 movies, probably thousands of movies toys... Your house must be huge to hold all that stuff! Open it up as a museum!
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Jeez, if I read all those reviews, I'd be old.
Anyway, I loved, LOVED this movie, even the ending, and it's yet another one that people will be talking about/seeing again to catch the hints, which weren't quite as obvious at 6th, but were definitely there. Give the end overlay comments a rest, kids, it's setting up for the trilogy. :-) -
Flawless story. Flaw-filled moviemaking. A few brilliant scenes. A few unbearable scenes. Some people love it with all their might. Some people hate it with all their might. It definitely isn't a movie for everybody, but honestly... you're not going to be able to tell which camp you're in until you ACTUALLY WATCH THE MOVIE! So if you haven't watched the movie yet, and you're reading this, stop reading and go fucking see it. I mean, I thought the movie was slow, ponderous, pretentious, deliberate, heavy-handed, AND ham fisted. But I also thought it was brave, original, and smart. I think everybody should go see it, because they just might be surprised that they like it.
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Did you guys notice how many of the shots were set up to look like panels in a comic book(the reflection of young Elijah in the TV set, reflections in mirrors after the train wreck, and other framing elements). Also, to anyone that enjoys comics, there was no "twist" ending, it was totally expected and much appreciated. THIS IS A MOVIE TAILOR MADE FOR FANBOYS!!! Pray that it finds enough box office to warrent futher installments.
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I completely agree with Harry on every level of this film - I loved it! The cinematography, the acting, the directing, the sound editing, and YES - THE ENDING, - it was all perfect. Unfortunately, when I find a movie done so well, I tend to be a prick about analyzing the technical holes no matter how small. In this movie, I found a hole about the size of the GRAND FUCKIN CANYON:
If you live to be 35 or so, and you have NEVER GOTTEN SICK, wouldn't that raise a red flag with you or the very least your loved ones?!? I can just imagine his mother bragging about how she never had to clean up vomit! I suppose since this is a superhero story you could argue that he possible had the power to "cloud men's minds", but it was definitely something that I feel should have been addressed. -
Why is it so hard for some people here to enjoy this movie? Is it the fact that its a movie with a hero who so reminds you of a comic book one that your afraid to be labeled a GEEK if your friends or others found out you liked it? Is it because there was no flash and gizmos and bad ass fighting? I don't understand why in our society today we are willing to embrace the thought and raise the roof for excepting a hero on screen who has nothing in common with the common man. Oh they might try to make him feel like he is like you or me, but he is always getting off the perfect shot, the one punch eternal knockout, surviving the big explosion ten feet away etc,etc,etc. These hero's are unrealistic, you or I can't ever be them, but whose to say you couldnt be unbreakable? So smart your able to remember and decipher fact and circumstances that give you the answer to everything? Able to just look at another person and know them, know if they are good or bad?. Isn't it more believable to think we have the superhero in us than to believe in the "ONE BIG FREAK ACCIDENT" or whatver that would change you into something you always dreamed you could be? I like this movie not because of the comic aspect or because its the greatest story ever told, but because it simply just lets us for a little bit learn to be a superhero with a guy just like us.
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As I whispered to my wife about 45 minutes into this film,
"I see boring people"..
Man, oh man, I do not understand most of you people ('cept Moriarty, who was right on the ball on this one).
Unbreakable was a slow, dull, hushed, mostly lifeless bore-a-thon... I generally LOVE movies that take their time when telling a great story, but this was NOT a great story. It wouldn't even make a good 60 minute X-Files episode (I'm sure they've done similar stories).
Note to M. Night : next time, turn on the microphones, or urge your actors to speak a little louder. Why the fuck Willis liked to whisper in the middle of a crowded stadium, I'll never know.
Note to Bruce Willis : hey buddy, if they ever do a live-action episode of "The Simpsons", you're a lock for Homer, buddy... can you say "Dough!"?
newfers -
Well, so far, reviews seem to have a wide range...some liked it, some hated it, some liked the premise, and certain aspects of the story, but had isues with other parts of the film....most of the gripes, as far as I see, are because some people saw Harry's allusions to comics, and superheroes, and expected a follow-up to X-Men, fast paced, and overblown with special effects....that doesnt mean i think X-Men sucked, because it didnt..in ANY sense of the word....but M. Night didnt make that kind of film....this is NOT the typical hero flick...this is not Superman flying around the world, saving kids on schoolbusses, or Batman taking revenge on a grinning Joker, or Captain America saving the world from the threat of Red Skull....this is simply fate...Elijah Price committed such wonderful crimes out of his love of such battles, and his desire for one of his own, but what makes his character so perfect for this movie is that HE KNOWS.....with all these afflictions, his cursed disease, his fear, he knows theres someone out there that lies on the other end of the spectrum.....he knows there's a great good out there, to counteract his evil...when he was younger, it was those kids who called him Mr Glass....now that he understands his curse better, he knows theres an invincible man who will come to stop him...and he was prepared to destroy everything to find him. Thats his fate, for there is nothing else for him, and he damn well knows it. Hell, he spent all his life reading about it...the cursed are destined to have their opposites stop them...thats the way life goes....David Dunne has no clue about it, so its up to Elijah to bring it about...to bring meaning to his life finally...to both their lives....the way Elijah takes his art comic drawings of Good and Evil is how this movie should be taken....its not the typical hero...its just the principles of heroes and villains, and given real life flesh to be applied to.....if you walk in foolishly, either having read Harry's full review too early, or expecting The Sixth Sense 2, or some bastard child of X-Men, you'll walk away disappointed....all in all, i see this as Harry did....this is the start of David Dunne's journey...this is action without action...this is Batman placing the cape and cowl over his head, knowing that Andrea Beaumont is gone, and he is free to pursue his revenge.....this is Superman being told the fate of Krypton, and who he truly is, and what he can do, and soon after, taking off to Metropolis to start his new life......this is even Neo realizing he is the one, and what he must do to save the human race....Unbreakable is more about the fulfilling of destiny rather than a hero trying to save the world....this is about David Dunne and Elijah Price realizing their potentials, and seen in a cheap, fanboy "leather tights and big pecs" light, it becomes worthless, which is why this film wont reach those types in the same way as everyone else.....if you are one of those types, well, hey, X-Men IS out on video now, ya know....Revolution is my name...
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despite his ever growing ego and the deteriorating quality of his reviews and opinions, harry got this one right--i saw unbreakable and loved it-- every one of the three moments harry mentioned in the film was for me, powerful and wonderful... this was the best film of the year, and better than sixth sense in my opinion... i found the pacing just right, i was intrigued and satisfied by the end, and in particular, found the boy's eagerness to believe his father heroic touching and just right... one pov i havent seen expressed, and am intersted to hear addressed, is that i felt that placing the entire movie in the context of a modern comic book to me almost CHEAPENS AND MINIMIZES the quality of the film... i think its far better understood as a completely grounded story that exists in our world today, with jackson's character simply a deluded serial killer, and willis having a condition that COULD IN FACT EXIST... rather than fantasy, comic book world's "updated" for today... i think it works far better as a real drama, touched with surreal elements, than as a well done comic book onscreen...comic book films win no awards, dramas with surreal of fantastic elements do--and this film deserves far more than to be thought of as a wonderful geek film
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Why the hell didnt ANYONE think to try and cut Willis during the whole movie(especially HIMSELF or his son)? The entire first two acts were predicated on the 'discovery', and all he or anyone else had to do was take a knife, and try and cut his skin. Remember, he had NO cuts from the train accident, not even a scratch as the doctor said. I thought the whole child with gun scene was just idiotic. JUST TRY AND CUT HIM! ASK HIM TO DO THIS.
anyhow i think the film technically is REALLY well made, but a great story its not. The ending text really blew it even more for me. Also, the corny ass music when he gets out of the pool made about 90% of the audience i saw it with (and myself) laugh out loud. It was way too corny. The whole film is so much about motivations and where characters are coming from, that the ending just nullifies it all, and hands it too you. -
Mythic heroes always have a tragic flaw... and so does this film. Let me re-phrase that for the folks who can't handle subtlety: Unbreakable is really really good... except for the cosmically lame text epilogue. That doesn't stop the film from being a heroic effort. But we SHOULD all be willing to ADMIT that it's flawed, instead of making the mistake of putting our heroes on a pedestal and blinding ourselves to their imperfections. Which seemed to be part of Shayamalan's message, didn't it? In fact, this all makes so much sense to me now that I'm beginning to suspect that he may have flawed his own film INTENTIONALLY, the way some Muslim carpet makers intentionally put a flaw in their weaving so as not to offend Allah.
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Unbreakable was just plain stupid. I LOVED the Sixth Sense, and the entire time I watched UNBREAKABLE I got theimpression that all it was trying to do was to top it. The revelation is about as SIMPLE and PREDICTABLE as you can get. The first time I saw Glass, I knew the ending of the movie. The Water weakness? LAME! And why the FUCK is Glass doing all this anyway, it all makes NO sense whatsoever. The straw was to see M.Night in the film again. EGO!!!!! But I do hope they make a trilogy, I need a good laugh. Maybe it's a all a comic book thing, but I really disliked this dumb movie.
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In my theatre last night, the audience also LAUGHED HYSTERICALLY at the part where the kid points the gun at Dunne. Someone earlier wrote that this gun scene made the hair on their arms stand up??? Whoa...not sure what he smoked before watching it, that scene was a friggin disaster. As I mentioned earlier, I "liked" this film (but it isn't genius), so don't flame me. I think MANY of the people in here are making a gross misinterpretation though. This is NOT A COMIC SUPERHERO FILM. Am I the only one that sees it this way? The whole Comic book theme was just a delivery device, a package that M. Night used to tell the story of this supernatural man. I think too many 15-year olds in this forum are jumping in screaming "Comic Book...Superhero movie!!!". As if M. Night would be that literal and shallow. Yes, it has superhero themes and symbols, but are we meant to take that literally? Look at it from this perspective: (SPOILERS)
Eliah grow up being taunted (being called "Glass Man, etc."), and starts to hate the world. He then takes out this psychotic, pent-up anger by creating these horrific accidents. Yes, a "hero" emerges...but the movie seems to indicate that Eliah is INSANE. Eliah is the only one clinging to this whole "superhero" bit. I think the comic book theme is just a guise to deliver the more important theme: "good vs. evil"
Remember the beginning? The pictures depicting good vs evil?
Now please guys, this is MY opinion, I just want to know if others agree. If you disagree, please don't flame, rather give me a well shaped argument to counter my views.
BTW-What "is" Genius is M. Night Sham's storytelling ability. I will give credit where it is due. He also has a knack for picking some creative and interesting shots (like the one through the train seats at the start, etc.) -
Everything reviewed is either a masterpiece from beginning to end or complete and utter crap!!! It's okay to say a film was "okay" sometimes!!! :P
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Nov 23, 2000 12:38:10 PM CST
and the amount of comics and movies Harry owns and keeps in his
by iamlegolas
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I enjoyed this film more than the sixth sense...am I the only one? It did have some flaws...I also couldn't stop laughing during the son/gun scene, but I thought it was supposed to be absurd on purpose. I thought there were some great subtle suspense scenes...such as Elijah following the man with the gun and willis standing in the train station waiting for people to bump into him. For some reason, I was expecting to see the actual train crash, and was disappointed that it was left out. Nothing is perfect, but I think if you go into this film with an open mind, you'll enjoy it.
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I went with a couple friends who did not like the movie. I enjoyed it, except the pacing was too slow. The main thing that stuck out for me was the score. Has anyone ever heard such uplifting music while one character is strangling the life out of another. Just wondering
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harry is so full of crap. this movie sucked. dumb premise, really stupid ending. one hour and fourty minutes, felt like 3 hours. harry must be suckin tits of movie studios. he is just like roger ebert, he takes these little movies and calls them masterpieces when they are reall just shit.
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I work in a film production environment, and as usual, everybody who works here sees the big releases on opening night.
During today's 'Unbreakable' office discussions, the unanimous opinion is that this film gets better the more we think about it, especially the ending.
I myself agree,
we have seen a beautiful, wonderfully original film that will only get more respect with time. -
It wasn't the lame captions at the end (those were a close second). It was the fact that Elijah didn't have a special ability (the ability to shatter everytime you fall isn't what I'd call a "power"). If he was really the exact opposite of David, he would have to have some kind of ability that reflected David's "insight". I see this as a flaw because Shyamalan was trying to come full circle with his comic book parallel structure, which isn't complete if Elijah doesn't have a special ability. Perhaps he's saving it for the sequel(s). Anyway, I left the theater hating this film, but the more I thought about it the more I liked it. Shyamalan used a lot of techniques to emphasize his whole "two sides of the spectrum" theme: the viewing of things upside down and right side up (like the kid watching TV and Elijah getting his first comic and seeing the man with the silver gun), reflections (Elijah's birth in the mirror and his reflection in the TV screen). There's definitely a lot more to this film than is apparent on the surface. Yep, I came out of Talkback retirement just to enlighten you "newbies". Later.
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And really really sad, looks like M. Night rushed this one, take it out of the oven too early kiddies and it'll fall flat on its ass every time.
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Smart, Smart, Smart. No wasted money here.
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This is a thinking mans comic book movie. It is for all those who have read comics for years and have always wondered what a TRUE serious comic book movie would be like. Well I hope you are all happy, because I sure as hell am. This movie is so simple and so pure and so absorbing that it makes one believe in the power of film as a real artform. This movie made me realize as I was walking out how much a movie can affect someone, how it can truly inspire and move people. M.Night is now my favorite director. After 6th Sense I was hoping for another film that would knock my socks off and it did............ WARNING SPOILER ALERT!!!!!! BELOW!!
The ending I know will get a lot of flack and be compared against 6th Sense but that is not fair. The ending of Unbreakable is god damn perfect. It just makes sense and to me feels right. As a true comic geek I thought maybe that Elijah and David would become sort of like a team, maybe like Oracle and Batman, but that was just the comic book fan hoping against hope. I know it would have been handled so much better if that were to be how it ended but it did not. So we are left with the surprising realization of the arch nemesis Mr.Glass who ends up in an insane asylum (Arkham Asylum anyone?) Oh my god this movie rocks!! I am seeing it again tonight. I want to be drawn back into the world that M.Night has woven so correctly and beautifully. Windtalker is outta here--------> -
i just saw Unbreakable for the second time tonight, and i have to say this is easily one of my favorite movies ever. I don't think the general moviegoing audience will like it too much though. I think most people go to movies for a fun ride. Something like Charlie's Angels for example. People know this guy made the Sixth Sense, and it will no doubt be continuously (albeit unfairly) compared to it. This truly is a wonderful movie for the open-minded. Unfortunatly many people are narrow-minded hippocrites who have no apprectiation for something like this. And PLEASE STOP COMPARING THIS TO THE SIXTH SENSE!! You cannot compare two movies simply because they were written/directed by the same person. Anyway, there is nothing i didn't like about this movie. I thought the end was perfect, and the score was simply amazing, it gave me chills. I'm not so sure about this trilogy stuff though...
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the movie was just like 6th sense...but without a story and characters. what a piece of crap. went to this movie partly because of the reviews here... what a joke. HUGE holes, worthless storylines with NOTHING to do with the main plot... horrible most anti-climantic ending i have ever seen. BORING..there were a few times in the movie i thought it was going to turn around and end up being a decent movie..no such luck. i went with a group of 6 people.. every one of them walked out of there saying 'i can't believe i wasted a thanksgiving watching that movie'...
most people on this board will hate everything i have said, since most people on here think they are 'professional critics' or whatever, but i like all kinds of movies and take them at face value for what they are supposed to be and ignore the hype...and this one is a waste of 2 hours. if you like it, good for you, i just dont see how the majority will care for it at all...
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This is my first posting. I had to submit this because after seeing UNBREAKABLE tonight, I shared with my wife how much I enjoyed this film. Many of the reasons I gave were identical to what you noted in your review: This is the perfect Book One. The potential for a frachise is screaming! Although I agree with almost everything you noted, I was surprised that you did not elaborate on the father-son relationship. This was an aspect that I felt made the movie. Not only does it relate to every child's need for their father to be larger than life, but I felt it was a very necessary arch. His son was the first true believer, even prior to Elija Price. He was the one that motivated The Hero to pursue the truth, ans he was also the first to bear witness to The Hero's powers. Although at the theater, the schmuck next to me anounced that he wanted his money back as if he was confident all in his presence shared his sentiments, I feel as you do: That people will be speculating the concept of a sequel indeffinetly. I am not going to give my novice ideas here, although I had already shared with my wife my theories on what makes a great frnchise, why the ALIEN franchise is brilliant, why THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is the greates sequel I've ever seen, and how applying such ideas to this potential franchise could increase M. Night Shyamalan's critical acclaim exponentially. What I will say is that the son could be very instumental for the franchise. I'm not suggesting some sort of "Price abduction that leads The Hero to a climax" cliche, but rather another significant arch. Perhaps the son will come to grips with his relation to The Hero, or he will discover a genetic similarity as he already foreshadowed. That could be intreresting. I don't expect to see any sequel realized. I feel most who see this film will compare it to THE SIXTH SENSE and will forever object to the ending, as apparently the peer next to me did. If there is to be one, it will either be by the creator's design, or by the response of those of us who understand how the ending not only fits, but was necessary to maintain the integrity of this Book One. This could be the beginning of a great story.
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Nov 23, 2000 9:50:23 PM CST
I hope this is one of those TalkBacks where the last message goe
by docbosch
An M. Night Shyamalan Film. That was one of my favorite parts of the movie, when that came up at the end, cause I said "It sure is." With this one, he showed that what happened with The 6th Sense wasn't a fluke. ~~ Some of the things I didn't like about the movie while watching the movie made more sense after the movie. I didn't like how so much o f the movie was propelled by "comics". Though I did like the parallel to comics, kinda asking what would a superhero be like in our real world(self doubting, ect), I didn't like how Elija's character would use "comics" to justify everything. How he tries to explain that "comics" were the real world, just exaggerated, or how he explained that Willis must be a superhero if both he and Jackson were advert to water. But after I saw that this wasn't how the movie explained what was happening, but how Price explained it. He had already placed himself as a villain, so everything that happened in the world had to be justified by "comics" to validate his existence. That's why both David and he being afraid of water made sense to him, why killing thousands of people was alright(as far as he was concerned, that was what villains did). One of the things I didn't like at first was how his character looked, all dressed in black, tall and thin, big afro; I thought it looked to unrealistic, too stupid. But then I realized that Price had decided that this is how a villain would look, so he dressed himself accordingly. Even the big afro coincides with the whole "head disproportional to body" motif. As long as it was Jackson's character pushing the "comic" justification of events, and not the movie, all was fine. ~~ Did any part of this movie, especially at the end, where Willis was wearing his Security raincoat, look like Alex Ross territory? I couldn't help but seeing a resemblance. I'm sure it wasn't purposely. A lot of the shadows and textures and angles, and bodytypes are remnant to Ross's work. ~~ Was this movie really an hour and forty minutes? It felt so much longer, but in a good way. I'm watching the movie, and I really don't want it to end, ever. I really could have sat there and watched the movie that was unfolding on screen for the rest of the day. It could have been a 24 hour long movie. I didn't want it to end. I just wanted to see and know what was going to happen next, and next, and then after that, and after that. ~~ Good thing to hear about the probable sequels, I just wish I would have heard about them after I saw the movie. It feels like a weird thing cause it can really be done badly, but somehow, after seeing this movie, and knowing that it was pre-planned, I know that M. Night can't do it wrong. ~~ Where did this movie take place? Was it in Philadelphia? I know that's where 6th Sense takes place, and where M. Night is a native, and where Jackson's character was born and raised, but then why was Willis's character, apparently, working at FSU? ~~ This one has to, atleast, be nominated. ~~
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Nov 23, 2000 10:15:54 PM CST
If you didn't like "Unbreakable," get the hell out of here
by keyser195
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.. that the screenplay was deeply flawed. There were still many things that I liked about this movie, and I enjoyed the direction and performances very much. Overall, it was a film I kept hoping would get better, and never did. Maybe the ending works as a comic book, but it does not as a movie -- there is no sense of denoument (and don't talk about sequels, even Empire, since it's been mentioned had a sense of finality to it and still lead into Jedi) it feels like it went on too long and suddenly had to end. Kinda like a train wreck.
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Nov 23, 2000 10:20:52 PM CST
If you didn't like "Unbreakable," get the hell out of here
by keyser195
OK, this is just about the perfect comic-book, film geek, well-crafted blockbuster mainstream piece of entertainment. If you don't like this movie, chances are your tastes just run contrary to the entire premise of this website, and you'd probably be better suited somewhere else.
The major complaints I've read complain about the movie being boring. That was the opposite reaction from mine. The film is RIVETING.
It's beautifully shot and directed. The acting is surprisingly reserved, especially for a star vehicle. It has a fabulous ending (which I don't think was intended as a shocking, "twist" ending...just as the only natural conclusion for this story).
To those people who whined about the movie's ending, you must remember - this is a hero origin story. They're not just from comics...they're mythology (Elijah says this DURING the movie..weren't you paying attention)?
Hero's journeys always begin this way, and they never end all tied up in a neat little package...The ending is messy, and it's supposed to be that way.
Personally, I think the most powerful moment in the film is when Willis hangs up his raincoat in the closet. It's a classic scene from comic books (Batman taking off the Batsuit and hanging it up), and indeed from movies too (Rambo suiting up with ammo, Arnie does this in most movies)...but done in a stark, realistic, haunting manner...
"Unbreakable" is as good as mainstream movies get...Bravo, I say.
And, like that, I'm gone... -
The observations about the comic book/hero-villain elements are dead on...BUT they are also so obvious and heavy-handed (the music when Willis crawls out of the pool) that there has to be another layer, or this movie is just not that interesting.
So...why does Willis have to be a superhero again?
The ending really only succeeds if Willis realizes that he has placed his faith in a madman, rather than some "arch-nemesis". -
The paceing dragged on at points and could have used a shift in tempo besides the one with the killer. They also did a great costume playoff in it with the angles and the lighting you could see how he made it look like he had a cape or cloak on.There are other great moments, but the flaw the film has is that a majority of the audience are not going to get it. Even with the setup and blatent comic clues, if the people don't know comics other than what they've seen on the screen they will not understand why Ellihja did what he did. I had to explain the movie to some people that were there because they heard explaining it to a friend. Most of the people i spoke with went hoping for the sixth sense, and didn't get it. By the way, the artist's rendition of the hero and bruce sharing it with his son... Classic. Congrats to M.Night for sneaking a superhero movie into a serious drama.
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I'm not in the Rabid Fan camp. I just saw Unbreakable in a half-full theater in Los Angeles. You know how you can (without the benefit of psychic powers) sort of get a vibe on how the audience feels when a movie is over? This audience was disappointed.
Evidence one: They bolted for the exits. After a kick-ass film like T2 or 6th Sense, the audience seems to linger in their seats a bit. Even those who usually don -
This movie is about emergence. The emergence of people as mysterious creatures that are capable of amazing feats in a mysterious and often hostile world.Increasingly people are hungry for a sense of the supernatural. Most wake up everyday with a palpable sadness. Our scientific/materialist/modern culture has only reinforced this. And our entertainment reflected it as well. It used to be you couldn't find a truly "supernatural" film if your life depended on it. Witness Kubrick's treatment of Stephen King's material. Kubrick couldn't abide King's vision of a world inhabited by spirits, and so he gutted the spiritual side of "The Shining" and made that world one in which anything extraordinary could easily be explained by mental illness or alcoholism. It is a testimony to Kubrick's and Nicholson's talents & ability that the movie was as powerful as it was.
In the last two years we have seen a rash of supernatural films, most of which have allowed mystery to remain. Two of them have been M Night's.
Postmodern film understands humanity's need for mystery, myth, and hope in something unseen. And that brings me back to my original statement. This is a film about discovery. Every great story/myth has a character who must emerge, find their identity. Witness Aragorn of the soon to be completed "Lord of the Rings." This is the secret of Tolkien's success. Every person knows deep inside that they are Aragorn, Bruce Willis, whoever. They are simply waiting for the person or circumstances to call them out into the light. And this is why, when Bruce Willis is strangling that man, the music rises beautifully. He is finding himself, fulfilling his destiny. Not to kill people, but to save them from evil. He has emerged. And this is beautiful. -
This movie was so god awful I couldn't even imagine what the hell M Night was thinking, nor could I imagine what the producers who ok'ed this project were thinking. This was idiotic from the word go, mark my words this movie will break it's own ass as well. Good job M Night, you're on your way to becoming the next Kevin Costner. One more pile of shit from you and you can go get your super 8 again cause that's the only way you'll ever make another movie.
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right on man, i completely agree with you. I felt the same way when i saw it. I went with my dad and he's one of those people you're referring to. I'm not saying he's dumb, but you know what i mean. anyway, he hated this movie and he was bored out of his mind, all through the movie he just kept saying "this movie sucks" and "this is fucking boring" etc, etc... i went back today to see it by myself, so i could really pay attention and after the movie the majority of the audience felt the same way as my dad, so people were saying they wanted their money back and that the preview misled them. well, i truly loved this movie. it's a fantastic well-told story, and as i said in an earlier post, it's a truly amazing film for the open-minded such as you and i.
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When I walked out of the theater I was horrified by what I saw. I was calling it "Unwatchable". I like to think of myself as an intelligent person, but perhaps I'm just a dumb-ass. I was going around bad-mouthing this movie to anyone who would listen. I made no attempt to try and understand what I'd seen. All I could think of was that I was hideously disappointed and that it was the most boring movie I'd ever seen. When I actually made the attempt to think about it, I began to understand what I had seen. The problem is that the movie is almost too subtle, and I have a bad feeling it is going to bomb. I can only hope that it will make enough money so that a sequel can be made.
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i agree with you harry. unbreakable is such a beautiful film. what i find most intriguing about shyamalan's films is the way he paints the world. by that, i mean i love the fact that his films show a world in which people feel hopeless, empty, and completely drenched in despair. it's so honest and simple. i think he's right on the money. people are losing hope, or they've already lost it, and now they're looking for something to give them that hope back.
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SPOILERS
Anyone who didnt die over this movie is now a brainless idiot with the attention span of an emu?
Come on. At least attack the merits of the claims being purported.
I loved the first hour of the film, it built up a great sense of tension and wonder, and you became attached to the characters. Unfortuneately, it didnt take the next step. It felt like one act drawn waaaaayyyy out.
I have several issues with the characters motivations. I dont buy the idea that "Elijah is searching for his nemesis" motif. Comic Book villains (and their real life counterparts) dont simply search for 'worthy adversaries', they have greater goals in mind. What Elijah says to Willis about the sacrifice of all those people being worth it at the end contradicts the idea that he's seeking his enemy.
So we are to then assume that Elijah is an incredibily hurt and sensitive person, who has latched onto the principle 'Hero' motif he garnered from all those years of comic book worship. He is, at his core, a good individual trying desperately to place his condition in a greater ordered scheme. Unfortuneately he is filled with a rage about his condition, at being dealt the cards he is forced to play. He must know if his theories are right, and commits horrible atrocities to find out. Now Elijah knew of Dunn's power to 'see' the dark acts of the people he touched. We know this when Elijah specifically instructed Dunn to goto a public place as he did. So knowing of this power, in the end he deliberately asked to shake hands with Dunn. Why would he do this?It has been said, that in the original script dunn accidently brushes against elijah and 'discovers' his horrible acts, this makes infinitely more sense and is much more continuos with the rest of film. With this ending, his entire motivation ends up being a desire to get caught. Thats hardly a brilliant arch nemesis figure. If your going to make a film in which the focus is so firmly focused on motivations, it needs to have consistency. If you want to play the jealousy turned rage-at-the-world angle, great, but be consistent. -
Wow. I loved this movie. The performances and direction are fantastic. I loved the cinematography...the scene on the train with David talking to the woman...behind a chair...neat. It is really an incredibly great visual movie. Now, there are some holes...there should be some opposite power that Elijah has that mirrors David's...the title card at the end was a little weak...it was a little too conveniant that Elijah went to David's wife after he was hurt. But everything else is great...I loved the ending, it works beautifully...I can't wait to see what he does with the sequel.
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It's really weird to me how some people just don't get stuff. The movie made perfect sense, and the ending was great. It was the only way it could have ended. The whole point *my opinion* was that UnbreakableMan, (or whatever) spent all that time trying to decide if he was really superhuman or not. Just when he finds out that he is, and that he has found his place in the world, he finds that the person who introduced this idea to him was a psycopath. So is he superhuman, or was he just really lucky? That's something he'll have to figure out later I guess.
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Nov 24, 2000 4:13:40 AM CST
Batman year one meets Hitchcock and a smidge of the TWILIGHT ZON
by mrfrost
Harry you nailed this film right on the head. It is a subtle work of genius.
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Nov 24, 2000 4:24:39 AM CST
Jesus, Harry...do you have a clipping of the Bayeux Tapestry as
by andy travis
How much did those 15th century illuminated manuscripts sell for? More than Daredevil #191? The movie industry gossip business must be GOOD.
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Stan Lee changed comics forever back in the sixties by introducing the reluctant superhero. In fact, that is what separates the DC universe from the Marvel universe. The DC superheroes are overall very happy- personal problems are minor, and their biggest worry is getting a run in their spandex. Not so in the Marvel arena. The world is so real and the heroes could possibly be real, too. Stan Lee's legacy of superheroes brought in a more human, more down-to-earth look at those with 'special gifts'. This new breed of heroes had to put up with the everyday crap that life had to offer- X-men have to deal with prejudice, Spiderman has to deal with bad PR and a poor budget, The Thing has to deal with a horrendous disfigurement (while the rest of the Fantastic Four got off easy, compared to him), Iron Man has to deal with Alcoholism, and so on. What is so compelling about the Marvel Universe is that the heroes have their own deeply personal battles to fight, and that can make villians and heroes of ANYBODY.
Everybody I know, especially myself, sometimes feel like they got dealt a shitty hand of cards in life. You work your ass off at some shitcan job, struggling to make ends meet, while you see this smug little jerk who has a trust fund, A BMW and a new girlfriend every week, who never has to worry about anything. You diet and exercise, yet you struggle with being overweight, while your younger brother eats everything in sight, watches TV and looks like Tom Cruise.
You think to yourself- life ain't fair. Why do some people go through life with the perks, while I get the short end of the stick? You can't help feeling angry!
What makes us a superhero or villian is how we deal with our weaknesses and challenges that fate throws at you. And this is what made Stan Lee's stuff so compelling- it brought the superhero down to an everyman level. And these guys ultimately chose to be a hero. Spiderman could have very easily turned into a supervillian. So could have the Thing, The Hulk, Iron Man, DareDevil, Wolverine. It's not that hard to imagine. But they had a firm resolve to not choose 'The Dark Side', and they didn't! And if you pick up a Marvel book today, you will still see these guys, slammin' bad guys, while their secret identities are toughing it out with a jerkwad boss, rotating credit card debt, and a car that leaks oil and needs a new transmission.
This is what is so compelling about the Shyamalan universe. I can see a new series of comic books. A kid that can talk to the dead- yet he feels so out of place with the living. A man stuck in a dead-end marriage discovers he can't be physically killed, stronger that he should be, and has the uncanny ability to see the crimes that people have commited just by touching them. And you wonder why he gave up a lucrative football career for a dead-end security job. And it all seems REAL. Like, we know it's just a movie, but there is a little thing in our head that maybe, just maybe, it could really happen in this real world, today.
That is what is so special about Shyamalan's work. Things are not always as they seem- just like in real life. People with special gifts in the real world need help from time to time, just like we need support from others.
And what is so wonderful about these movies is that when we see a man, woman or child with a special gift, yet they still have a struggle with the world, we can empathize with them. We don't feel so alone and alienated.
I look forward to the next Shyamalan film!
Smudge, out! -
Nov 24, 2000 6:47:49 AM CST
It's been 1 whole day, but I'm still thinking about the movie
by yodabutter2000
The only other movie this year that had some effect on me for this long is Almost Famous. I've got to see this again. Anyway, did anyone else notice that the kid seemed to know when people were telling the truth? I mean, I know a kid believes in his parents 100%, but would a real kid pull a gun on his own dad and threaten to shoot just because he THOUGHT his dad had superhero powers? Dude, that kid had to KNOW his dad had super powers. Maybe that could be part of a power he has? Maybe this will be revealed in part 2 or 3? Am I totally wrong here, or did anyone else think so?
Also my roommate thought David Dunn's wife cheated on him, that's why she started crying and said sorry after she asked him whether he'd had other relations during their troubles. Of course he'd already know this because he can see people's actions just by touching them. I dunno, I just thought she was sorry for prying. Who knows? That'd be sort of interesting, but the only logical place to explore that would be in the first movie, and not in a sequel. Maybe it was left out for pacing, or maybe it'll figure in a sequel somehow. Or maybe my roommate's wrong about this one.
Whatever, they're interesting things to ponder though. -
... and the thing about when is a crime warrant your attention if you're a superhero? I used to think of that all the time too.
I am also worried that the movie is way too subtle for a lot of people, and (undeserved) bad word of mouth will spread because some people just switch brain to OFF when watching a movie. To be fair, I was kinda one of those people initially (I knew I didn't like a lot of things in the movie, but I also loved certain things about it. I was caught in the middle), but as the hours passed, I became more aware of what the movie was actually doing. I guess my brain was processing in the background. The crowd I saw the movie with didn't get it either, but I wonder how many of those people have changed their minds? To be honest, I think a lot of people (like me) require multiple viewings to develop a fair opinion about this movie, but will that kind of complexity be over the heads of most of us? I hope not, but I'm afraid it just might be. Either way, I'm sure M Night will get to complete the trilogy. Even if Unbreakable doesn't do well right now, it'll eventually find its audience through video and DVD, like Austin Powers and Fight Club. Then, we'll be treated to another intelligent, subtle movie that will stay in our minds for days following the initial viewing.
Damn, this guy's good. -
Harry,You're reviews make me sick to my stomach sometimes, anyway. I'll be the first to admit, M. Night is awesome. He's original, his cuts and camera work are excellent and he writes one hell of an entertaining, engrossing story. But WHAT THE FUCK WAS HE THINKING WITH THAT STUPID, "SHIT IN MY HAND AND THROW IT AT THE SCREEN" ending? You don't build a movie up with that kind of emotion and end it on such a stupid, cartoon, bullshit ending. Until the last two minutes of this film, I was ready to walk out and sing the praises of this film on mountain high. BUt now people ask me "was it good?" and I have to pause, and that pause speaks volumes. He ruined this movie with that ending. I wrote the best possible ending for thsi movie when I was walking out of the theater. ANd I offer it up for M. night to steal and refilm as the "real ending the studio wouldn't let him use".
Bruce and his kid share their smile over the newspaper article. Cue outro music, low volume. We hear television reports of a mysterious hero that saved so and so. blah blah, various reports of his heroics, etc. then we get the credits, THE END!. I would have jumped up and down in joy at an ending like this, maybe even gotten a little misty eye'd. Instead, I, like SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE PACKED ASS THEATER, Said, "what the hell was that?". Great film M. Night, except the ending which ruinded the emotional effect. Better luck next time. Harry, a bah humbug to you.
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First before I forget, let me say I liked the observation someone posted about the comic book panel arrangement of several shots in the film. No doubt Night is, at 30 years age, already a grandmaster of storytelling. Very much like Sixth Sense, every element, every actor, every shot, every word are all carefully planned and framed... perhaps almost too much so for the average filmgoer with Unbreakable. I'm not asserting some film elitism by thinking some people get the symbology and others dont... I'm just saying some people enjoy detail, others don't need it. I just read the article about Manoj Night Shyamalan in Time Magazine. I, like Night, was born in India and grew up here. So, his success is a HUMONGOUS inspiration for me (which explains my mammoth post earlier on this thread). I hope to be a filmmaker, too, someday. What I think I've learned from him so far is that if you show the world your best effort, whether they like it or not, people will be talking. And they are. Night, as many of the resident fanboys may already know, has been meeting with Spielberg and Lucas because they want HIM to write Indiana Jones 4. Ok, maybe only I find humorous irony in that... because growing up, after Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom came out, people asked me hundreds of times, "Do they really eat monkeybrains?" Like myself, I'm willing to take a bet that Night enjoyed that movie as much as I did, despite its exaggerations which, in storytelling, are to be expected. So, I feel like one of the "homeboys" has finally made it into the annals of history with one of the top ten grossing movies of all time, and now has the ears of the most powerful people in Hollywood who want to tap his magical talent for storytelling. Night, if you're out there... I hope you read these posts and realize the impact you've made around the world. Whether Unbreakable wins or loses at the box office, you're the man. You know how to tell a damn good story and I'm POSITIVE you're going to be regarded as the next Spielberg, Kurosawa or Satyajit Ray. When my first film gets made, I only hope it is 1/10th as good as anything Night could write in his sleep. Knock 'em dead, brother!
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First before I forget, let me say I liked the observation someone posted about the comic book panel arrangement of several shots in the film. No doubt Night is, at 30 years age, already a grandmaster of storytelling. Very much like Sixth Sense, every element, every actor, every shot, every word are all carefully planned and framed... perhaps almost too much so for the average filmgoer with Unbreakable. I'm not asserting some film elitism by thinking some people get the symbology and others dont... I'm just saying some people enjoy detail, others don't need it. I just read the article about Manoj Night Shyamalan in Time Magazine. I, like Night, was born in India and grew up here. So, his success is a HUMONGOUS inspiration for me (which explains my mammoth post earlier on this thread). I hope to be a filmmaker, too, someday. What I think I've learned from him so far is that if you show the world your best effort, whether they like it or not, people will be talking. And they are. Night, as many of the resident fanboys may already know, has been meeting with Spielberg and Lucas because they want HIM to write Indiana Jones 4. Ok, maybe only I find humorous irony in that... because growing up, after Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom came out, people asked me hundreds of times, "Do they really eat monkeybrains?" Like myself, I'm willing to take a bet that Night enjoyed that movie as much as I did, despite its exaggerations which, in storytelling, are to be expected. So, I feel like one of the "homeboys" has finally made it into the annals of history with one of the top ten grossing movies of all time, and now has the ears of the most powerful people in Hollywood who want to tap his magical talent for storytelling. Night, if you're out there... I hope you read these posts and realize the impact you've made around the world. Whether Unbreakable wins or loses at the box office, you're the man. You know how to tell a damn good story and I'm POSITIVE you're going to be regarded as the next Spielberg, Kurosawa or Satyajit Ray. When my first film gets made, I only hope it is 1/10th as good as anything Night could write in his sleep. Knock 'em dead, brother!
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lefj
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I don't know what is wrong with some of you guys, but "Unbreakable" was one of the best movies I've seen in YEARS! "To boring"? "Shitty ending"? Sometimes, I wonder about the state of American Movie Fans. We say we want something different, that will blow our minds, but when we get it, motherf***ers don't know how to act! I guess if no one is spouting off dumb one liners, or some starlet doesn't show some tit then the movie is "dull".
The director did nothing but DECONSTRUCT the entire superhero movie genre. He's just made amost every comic book movie ever made irrelevant. He introduced two of the most compelling characters in recent movie history (Dunn and Glass). He almost made me cry (when Dunn gives his son that newspaper story, and I NEVER cry at movies!) for goodness sake! M. Night right now is a Gen X Speilberg (YES he is) If there's is to be a sequel, I"ll be the first in line.
Well, done fellas. -
Least of all, people who read spoilers and reviews before actually SEEING the film and developing preconceived notions about it. The nature of the way Mr. Glass was set up was rather simple... partly because it fits with the way comic book villains are explained... their "torturous journey" is generally described in less than a paragraph... but the SUPERHERO, however, is painstakingly revealed bit by bit. Eventually, Dunn ventures out into the world to do some good, but not without his trusty raincoat... his cloak... his security blanket that reveals the most obvious part of his character. Also are the outward manifestations of Elijah Price... the color purple in reference to anything "dark" or "bad"... the cane made of glass, perhaps demonstrating how instead of being victimized through his whole life, he eventually uses his condition as a crutch, literally... a shield, that was both cause AND the excuse for his twistedness. His hair, jagged and exaggerated... like the way he describes to a customer the way the bad guys are drawn vs. the heroes... is there a pattern of symbology here? And, lastly, the issue of whether or not Price was set up enough as a character... anyone who has ever felt they were stripped of something that others have, and as a result, felt left out at one or another time in their life, or throughout their life... can immediately recognize the source for Elijah's hatred of the world and his need to find Dunn. I wouldn't need a 30 minute diatribe of a "flashback" sequence (almost MANDATORY for B-movie comic film adaptations) to relate to how Price feels... but that's just me. The point I'm trying to make is that this is a film, not a book... Shyamalan uses every available aspect of the film to convey emotions and story... the shots, angles, sounds, score, etc... all carefully composed in a way that tells the story in as many dimensions possible. If you like your stories cut-and-dried and want lengthy, verbalized asides (e.g. "CANT... MOVE... LEGS... MUST... FIND... CRUTCH...") to explain every emotion, subplot, character, etc... then films like this are definitely not for you. In fact, film in general is a medium that ALLOWS us to build stories on more than one dimension... many filmmakers miss that point and in this sense, Shyamalan is a genius... but some people prefer having everything explained to them word for word... in which case I go back to my previous statement... if you need that, read a book which is not because it's stupid, it just explains everything in words...or if you want that in movies, see a Jerry Bruckheimer film. They're simple, easy to follow, and all the characters are one dimensional and therefore easy to understand when their monochromatic personalities are explained in blindingly obvious detail. P.S. The comic book stats at the beginning were, this is my theory, a statement about probability... and that there is the chance that, out of six billion people, and billions more living things, that contribute to the gene pool... there's always the POSSIBILITY of a superhero-type or a supervillain-type (and what are the chances of them finding each other?)... And if anyone actually read my long-ass post about the true meaning behind this film, I forgot to mention that Legend of Bagger Vance was an adaptation, a rather poorly constructed one, of a book that is actually based on The Bhagavad Gita, the central scripture in Hinduism. In it, Arjuna, a warrior, has conflicts between his duty and his self-doubt, and cannot fight the battle he is destined to fight. In comes Krishna, an incarnation of God, who helps Arjuna conquer his inner demons and accept his skills with great conviction and fulfill the purpose for which he was put on the earth. Anyway... just thought I'd throw that in.
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I too absolutely loved this movie. I think that the big deal about hero's choosing crimes for Bruce was also about what crime he could prove. With the drug kid he caught him, but couldn't prove anything and he would just seem nuts if he pointed out a women and couldn't prove she stole something. He superhero look in the paper and with the cloak was a stroke of genius. I really hope it makes enough money for a sequel.
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So, if someone doesn't like this movie- that means that just don't "understand it"? That's ridiculous. Anyone who's ever read a single comic book or watched a good/evil film can figure out where its going before it's close to being through. That's my only complaint with the film- I want more than a comic book movie. If that's all it is, it's little more than a comic fan looking for validation. (ie. "See, this is what WE see...these are the elements WE love...") Maybe that's why M. Night wanted to include that "social proof" at the beginning (lots of people read comics). But I like the idea that Willis had no powers, he only found a new belief in himself to turn his life around. He goes past his old limitations ("I've never tried [to lift] more than that.") I would go so far to say that he isn't even as psychic as we are led to believe. He knows his job, as anyone would who has worked so long, but all the rest of his "visions" are imagined- that's why he's wrong about the drug dealer. The only other one he proves is the guy he simply follows, who does turn out to be a villain. (And of course the ending, but that "vision" would appear to anyone who took one look around Price's room.) Throughout the film, I kept thinking "maybe he IS just trying to make a comic book movie"- but it was so obvious, it left me wanting something more.
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How much Bruce Willis's Raincoat clad hero looked liked DC's "The Spectre"? Especially if you've seen the character painted in the ultra-cool mini-series "Kingdom Come"
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I am so sick of hearing people bash the ending for Unbreakable. Are you geeks that stupid!? That was an awesome ending. Not that I want to compare this movie to Shaylaman's last picture, but did anybody ever complain about the ending to that film? No, and that last minute revelation came just as fast! I work at a movie theatre, and I was fortunate enough to dry run it the night before it came out, and I can say I'm glad I didn't see it with the general public, because people are studid. People keep complaining about the movie, and the ones who are don't read comics or have never read a comic book before. They have trouble realating to this movie, because they still have Night's last movie stuck in their ass. I don't know about any of you, but I've only watched my DVD only once, and that's because it's difficult for me to go back and watch it again. That emotional level that I was at when I saw it in theatres is just not there anymore. Plus, Haley Joel Billy Bob "I see dead people" Osmet is starting to get on my nerves. Did anyone see "Pay it to the American Beauty who has a Sixth Sense and knows this is AS Good As it Gets"? What a crock. But anyways, you are all geeks, and Harry knows what he's talkn' about, so why don't you fanboys go eat some spam or something.
-Jet Black -
This movie was horrible. Okay, i'll take that back... M. has managed to create a very nice environment with some amazing aspects (ie: camerawork, music, editing style, etc...) but his ending is forced. It's as if he saved it to "Trick" us, when it shouldn't have been a trick. Why did Willis live his entire life and never notice that he's unbreakable, come on!
If we move beyond that fact, what about the fact that Willis than decides to kill people (Superman and Batman don't kill people) and then lie to his wife about it? There are so many flaws in this movie, its ridiclous. This doesn't leave us with a feeling that we ourselves could be unbreakable, or the world is so cool, or wow people exist like this... it's a totally fabricated reality that trys way too hard to be real. I will give the film create for some new ideas and well delivered moments, but overall... this film is nothing more than a renter. -
Nov 24, 2000 12:18:36 PM CST
You don't have to be a dullard to hate Unbreakable, but it helps
by studio lackey
I don't know if anyone's still reading these Talkback comments, but here goes.... First off, if you're going to write a negative comment about this movie, at least find something more insightful to say than "this movie is fucking crap." Or the other approach of "I liked [insert hip, cerebral foreign film title], so I'm not a complete jackass, but this film sucked." Pathetic. Oh, and I love the creativity of those jokesters who think they're the first to think of lame-ass puns on the title. "Unwatchable"? Haw haw....haw. These chuckleheads are the best advertisement FOR seeing Unbreakable -- if a million idiots hate a thing, you know that at the very least it won't be conventional and insipid. Now, three (spoilerrific) comments about the film. (1) Many people are complaining about the ending of the film, but few are articulating exactly why they feel it doesn't work. Let me take a whack at it: it doesn't work because it shatters the meticulously constructed tone and atmosphere of the film; after spending two hours immersing you into this world, creating this compelling tale of a real-world superhero, building a unique, poignant vision of how such a person would come to recognize and embrace his destiny...those freeze-frames and titles pop up and abruptly drag you out of the trance. Suddenly you're reminded that, yes, this is just a comic book after all. This, after spending the entire film trying to get you to identify a distinction between comic book reality, and comic-book mythology translated into real life. This ending strikes a harsh note of artificiality in a film that otherwise strives mightily to create a sense of the fantastic within the real world. It's my only quibble with the film, but it's a doozy. (2) The kid, David's son, is a fascinating character. One thing that mainstream superhero stories don't deal with very well is the issue of how superheroes' families and loved ones deal with having a superhuman being in their lives. I love how the son exhibits such a conflicted response to his father's abilities -- on the one hand, he has every young boy's need to adore and worship his father, so he pushes his dad to embrace his powers; but on the other hand, he suffers from a palpable sense of inadequacy. How must it feel for a son to know, from an early age, that he will never surpass his father? The scene where the boy is hurt trying to defend a classmate, and says to his father that, although he is ordinary, the father is not, is absolutely heartbreaking, but sort of a heightened version of the universal Oedipal conflict within sons. (3) The whole sequence with David (now as Unbreakable Man, for lack of a better appellation) fighting with the murderer is both emotionally powerful and amusing, because you can't help but realize how strongly this reflects the film's theme of comic book events being an exaggerated version of real life events; here you have two uniformed contestants -- the hooded Unreakable Man versus the Orange Suit Man -- fighting, not some titanic struggle in the skies of Metropolis, toppling skyscrapers and throwing buses at each other, but grappling in a suburban bedroom. M. Night is treading a very fine line throughout this movie between kitchen sink realism and comic book fantasy, and it all works quite well until the conclusion. Overall, though, I'd say that, while the film isn't without its stumbles, it's really the first film I've seen this year that has truly made me feel that I've seen something I haven't seen before.
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well, if anyone didn't understand this movie i'd say it was you. almost everything you said about the movie was wrong. good job, you win the "i'm an idiot" award. bravo. keep those comments a flowin.
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Mr. Glass wasn't just searching for his enemy for the hell of it... he was trying to find his (meaning himself) place in the world, what he was put on earth to do. That was his main goal, not to simply find his enemy, but to find himself. As for him shaking hands... as he's talking to David at the end, he holds up the newspaper and says "it has begun, now i think it's time we shake hands" or somthing like that. He does this on purpose so that David will see that he's done these things and then become his enemy, in return making Mr. Glass into the arch-enemy. This was his plan all along, this was how he was going to set his own fate, so to speak.
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I really prefer to think that Elijah is just some nutcase rather than an arch-villain too. He has no special powers aside from being a delicate flower with a Salvador Dali afro, and now that he has found his opposite, what use is he now? He did not kill those people just for kicks and probably would have stopped if David would have just left him alone.
Also, I am thoroughly enjoying this rousing discussion of what I feel is one outstanding movie, but this format is a little hard to keep up with. I want neat little categories and threads devoted specifially deadicated to this film, so I made one. So after this forum fills up with 2 million posts and you get lost, go to
http://unbreakable.myforum.net/
This is not some ad or anything, I just want to keep talking about this movie forever. Peace out and Boomer Sooner!!!
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I'd just like to say that other movie makers often have to resort to blowing up the world to build excitment in their movies, but when Bruce Willis walked through the curtains out on to that balcony I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. He was just a man walking through a room (although I admit in a very scary situation). And Harry is right; I'm dieing for a sequal. I don't even like comic books, but god this was a great movie and so perfect. I meant for this to be a short talkback, just one line. But, now I can't stop talking about this movie, and now I'm rambling. Anyway, no matter what happens at the oscars, this has been the best movie of the year so far. People don't like this ending compared to the sixth sense's ending, but this wasn't really supposed to be a switcheroo ending. The entire story wasn't turned on its head; it was just a revelation. And that is a sign of a more mature film maker. God I love this movie!
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Ahem. Sorry, was getting a little cranky there. But please, enough with the condescending "This movie isn't for everybody" or the really snotty "I SUPPPOOOSSSE if you need everything explained to you, you won't like it" cracks. There are a lot of good reasons to like this movie. THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD, CRITICALLY JUSTIFIABLE REASONS NOT TO. Please respect the intelligence if not the opinions of your opposite numbers here. Liking (or disliking) this movie doesn't make you any smarter, or more special. It's just what you think.
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To all those complaining about Elijah not having powers... think of superman and Lex Luthor... Lex doesn't have powers... but he is superman's arch-villain. What's the difference here?
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This was a great story, involving,inspiring,and honest. MNS uses the spiritual core of the comic genre as tools to assemble a spiritual interpertation of human archetypes. Good vs. Evil , Mr Glass never understands why his mind is so good at creating Evil. Mr. Dunn is a regular guy, who is unaware of his latent abilities. He is drawn to protect. There is a simple and effective balance to the film and its characters. Mr Glass seeks redemption, why does he do what he does and why does he do it so well. His answer is the end of the film, he must exist so that Dunn can exist. He is redeemed of his actions , he was only doing what he was born to do.
Dunn is his reverse image. An innocent, unaware of his strength. He is drawn to the surface by the criminal mind. He is a natural hero. A person who discovers within himself the ability to sacrifice himself for the benefit of others. The opposite of his nemesis. Whom is all too willing to sacrifice others for his benefit. A wonderful balancing act of the archetypes found inside all of our minds. See the film, support new idea's in film. -
I agree with most people here...the ending itself was great.
However, I didn't really like the text explanation of what happened. The could have just left it without that. I suppose that if there's a sequel, we need to know what happened, but they could cover that at the beginning of the sequel. I thought the text at the end just didn't go along with the feel of the rest of the movie.
Maybe it's just me. -
Here's all I have to say about that ending... imagine if at the end of Fight Club, text faded on the screen and said something like: "Tyler and Marla moved to the suburbs and had 2 beautiful children. Tyler now works for Johnson & Johnson designing bars of soap for children and Marla does volunteer work for a crisis hotline." Seriously though... what the HELL was with those captions at the end!!! I mean, c'mon! Unless it's a true story or some light-hearted comedy or teen flick those are a HUGE mistake... Ughh... 106 great minutes, 1 bad minute.
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First, I think you were a little off on your depiction of Elijah's motivation and goals. The best way I know to say what I mean is this: until the last 15 minutes of the film, I was wondering whether he really was a superhero or not. I was thinking, is this just some mind trick? Is this just one guy who has deep psych. needs accidentally warping another guy who's psych. vulnerable? I was thinkin all sorts of things, and I think the direction was absolutely brilliant, since it led you to consider hundreds of possibilities. That's the thing you were really right about. That was the real world. Especially when he goes out to fight crime. What on earth do you do? It looks so easy in the comic books, but you can't just go beating people up, guilty or not, or you go to jail and do nobody any good. I also agree the stairs scene was wrenching. Man, my soul was wrenched by this movie (which is not easy considering my incredible density). I haven't experienced anything like that since the Messenger. Okay, but about the other thing. when Mrs. Price was talking to David (?) about Elijah, saying how there are two types of villains, and then she says, "there were a couple times I thought almost broke him." Then it clicked for me, I thought. "Oh! they're *both* unbreakable, and Elijah is the superhero who uses his mind, like DR X." And then within 5 minutes, man, my whole world came crashing down when I realized I was totally wrong. He didn't want to be a villain. he just had to find out what he was, and he had this theory. And I think he really thought he was doing the world a favor by discovering this superhero, and that that justified all those deaths. I don'
t thing elijah reveled in evil. I think he felt he *had* to do what he did--that it was for the best. About your projection for the second film (I pray there is another one--I wanted the first to last all night and me not get home from San Antonio until December)is somewhat wrong. Mrs. Price loves her son (and I think elijah loves David), but wouldn't condone his villainy. She doesn't know. She would sooner side with David against her son. I think you should expect to see that. remember the present she put out by the playground? she wants her son to love people. I also don't think that Elijah would attack David and try to destroy him. He wants to provide a platform for David to be a hero on. To him, the whole point of the villain is to allow the hero to exist. thus, why would he try to destroy the hero, since the hero's existence was his goal from the beginning? -
I disagree with you on this one. By definition, anyone who stopped him would be his nemesis. He MUST have known that he was the villian from the start if you are to assume he was searching out his opposite, because his acts costs the lives of hundreds of people.
Its a flawed logic, because by the nature of his actions, anyone who discovers them, and subsequently stops him, is the hero and his nemesis. He KNOWS that he is causing great harm by killing off hundreds. My point is this. If he doesnt really know of his place, and his motivation is to discover it, how can he believe that there isnt a tremendously skewed scale against him (by virtue of him slaughtering 100's of people, and not recognize his place. The only explanation is he wants to be caught, and subsequently creates/nurtures someone to do it. Otherwise its cyclical (by creating a false environment to define his nature outside of the constraints of that false environment), and Elijah is simply a nut,not an evil genius arch nemesis as people have labelled him.
There are other issues i have problems with which have already been spoken of by other posters here.
On another note, the whole comics as social transfer of mythology and oral history is poppycock, because there was NEVER a time when comics served only a social function. They are, and have always been a market driven commodity. Not to say that this detracts from their value (one could also argue that the best sci-fi was written in the 30's, 40's, and 50's pulp magazines), but to deem it a fundamental social construct which elijah purports, is really a stretch, and to anyone who has studied any degree of cultural anthropology, pretty silly.
just my 2 cents.
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I liked this movie but not that much. I mean its a great movie to get your imagination running and thinking about the possiblities of the Unbreakable man. But it just felt like it took a long time to get moving. By the time Bruce Willis' s character uses his powers at the end I wanted to see more than what happened. I know that everything leading up to the ending was supposed to show us Bruce finding out about himself and his powers, but most of it just felt like it was stretched out. I did like how M. Night made the story feel more like real life than gviving it a cheesy comic book feeling.
There needed to be more scenes like the bench pressing and less of him trying to find out when the last time he was sick. It seemed to me that that just took forever to get on with. -
I thought this was a great comic film. What x-men really is about. Someone coming to terms or trying not to with a power that they never asked for. Now it is their duty to use that gift for good and to uphold their fellow man if they choose. I didn't get into the film until about half way through but when the "awaking" occured, it became brilliant and I thought what a genius move. My problem was thinking it was going to be a "Sixth Sense part 2" but I was so wrong and so glad. I hope they bring it back with another.
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Unbreakable bears a strong resemblance to several non-mainstream comic book ideas currently in existence, although there is nothing wrong with that. I got the same feeling from this film ("yay! somebody got this story right in a film format!") that I got from X-MEN. Non comic-book afficionados could still dig it. However, even if the majority of filmgoers love UNBREAKABLE, surely they don't want to see yet another incarnation of what appears to be M. Night's directing approach when it comes to the film portion of his credits.... slloooooooooooow development of every darn thing in the film. Characters that seem consistently....quiet and subdued. I mean, I admit I dug UNBREAKABLE quite a bit, but after having seen SIXTH SENSE, I feel like "ok, been there, done that." I guess I would be interested in another M. Night story, but not with him directing it again right away.....
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About 1/3 of the way into this when I realized it was a super heroes origin story, I thought, "This has the possibility of being the best superhero movie ever!" Superman I and II were great, Batman was good, Mystery Men was great comedy, and X-Men was done right. But this was the best. The cinematography was great. Did anyone notice special effects? Very few. About 3 and they weren't very big. But it was about the story. Terrific!
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Okay, I just got back from my second viewing of UNBREAKABLE, and I'm awe struck. It is not often that I feel that I actually saw something special on screen. Make no mistake this is the riskiest, most daring film I've seen in a long time. A film with no special effects (although M. Night Shyamalan's perfect direction can be considered a "special effect"), this is a stripped down personal independent film released by a major studio. I can't see it making A LOT of money because it's so DIFFERENT... but who cares? This is movie is GENIUS.
Elijah Price AKA Mr. Glass will no doubt be remembered as one of the greatest movie characters/villians of all time. Put him on the list with Travis Bickle, Nurse Ratched, Darth Vader, Quint from JAWS and Micheal Corleone. Wow! Samuel L. Jackson has got to be the most versatile andtalented actor working today. I mean, to go from SHAFT to MR. GLASS in ONE YEAR..whew! Give this guy the best supporting actor oscar NOW! It also heartens me when I see an African American character with such complexity, his race wasn't a factor, he wasn't a noble "MIGGER" (Chris Rock's term for 'magic n***er like John Coffey from Green Mile and Will smith from Baggar vance) he was a diabolical mastermind, a genuinely original movie character, and he happened to be black. Hollywood needs to take a cue from M. NIGHT, jackson wasn't cast because they needed a "BLACK GUY". Hopefully we'll see more roles like this for black actors and actresses in the future.
Anyway, Unbreakable is to comic book movies what The Godfather was to gangster flicks, and 2001 was to sci fi, a legitimization of the enitre genre. many of the classic comic book cliches were presented in Unbreakable bbut they were presented in a way that was completed unexpected. Comic books have become GROUND ZERO for pop culture and Unbreakable finally gives us an intelligent, artful and adult interpretation of the classic comic book themes in film form. Face it kiddos, this film is a classic.
About the ending, i wouldn't change it for the world. The abrupt ending is another comic book convention. ALL great comic books end with a question mark. And the final line by Elijah was perfect. 'You see! it was the kids! they called me MR. GLASS"... i can't wait for the DVD and Shyamalan's commentary. -
If M. Night wanted to create a film that worked EXACTLY like a comic book, that's exactly what he would have done. Another Batman, Superman or Captain America (and god knows we don't need another film adaptation of that...). In his interviews, he expressed how he wanted to tell a story that deals with both good and evil as well as the struggle to discover one's strengths, but do it in such a way that allows viewers to directly relate to it. Comic books parallel the style in which the movie is told, and comics are used as a recurring vehicle for telling a much more important story. But this time, the characters are you, me, anybody, the setting is your street, the neighborhood you live in... things people can relate to. How many of us have had to overcome our fears, discover our purpose in life and accept ourselves for who we are and learn to feel good about it? M. Night doesn't hide the fact that he's not just paying homage to comics... but he's trying to show how comics pay homage to the REAL superheros and legends of real life and human mythology. If you go in expecting toxic rats, exaggerated fight scenes and apocalyptic battles between the Justice League, X-Men, SPECTRE, KAOS, Dr. Evil... forget it. This is not a film about comics... it just makes reference to their style of storytelling. Marshall McLuhan's theory of "the media is the message" does not apply here... this story is not only as deep as it's methodology...it goes into much more important, real life issues in a way that people can relate to. That's why it works... as for the ending, I think people were expecting M. Night to do Sixth Sense all over again, and therefore walking into the theatre thinking "I wonder what the TWIST will be... and how much will the movie mess with my head?"... This movie was not Sixth Sense, and I think audiences who expect it are underestimating the ability of Shyamalan to use similar cinematographic and plot devices to tell very different stories. If you walk in expecting a comic book, you'll be disappointed because this ain't one. If you walk in expecting to be terrified, for god's sake, this isn't a horror or suspense film... it's simply a story that says "What about the possibility of heros and villains in OUR world?" Lastly, just because a film uses a comic book as a recurring referential vehicle to tie in to, doesn't mean that the film ABSOLUTELY has to follow every rule of the "comic book code". Shyamalan, as I've stated at least two times before, was very likely inspired by his own Indian cultural mythology in which there is no "black and white" good and evil... everything is gray, lines are blurred.. and you have things like heros who don't just incapacitate but KILL the bad guys. So Dunn and Price didn't emerge from some toxic waste dump to derive their "powers"... who cares? If breakable/unbreakable people existed in real life, what is more plausible? Adverse circumstances that force them into the roles they eventually learn to accept? Or some explosion of a nuclear plant that makes them have x-ray vision and a third leg? If you're going to make a semi-fantasy/semi-real film, trying to make it conform either entirely to reality or entirely to fantasy is just stupid. That's a very constricted, western philosophical cut-and-dried view of good and evil, right and wrong... few eastern philosophical systems ever look at the world in this way. You want to see beefy men in tights carrying neon guns, go see a Joel Schumacher piece of shit. This is a drama about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances... this is the story that comic books EVENTUALLY were bastardized into... Price even says it himself. Anyone who didn't pick up on that must've slept through half the film.
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Oh, and don't expect a sequel. Sequels are banal for directors as talented as Night.
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Yo! just saw this movie and it is great! Fuck all the people who didn't like this movie! This movie will stand the test of time as the best movie ever and go into the annals of history with the other modern comic classics of our time such as Godzilla and Batman and Robin! This movie is even better than Phantom Menace if you can believe that any film could compete with the likes of Jar Jar Binks. Heck this movie even blows Speed 2- one of the pinnacles of action and suspense- dare I say, OUT OF THE WATER! excuse the pun. This movie is the bomb diggity bomb. Sweet sassy Molassey! I couln't believe the performances that were evoked in this movie. Ever seen Mario Van Peebles in that awesome movie Solo? or how about Bill Bellamy in one of the greatest heralded performances ever in Booty Call? Or Dennis Rodman in Double Team? Well if you can believe it, Bruce Willis is better than most of those, except for Bill Bellamy- he's the man! Everyone should go see this movie! If they don't, they should be lined outside the street and have a pit bull crush their balls with his teeth while a vulture poops on their head and then shot execution style through the head for their blasphemy! And did I mention the director is M. Night Shymalan? The Greatest Director of all time! He is truly the most god gifted man on the planet! Did you see the interview he had where he stated the secret of his success is becuase he "became aware of what others were not aware of" -The man is a Genius! Fuck Einstein, he only hypothesized relativity. M. Night Shymalan made me believe that ghosts are real! I always wondered why my cabinet drawers always are open and why it get's cold in the winter. Now, I know that the reason why is because ghosts migrate to the north during the fall! M. Night is also damn cute too! I may be a 35 year old, overweight, white male but to be honest M. Night makes my Dick Hard! I was practically creaming in my pants when he made his appearance as a drug dealer! That guy is the most handsome man on the planet! The Phantom Menace used to be my favourite movie until sixth sense came out but now the champion of film is definitely Unbreakable! I can't wait for this movie to come out on VHS so I can put it next to my Backstreet Boys and N sync CD's. Hey speaking of Backstreet Boys. You guys got to listen to the new Black and Blue album! It rocks and it rocks hard! It's almost as good as Limp Bizket's hot dog flavored water. It'a mad ill y'all! Those Backstreet boys know how to turn the party up! You guys should also pick up 98 degrees revelation! Give Me just one night! Una Noche! Give me just one more movie! Shymalan!. I'm waiting for ya! Oh Yeah! If you don't see Unbreakable you are a pathetic loser nothing scumbag so everyone should go see it!
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I am a movie fanatic and an ex-comic fanatic, AND I think SIXTH SENSE was brilliant, but gotta tell ya this movie blows. You can see so much potential here, a very cool concept just poorly executed. Awfully paced, slow and plodding and overly self-important. No heart to the characters, a lot of emoting without the audience understanding where it all is coming from (for ex. why does the kid NEED his dad to be a hero so much). And the plot holes were the worst: how could a 40-year old man not realize he had never even had a cold? And the ending was just a little too "up the ante" obvious.... It's like Night knew he had to follow his "masterpiece" with something equally shocking, and over-intellectualized it. There were some really good points though, for instance all of the thought that went into how a superhero would act/behave/appear in the "real" world. This was all great. How a rain slicker cloak could be easily turned into a cape, how telling of the event would obviously exaggerate things and become a modern myth, and how comics would chronicle these. That was all very interesting. Cinematography was good, especially during the superhero scene, but did anyone notice this whole middle section was like from a different movie? The kidnapper/murderer was just random. For a comparison of how it should be done, compare to FREQUENCY just out on DVD. Those "ah ha!" moments were set up in advance, and intrinsic to the story. What was the point of this killer being in the movie? None.
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I've just seen the rather remarkable film "Unbreakable" and to all those who have seen this film and are somewhat disappointed or just don't know what to think about it, don't worry, just let it digest like Thanksgiving turkey. This is a film that will stay with you the way "Sixth Sense" did. It is a very different film but leaves the same type of resonating burn in the center of your brain.
Bruce Willis does a marvelous job of underplaying his character. It's a subtly brilliant performance. Sam Jackson is equally as brilliant as Elijah Price aka "Mr. Glass". The reason for the greatness for this film (in my opinion) is that it takes an entire genre of stories and films (Super Hero) and turns it on its head. It opens ua door to an ENTIRELY NEW PERSPECTIVE on the Super Hero theme. The sick, psychopathic "Mr.Glass" is more terrifying than most villains because (aside from his unique medical condition) he is just like alot of odd but highly intelligent people we meet now and then. I love this film because it translates far more directly into my life than "Batman", "Superman" and "X-Men" ever could. It takes the "X-Men" theme of average people with gifts (or curses) of extraordinary power and brings it down even closer to the average joe's level than ever before. It makes you realize that we all have a Super Hero somewhere deep inside us and that he/she could emerge at any given time in this unfolding drama we call life. "Unbreakable" puts a very interesting spin on the stage in which villains and Super Heroes interact. It is within our daily existence. The crimes of rape, murder are just as heinous as anything any super-villain could think up because they are very real and happen to people everyday! It's not some buffed muscle heads knocking each other off the Statue of Liberty here, its a guy saving some women from the heinous acts of some murderous thug in Suburban Philly.
I know this is a ramble, but this film just forces you to re-examine alot of what you think you know about the super-hero archetype.
I'm new to this board. Other (mainstream) films I personally enjoyed this year and would recommend are: "Being John Malkovitch", "X-Men", "Always Famous" and "High Fidelity" -
... but I get about a third of the way down the screen, and it's full of insightful and well-written if long-winded commentary from people who loved the movie, or short, snippy and generally asinine remarks from people who didn't. I wanted to see if anyone could convince me of flaws in this movie, which I saw tonight and consider to be outstanding... Gotta say, not a single one of the complaints has stuck. ************************ Slow? What, you mean it's got character development? Willis and the rest came across as real, believable people, which was the point of the movie... Glass's motivation doesn't make sense? What the hell? It's PERFECT. He saw himself a twisted villain, and felt the need to find the hero to be his opposite measure by any means necessary.... Glass doesn't have any "real" superpowers? Shit, neither do most of the classic supervillains! What's the Joker's power? What's Lex Luthor's? They're diabolical and they're smart.
********************************************There are so many things totally RIGHT with this movie (that have been touched on by others who posted before me... the question of what makes a crime worthy of a hero's intervention, the yin-yang relationship between villain and hero, and especially the father-son elements, which were so well done and so well acted) that the complaints seem like nitpicking. So to those who didn't like it... hell, there are other movies out there. I hear them Dalmation Puppies are mighty cute. -
So what? I still interpret the film differently. Taken as an origin story, its just not that intriguing. Not only that, hell, it's downright hammy. (Especially the heavy-handed "hero" theme during Willis' heroic moments.) [Bottom line: A- We've seen it done before. B- We've seen it done better.] BUT...I love the idea that Willis does become Unbreakable IN HIS OWN MIND. Go rewatch the expression on his face at the end, when he is Broken. M. Night is a very talented guy, I would hate to think that there is nothing more to this film than the "superhero" story that it appears to be on first viewing.
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So what? I still interpret the film differently. Taken as an origin story, its just not that intriguing. Not only that, hell, it's downright hammy. (Especially the heavy-handed "hero" theme during Willis' heroic moments.) [Bottom line: A- We've seen it done before. B- We've seen it done better.] BUT...I love the idea that Willis does become Unbreakable IN HIS OWN MIND. Go rewatch the expression on his face at the end, when he is Broken. M. Night is a very talented guy, I would hate to think that there is nothing more to this film than the "superhero" story that it appears to be on first viewing.
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Like Harry I may find myself thinking about this film for a long time to come. When I first saw the ending while I understood it on a Batman/Joker type level I didn't like it. Then I started thinking about how I would have changed it. I thought about ending it after he tells his wife he had a bad dream. But thats been done to death and I didn't like it the first time I saw it. It's unfullfilling. Then I thought about Elijah becoming his mentor providing the high tech hardware and financing for his exploits. Same problem been there done that (see Cameron's Dark Angel for its latest incarnation). Then I thought about when they shook hands maybe some energy transfer from polar opposites and they both become normal. That could work but would be unsatisfying and would kill any chance for a sequel. And I desperately want a sequel. The more I think about this the better the ending looks and I have come to the conclusion that Harry is right and the comic book ending for the comic book movie is perfect.
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okay, i gotta say i was totally unimpressed with the sixth sense, i felt cheated by it after it turned into Touched by an Angel. Now, Unbreakable, to me was so darned sweet. Im a big comic book fan, and to me this origin and epiphany of David's character, even through the nefarious schemes of one Mr. Glass truly define the modern noirish gritty hero. I love capes and costumes, but David's Security-Man persona was so real, so Joe 6 pack, he was easy to identify with. As for Mr Glass, yes he is the arch enemy villain that his mother describes to David. He is a horrid freak of birth, like David, and everything he does and syas about not having meaning is totally valid. I believe Mr Glass is also UNBREAKABLE, his spirit and determination to go to such drastic measures make him the most powerful type of real villain, the ones with intelligence and purpose. Every great hero essentially exists to face a great villain, or they create them. The same is true for a villain creating their hero. Think about this now, Mr glass said Now that WE know what you are." WHO IS "WE"? I doubt that he meant the general populus, since it seemed that the family David saved were unawares to his identity. I dont know where im going with this, i guess i just really felt like the dynamic between these two is extremely authentic, much like the Xavier/Lensherr dynamic in X-Men, as long as there is a Glass Man, there must be, has to be A man of Unbreakable makeup.
oh, by the way, the handshake ruled, glad i stayed away of reviews for this movie. -
Nov 25, 2000 12:15:50 AM CST
I think that the ending would have been just as good if there we
by miracleman
I kind of felt that the "title cards" were placed at the end to give people who could not completely figure out the film for themselves a more literal closure to the movie (I don't really like how that's worded, but it's late and I don't wanna bother with grammar and what have you). I thought that the ending would have been just as good (if not better) if there weren't any "title cards" at all. It would have just ended with Samuel Jackson speaking his lines as Bruce Willis walked away. Does anyone else agree? Then again, this is just my opinion, and other people may have interpreted the movie and its ending differently and been satisfied with it the way it currently is.
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Amazing movie. Not for the crappy mainstream audience. It jus screams for a sequel.
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first off i think the idea we have here is great.
An origin story of a supervillian making his superhero.
a guy who is so fragile, that he has to spend his life reading books, using his greatest weakness as his greatest assett. mr. glass is probably the best written character on screen, since hannibal lecter.
this unbreakable guy on the other hand is a waste of our time. his life is a bust, his job is nothing special, he is leaving his family to work in new york. his kid was more interesting, becaused he believed. this unbreakable guy even has a pokerface that is unbreakable, where we really dont know what he is thinking. i guess he is supposed to be the everyman, and even a person with family problems can be a superhero. i understand this. i understand how awesome this idea of mr. glass and his thinking is. i see everything that was laid in front of me.
have you ever met someone who tried to hard to impress you? and sometimes it's annoying, well this movie didnt annoy me, but the first word that came ot of my mouth was "pretensious"
i give M. Night all the credit for the beauty in the noir he created. the cameo was even funny. and this book followed themes of batman, the spectre, and even the spirit of vengance himself, ghost rider. here we see this unbreakable man who discovering who he is and dosent want to beleave it or accept it, but i wasn't convinced. i think willis' flaw is he was too unbreakable, this crazy guy is after him making such acusations, he doesnt really try to deal with him. ? weird huh? this man convinces willis' son that he could shoot him and no harm would follow. ok? this guy "finds" willis' wife and tells her everything too? willis still is not affected. not until mr. glass tells him about water being his weakness, do we start to see willis show some signs of feelings. to little to late. i can wait things out with the best of them but, come on this was a bit dragged out. like my post, it could have been shorter to make the point, just like the film. i do want to see it again to really take everything in, but definatly this is not on the top of my list. and to those naysayers who say bull shit. remember gladiator was your favriote movie till patriot, then almost famous came allong then this. please dont be a fickle audience. this is good but not that good. it has the potiential but didnt delever. -
it's very easy to see how/ why the general public will not like this film.
i did, in fact like the film- and the more i think about it, the more i'm liking it. i loved the camera movements, the style, etc!!! loved jackson being the villain. but i'm not sure i can recommend it because i do not believe your average person will like it.
it dragged at times. i discussed it with a friend who felt each scene took so long by and remaking it's point over and over again- siting the weightlifting scene. and, while i liked the scene, i had to agree.
if we were maybe given the revelation of elijah's villain status...say 15 minutes earlier with willis saying "you know i can't let you get away with this" or something... then ending with jackson in the psycho ward saying something like "this isn't finished" or "like i told you- this is where we begin" to willis. i think audiences would have responded to that more favorably rather than the "where are they now" printed resolutions.
and you can give the "but it's how comic books end" argument like so many others' posts i've read here, but this isn't a comic book- it's a movie. and if your hoping to do a sequel, you can't give a deconstructive ending.
but knowing that it's intended to be part 1 of a trilogy definitely helps the ending as it is for me. unfortunately, i'm sure most people are not aware of the intended sequels and will most likely feel cheated.
it would be nice to see the 2nd film start with willis (and the police?) capturing jackson and seeing him put in the assylum.
obviously as stated above, jackson would have prepared for this.
i'm not sure if the public will accept this move enough to get the sequels made.
talk to ya,
me. -
well, it seemed to me anyways that the so called "villians" of the world of unbreakable were the kind of villians that we see and hear about in everyday life, and elijah, if i am to believe that he was the cause of all those acts of terrorism that were on the walls of his room, has one of the most terrifying powers of all in everyday society, the power to kill hundreds of people with the flick of a detonator switch.
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I saw Unbreakable this morning, and all thru the picture, i was left holding one image in my mind. i dunno if any of you guys are yankee fans, but i was as a kid in the 70's and my personal favorite sight was watching reggie jackson's homerun swing. of course, we all know that 75% of the time, jackson's swing would miss the ball completely, and then he would stumble, and fall on his ass. that is the image this film produced for me. while i certainly applaud M. Knight's attempt at a homerun swing, this film stumbles, and inevitably falls right on it's big fat ass.
here's some questions that i wondered about: if dunn has bones so dense, they were unbreakable, why is this the first time we are hearing about it? surely a routine medical exam would've picked up the fact that he must weigh 4 or 5 hundred pounds? DID dunn really have pneumonia as a child, or was he making it up to stop elijah from bugging him? neither is explained. how is it that you can fake a career-ending injury? certainly a college athlete with as much press as dunn received would've had at least one reporter that would've spoken to a doctor about his injury .. and demanded a look at his xrays.
the thing is, i sat thru this giving M. Night more credit than obviously, he deserved, because i thought he was leading us in a whole different direction. here's what i thought the ending would/should be: dunn and glass shake hands ... dunn's "spider sense" kicks in, but the audience doesnt see the effect. dunn leaves the art gallery, is shown calling the police, and glass is shown arrested, blah blah blah. more headlines about mysterious "hero" in philadelphia, saving lives, etc, etc .... shot of dunn (i realize this is going to sound corny, but bear with me) maybe standing on a rooftop, overlooking the city he now is protecting, willis using that wry sardonic smile that is becoming his most formidable acting weapon. then as he turns to leave, he CUTS HIMSELF on the roof ladder. he looks at his hand, the blood, starts laughing, THE END.
I think this would've made for a MUCH stronger film ... the idea that we can all be heroes, if we want to be.
and by the way, since this was an M. Night film, i will take this moment to say that "6th Sense" would've been a MUCH stronger film if we had never seen bruce willis get shot at the beginning. if it had started with willis on the bench waiting for the kid, and moved from there, it would've been DAMN strong. how willis dies is irrelevent, and it lessens the impact of the "surprise" to the point of ho-hum. it's tough to survive being gutshot, ya know.
i know people are gonna want to dispute me, feel free. i am open to debate on this film, and many others.
thanks for listening!
LoveRhino -
his face was blue at the end ... that was my only evidence. but i thought he was dead. i didnt have any problem with that, but i definitely think he was dead. LR
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He must have his head up his ass. The point is that Dunn NEVER gets any confirmation that he is truly "unbreakable"- He never gets any proof that he's invulnerable, or has any powers aside from extremely good intuition. THAT is why he "Never relaized his whole life that he's got powers". Does He? Do you ever see any hard evidence that he's superhuman? No. Maybe he's just filled with confidence and gifted with luck, a naturally athletic body, and the bolstering of a psycho. Maybe he really is unbreakable. THAT'S the driving force here. It's not a SLOW ORIGIN STORY. It's a lingering question. Would you believe it if it were you? Would you care? Would you do anything about it? Stop being stupid, people!!!! AUUUGGHGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! This movie is pure genius. It's grand storytelling, and if you don't get it you WERE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS, SYMBOLISM, DIALOGUE, OR CINEMATOGRAPHY!!!!!!!! I know I said I don't care about the stupid people, but dammit, I do! THEY DRIVE ME FUCKING NUTS!!! "Man, Blair Witch Project sucked. It's was slow and stupid. Why didn't they just use a cell phone and call home? Why didn't they bring a gun?" WHAT ARE YOU, FUCKING MORONS? DO YOU NEED TO WALKED THROUGH MOVIES LIKE A SECOND-GRADER? sigh. Sorry. I snapped. Look. Trust us you backwards yokels. The movie IS good, and if you didn't like it, you should watch while sober, pay attention, stop laughing at serious moments, and try to leave your brain in a functional mode while watching. Movies are full of underlying story elements, subplots, foreshadowing, symbolism, camera tricks, mindfucks, and dialogue cues. Hints, clues, and insinuations... I suppose you would have liked it better if there had been some BIG fight with karate and explosions? Or maybe a car chase? How about a mean police sergeant yelling at a detective about his maverick behavior, and a token black sidekick who mutters about being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Maybe you'd like a nice full frontal shot of the women in the movie? How about some nice TOY TIE-INS!!!! Hey! Where was the shooting? There was no gunfire in this movie! No buckets of blood! No CGI!!! No Catch Phrases! No body count! No nightclub scene! No teenagers were in this movie at all! There was no pot-smoking scene! And where was the funny animal? No fart jokes? No one-liners? MY GOODNESS! THIS MOVIE HAD NONE OF THE STUFF THAT YOU WERE WEANED ON!!!! ........................You Are All Pathetic. Read a book some time. Stories are neat when they have multiple levels..!
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First off, I really enjoyed the movie, but have to admit others were right, it did have its flaws. I'm not saying the movie was perfect, but it was pretty damn awesome. In reference to another great trilogy, the director once said, "you can't look at the film individually, you must view it only as a piece of the grand story" or something like that. My point, the first Star Wars was relatively boring to some, and just look what that has developed into.
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whoops, hit "return" when should hit "tab." anyway, i think you are right about dunn NOT possessing any powers ... i think it entirely possible that he WAS just a normal man, perhaps with some luck, and lots of intuition. years on the job make him spot someone with something to hide, moreso than someone else might. and the reports of people getting an andrenaline rush and ripping car doors open after accidents to save loved ones are well documented, as are people who survive miraculously from accidents without a scratch. also never a sick day in five years, not unprecedented. the walls in the bad guy's house may just have been cheap plaster. who knows?
however, this film is ANYTHING but genius. it isnt really shot particularly well. it's murky, and the shots of dunn's "cape" arent clean enough. the train scene with the woman, shot between the seats, is annoying and needless. the dialogue is, at times, ridiculous. the scene of the kid with the gun is scripted so badly, and shows off the parenting skills that only a 30 year old with no children would have. the credits both at the beginning and the end, i think cheapen overall the entire film. is it necessary to discuss comic books? why? and things are touched upon, but not developed. (dunn's childhood pool accident, what was the purpose? dunn's saying he had pneumonia) and i for one was really annoyed by the fact that when dunn took the letter off his windshield after the memorial service his car was the only one in the lot! are we really to believe that out of the the families of the 117 victims, NOT ONE family drove to service?
also, a train wreck is stupid, because there are just NO train wrecks in history whereupon ALL PASSENGERS are killed. those in the back cars ALWAYS survive. last, but not least ... the moment that dunn shows his son what he did is ridiculous ... it's completely unrealistic because it's a) too long and b) too silent ... any REAL person making french toast would've turned around to see why they were so silent. LR -
I just saw this movie not an hour ago, and I loved it. A truly intelligent movie about superheroes, taking place in the real world? Who woulda thunkit? No disrespect intended to AfroSheen and those who hold a similar view, it seems what you're looking for out of your movie- going in expecting a superhero movie- is... Lemme fish around in my ol' theater major education here... Melodrama. Mustache twirling villains, bellowing anger, gleaming-toothed heroes, wailing sorrow and angst. Sorry, I don't agree. The vast majority of the time spent in this movie I felt was well spent, and I appreciated that the characters were allowed to marinate slowly, that we were able to understand on an ongoing basis what their daily lives were like before things begin to go a little askew- and just how little, how naturally they seem to go askew at first is again a real testament to M. Night's ability in storytelling in a credible "real world". I can do without they heypenny theatrics and the "MightyMan... Overburdened with... Story with depth... Please... Help me... Exposition Man..." Most of today's comics have evolved beyond that; we should expect at least as much from our movies. (No offense to the comic fans- I'm quite a devotee of Matt Wagner, Neil Gaiman, and Garth Ennis, among others.)
I will say right now I wish I had gone in tabla rosa. I didn't know about the ending, but I had somehow gotten ear that (SPOILER) Mr. Jackson would turn out to be a villain; I also wish I hadn't known about the train crash, so I could have had a little more distance during the opening scene, but I recognize how utterly impossible this movie would be for any critic to discuss without mentioning it. I still don't quite know what to make of the ending. I didn't hate it, like some; it seemed a reasonable conclusion in many ways. I don't know if I agree with the notion that Glass had been intending to become a supervillain all along. I think he was a disturbed individual looking for his obsession and not really considering the immorality (amorality?) of the actions he undertook to acheive that obsession. Perhaps he realized it when he saw the comic that inspired him to recognize Dunn simply had a weakness; perhaps he didn't even realize it until the very end. I really wish there had been some explanation of why Dunn's sixth sense failed him with the "drug dealer"- did the man get rid of it earlier? He certainly seemed calm about being searched... I'm wondering if a scene was edited out, there. Probably the biggest reason I gave this a 9, not a 10.
The big disagreement I have to take with the others who liked this movie is- please, no sequel. Yes, I'd love to see where the story goes from here, simply because as an effective movie I really began to like and care about the characters. But I've lived through too many "Superman III"s, "Batman and Robin"s. Shaymala would be dumped off the project for some studio head's cousin who needs to cut his teeth on a "big property". He would stay, but have to warp the script to fit in more product endorsements and images to sell happy meals. He would just trash the whole thing out of frustration with inability to get funding to move on to his _next_ project... Any of a thousand things could screw this up so badly, and I'd hate for such a good movie to become just another franchise. Let it be "one good movie"... Before Joel Schumaker gets his hands on it. My $.02- as usual, stretched out to about $1.50. -
but when you think about it, he sees only what happened somewhat recently in the past. he saw the man in the camo jacket stuff the gun in his pants. he saw the home invader when he first attacked the guy. he saw the rapist at the start of the attack, etc .... he knows that they have done, not what they WILL do. LR
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To refute: Dunn killed the maintenance guy--it said so in the newspaper article in the morning paper; annoying or needless, the train conversation was filmed from the POV of the child and made perfect sense; Dunn was probably the very last person out of the memorial service; there have been many train wrecks where everyone has died, unfortunately; and the point of Dunn saying he had pneumonia was that it illustrated his weakness to water--he doesn't get sick from germs or injured by accidents, but his lungs can take on fluid and he can fall ill and die that way. So he isn't immortal.
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The great thing about the Sixth Sense was that it was an intelligent movie, made by a man who knew that today's audiences were sick of being talked down to. Someone earlier posted a topic stating some people don't get "thinking cinema," and thus explaining the rampant backlash against this crap.
The problem here is this, the movie kills itself by blatently stating its intentions. Every four fuckin' minutes, there's Samual L. letting the audience know this is a superhero film. Oh and don't forget, this is a super hero film. Oh wait, in case you had to take a piss, what we're doing here is making a super hero movie.
What makes a great story is one where we care about the people involved. By the time Willis made it to the house to "use his powers" and save the family, I didn't really care. Oh, and P.S.,
for some of you who really want to see how this type of thing can be handled correctly, read or rent The Dead Zone. Cause that's obviously what M. Night did when he ran out of ideas for this turkey.
One last comment and I'll step off my soap box. For those of you who say that it goes back to the good old days of comic books, I think you're forgetting one key thing, they applied to our surroundings. 1940's stories don't hold the same effect for us. They have to be tied with things we care about. Updated. Otherwise, you're just a hack not fully understanding the material, trying to replicate something you know is out of your depth for the time being.
I came to this movie thinking M. Night was the answer to the current (and apparently unending) downward spiral of films. Now I realize that he's just another Tarantino. A hack who happened to get lucky, and now doesn't know what to do with himself. In the music industry, I believe they call them one hit wonders. -
According to Boxofficeguru.com, Unbreakable is likely to get $45-50 Million this weekend. Those a sequel numbers! And that's a good thing considering I left the film feeling a sequel was intended (and wanting one desperately). PS: I loved the ending. I thought it was perfect. What would a real-world "super-villain" do? He blow shit up looking for his place in the world! Brilliant, IMHO.
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With Unbreakable Shyamalan raises the bar for mainstream movies higher than he did on The Sixth Sense and in doing so is likely to lose a segment of the audience (A friend told me he overheard an audience memeber at the end of the film wondering aloud why Jackson would let Willis shake his hand at the end knowing that he would be found out. Uh, that was...the point.) To an above post that complains about Jackson's ongoing references to comic books, the point isn't to remind the audience that this is a comic book film, it's about Jackson's character. Comics are his frame of reference. It'd be like complaining that Quint in Jaws talking about sharks is only to stupidly "remind" us that we're watching a shark movie. And this isn't about the "good old days" of comic books - those "good old days" are right now. What Unbreabkable is up to is in line with the best of what's being done in the genre today.
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Harry: After seeing the movie last night, thanks for the "spoiler countdown." I wish I had not gotten that far because I had no idea that this film was supposed to be a super-hero flick. I was wondering if the film would have a "twist" at the end, and the revelation that it was Elijah's tampering with the train that brought to light Dunn's origin fit well within the context of a comic book. The wrap up text was a little abrubt, but, once taken to this point, what was Dunn supposed to do. Choke him? Break Him up? Spend more time telling the police to check the back of his shop? I was ready for the movie to be over by then. Which leads me to my subject. There is a shortage for quality, original stories. M. Night has given us two. It is very rare that a sequel/prequel gives us a better story than the original. Sometimes, extending the story just ruins the flavor of the original. Even if the second movie is equally as good. For example, think about the Alien movies. What comes to mind? How good the first two were and how bad the last two are. For me, the latter films ruined the story for me, and I have to "pretend" that Hicks and Newt don't die when I watch the conclusion to Aliens. Some films were made to be franchises, but not Unbreakable. The story is complete. Any more and the characters become exagerations. Then, what makes this movie work so well(i.e. There are Super Heroes/Villians in the world, they just don't know it) is lost and we have have another Superman/Batman/XMen franchise on our hands. No, let M Night do what he has already done so well: tell new, original and interesting stories.
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I loved the movie but I had one question coming out. Price was supposed to be a super-villan, yet he never really did anything evil. Villans would do acts of mass destruction just for the hell of it, because its fun. But Price causes the train crash, the plane crash, and the hotel fire only because he is looking for a sole survivor to come out alive. I wouldn't say that's evil. He isn't really a villan if he only killed a bunch of people to find a hero. What exactly made Price think he was a villan?
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Unbreakable is(as of now) the best movie of 2000. Get over it. The ending is not silly. Get over it. I hate hearing people go "oh man, i can't believe I didnt walk out after 10 minutes!" What's your favorite movie, Kazaam? If you're gonna put down a movie, at least make sure there is reason to put it down. This movie was amazing, a gem in this year 2000 that has been mostly crap movie-wise. Can't you people appreciate good storytelling when you see it, and not compare the movie to The Sixth Sense, which is a very completely different movie? You can't read a review of Unbreakable without someone mentioning T6S and it annoys me because, aside from Bruce Willis and M. Night, nothing is the same. And the movie is not torturously slow. My god, if you were paying attention and not grinding the arm of your chair with your dick you might've been compelled to listen to the slow parts. This is a smart movie, this is an original movie, and we've never truly seen a thing like it before. It gives us hope for the future of movies, and yes, M. Night is the next Hitchcock story wise, and directing wise, the next Spielberg. Like the great movies that have passed (i.e. The Usual Suspects, T6S) we leave the theater piecing together the parts of the story in our head, and hours after, doing the same. That's the kind of movie that makes me proud to appreciate film so much- it isn't stupid and cliched, its completely original aside from the superhero aspect, and most important of all, the surprise ending makes complete sense. And the camera angles used in the movie add a sense of depth that has never been seen before. Unbreakable will probably get passed over Oscar time so perverse movies that we've seen before like "Quills" and "Requiem for a Dream" can get nominated, but that's alright. The true fans of Unbreakable will know, always, that it is an excellent movie that has to not just be seen, but analyzed and pieced over to fully appreciate. To all those who dissed this movie, I have to respect your opinion but, i suggest you go see the movie again and make sure your level of cynicism isn't too high.
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Nov 25, 2000 11:17:54 AM CST
To all the losers who didn't like this movie. You are 15 years o
by maynard
All you jaded kids out there get a life because you can't see that this is an instant classic. It's a work of art. Has any comic book story been made into a film in this manner? No. This is originality. This is not a rearrangement of an old theme. This is not a bigger better version of the Titanic, not Alien 7, or Haloween 2099. This is a pocket of creativity that transcends the comic and movie genres. M. Night succeeds in blending the real with the surreal. It's all about juxtaposition. Opposites. Believability. In Superman (the movie), did Clark Kent have anything to say about comics or super heroes? No, because they couldn't take themselves seriously if they did. It would have been a silly one-liner to a dude with a cape and blue tights. The audience would laugh. M. Night does this and goes the other way, making the characters know full well what a comic book is and actually fills in the gaps for the normal public about comic history. I like this movie a lot better than I liked Superman (The Movie) for this reason. If you look at the film as a narrative, you will see that even down to its core. I loved this movie. Crap! I'm gonna see it again this afternoon.
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Nov 25, 2000 11:27:33 AM CST
For all you wwf losers out there, it's called a sleeper hold. Ch
by maynard
Hey all you rednecks. Bite me.
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Now, I thought the movie was great- I've even seen it twice...but some of you guys are acting as if this film is the Second Coming! It's going to have a huge opening weekend, simply because everyone is curious. But I think audiences are feeling cheated simply because they didn't want to see a "superhero" movie. I couldn't believe how many people were saying "Well, the trailers looked good" afterwards. But don't kid yourselves- everyone understands the film, why do you guys think you are on some level where only you can "GET IT"? Every review I've read (good and bad) clearly understands and explains what M. Night was hoping to do with this film. The "ignorant masses" are going to understand the film too, but, unless they cared about this stuff before, they're not going to be changed by this movie. But then what do I know? Afterall- over 70,000 comics sold every...the "average" collector spends...a year of my life and all that nonsense.
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"They call me Mr. Glass!"
And from that point, the whole thing pretty much went to shit.
I'm not talking about the ending. The ending was the most realistic part of the film. I'm talking about almost every aspect of this god-aweful flick.
SEE!~ Samuel L. Jackson Sporting a bizarre haircut that looks like he slept on his afro the wrong way!
SEE!~Bruce Willis mince out lines and refuse to react!
SEE!~An ordinary kid almost shoot his father. The reason? His kid heard some guy talking about his father being invulnerable. Hey, guess what? My mom calls my dad a plethora of interesting things....that doesn't mean I belevieve them!
SEE!~ Shots and sequences that make you want to hurt someone! Like, fer instance, the begining sequence in the train, where Bruce and the Annonymous Chick are shot via the aggrivating back and forth method from between the seats. Why? BECAUSE SHALAHAN HAS BEEN SNORTING CRACK!
The worst part of it all, Harry, is that you, the person I respect the most, seem to really dig this flick. Say it ain't so, man! It's not too late! Turn back from the abyss, man! REPENT! AND YE SHALL BE SAVED!
Just think about this one line, in your head, over and over again, and you too will hate this movie. Samuel L. Jackson, Shaft, Julius, THE GUNS OF THE NAVARONE, says, sitting in his wheel chair with his halfro.....
"They called me Mr. Glass!!!!!"
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THAT WAS THE EMPHASIS OF UNBREAKABLE. PPL BACK THEN HAD THE SKILLS AND INVINCIBILITY TO DO WHAT BRUCE WILLIS DID. THERE WERE MANY UNDERLYING THEMES WHICH IS CHARACTERISTIC OF NIGHT'S FILMS. BUT UNLIKE STAR WARS, HE DIDN'T TAKE TEN THEMES AND PUT THEM INTO A SPECIAL EFFECTS BLOCK BUSTER, HE TOOK ABOUT 3 ELEMENTS, THE COMIC BOOK THEORY, THE BLESSED THEORY OF UNBREAKABLE, AND WHAT BRUCE WILLIS AN ORDINARY BLUE COLLARED WORKER WANTS TO DO WITH IT. IT WAS COOL HOW THE TALE WAS DEVELOPED CLOSE TO 2 HOURS. I ENJOYED EVERY SECOND OF IT. NO MATTER HOW UNREAL, NIGHT'S FILMS CAPTURES THE AUDIENCE AND FOR THAT 2 HOURS IN THE THEATRE, PEOPLE GAIN A SENSE OF AWE OF HOW WONDERFULLY INTRICATE OUR WORLD CAN GET-ATTRIBUTING TO NIGHT'S GENIUS OF HOW HE REALLY KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT AND HOW HE CAN TAKE PSYCHOLOGICAL TANGENTS AND MAKE A BEAUTIFUL STORY OUT OF IT. LIKE SIXTH SENSE, IT WASN'T JUST A GHOST STORY WHICH SPOOKS AND FRIGHTS LIKE I KNOW WUT U DID LAST SUMMER, OR BATMAN 3, THIS WAS A TALE THAN NOTIONS REALITY PLACED IN OUR WORLD, EARTH IN EVERYDAY SITUATIONS. AFTER WATCHING THE MOVIE, YOU BECOME MORE CONSCIENTOUS ABOUT OUR WORLD. IT'S NOT LIKE WATCHING BATMAN OR STAR WARS AND GOING OHHH, AWWW, GOOD STORY. UNBREAKABLE WAS, "DAMN, THAT WAS SOME SERIOUS SHIT THAT I JUST WATCHED. I WONDER..."
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I read the exact same thing in a review that gave the film 2 out of 4 stars. It doesn't take a rocket scientist (as you have clearly proven) to figure out what the film is trying to do.
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Now I'm hearing this stuff about Unbreakable being Part I of a planned trilogy. Well, if the entire story has already been scripted yet too large to be contained in one film, then it will make sense the way Star Wars does. Or if Shyamalan is as creative as Lucas and Spielberg are betting him to be (given the fact that he may very well write the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series), then he certainly has it in him to write sequels that aren't necessarily vain continuations of the same story, but more stories related somehow by a common thread... the idea of the unbreakable man. Given the tone of the official website, and the way they threw in random stories about various "unbreakable" types in real life, I wouldn't be surprised if they did that... all the while keeping the "battle of good and evil" as the backdrop for these character studies. Has anyone heard about the real woman who lifted the axle of a 3000 pound car off her infant to save his life? Or what about the airplane explosion that sent the tail section of the plane along with one stewardess plummeting 33,000 feet towards the earth... and the stewardess survived with only minor fractures? A boy drowns in subzero water and is revived more than 30 minutes later, without brain damage despite heart stoppage. Night made sure the story pointed out that there are various "degrees" of breakability/unbreakability, according to Elijah's "theory". Consider this... at less than two years of age, a bus crashes on a remote road in India, injuring most of the forward passengers, and killing the driver... yet a baby from the 2nd row, found wedged underneath the driver's legs emerges unscathed. A 2-year old boy's vital signs, both heart and lungs, stop for several minutes from a then unexplained phenomenon... yet the baby regains consciousness without any signs of major brain damage. This child continues to survive numerous brushes with death, including loss of blood, accidents that could have been fatal, and, with exception to one partial fracture that surprisingly hadn't left him paralyzed (conveniently in the worst place, a lumbar vertebra...), not a single fractured bone, ever. All this over 26 years... and I'm still here today, alive, to tell you about it. Am I unbreakable, I don't know... but I'm forever going to wonder at the possibility.
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Hello,
I really enjoyed reading the piece on "Unbreakable." I wanted to take a moment to discuss the title, or, more specifically, whom the title is actually describing. At a minimum, I see the title as describing both chracters, although I think it fits Mr. Glass more than Willis' character. After all, Mr. Glass is the the character that will not be broken by his disability. Willis' character is rather lowly and has never actually realized his powers, his purpose. Mr. Glass, due in large part to his mother's challenge, would not be broken. He, in fact, dedicated his entire life to finding his purpose. What do you think? -
This is the 2cd worst movie I have seen this year. And no, I am not an idiot, I liked the Blair Witch project, I prefer smart and original over Hollywood, and I don't read comic books. I am an American and God damnin this movie SUCKED. It was one of the most boring movies ever made. I didn't give a sh!t what happened to Bruce's painfully dull character, but Mr. Glass was pretty cool. This movie was not very clever, it was dull as hell and mostly a complete failure. I hate comic books, too, they are childish, boring, and stupid. And I probably have a higher I.Q. than you so fuck Unbreakable and FUCK YOU TOO. Fuckin geeks.
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well, metatron, stop wondering. instead, go into a train station and start touching people. LR
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why should the train conversation being shot from the POV of the child make "perfect sense"??? the audience arent children, there's no need to shoot it like that. it was a gimmicky camera angle that served only to annoy the observer. there have been NO. repeat, NO train wrecks where every single person has died. you gotta trust me on this, i work for news, and would know. i think it unlikely that dunn would be the last out of the memorial, at least so much longer out that EVERY SINGLE car is now nowhere in site. and okeydokey, i will accept the water/pneumonia thing, even though that is thinner than rice paper. LR
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Nov 25, 2000 3:24:07 PM CST
NIGHT WILL MAKE A BETTER TRILOGY WITH THIS ONE THAN THE STAR WAR
by wowlook!
HOLD YOUR HORSES EVERYONE. THIS YOUNG HOTSHOT DIRECTOR IN TOWN MAKES THESE MOVIES NOT ONLY FOR A LIVING BUT FOR FUN AS WELL. HE'S ONLY WHAT 30? 35? HE'LL BE MAKING MORE THAN A HUNDRED OF THESE MOVIES BY THE END OF HIS CAREER SO STOP PUTTING HIM DOWN IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS ONE. FURTHERMORE, HAVE YOU EVEN WENT TO THE UNBREAKABLE WEBSITE? ITS AWESOME, TEST HOW UNBREAKABLE YOU ARE "FOR FUN". INTERVIEWS AND MORE. NIGHT HAS BEEN QUOTED SAYING THAT HE MAKES MOVIES COS HE IS A REBEL COS HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE A DOCTOR LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN HIS FAMILY. THIS GUY KNOWS HOW TO MAKE MOVIES IF HE KNOWINGLY MADE THE SIDESTEP AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY TREND. FURTHERMORE, NIGHT DREAMT UP OF UNBREAKABLE WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD OF LIKE ONE WEEK! THAT'S A LOT MORE THAN I CAN SAY FOR MY FORMER/FAVORITE DIRECTOR GEORGE LUCAS WHO HAS TO TAKE A WHOLE YEAR TO DREAM UP, TAKE ANOTHER YEAR TO WRITE, TAKE ANOTHER 3 YEARS FOR POSTPRODUCTION ALL FOR WHAT? A SUPERHERO TYPE MOVIE THAT IS SO CHILDISH-MORE CHILDISH THAN READING COMIC BOOKS IN FACT WITH THE RACKED UP SALES OF ACTION FIGURES TO KEEP HIS PROFITS GOING SO THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO TELL HIS BRAINWASHING STORIES FROM A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY! DON'T BE RIDICULOUS GEORGE LUCAS, THERE'S A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK. EAT HIS DUST!
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well i didn't buy in to this movie. i do see the possibilities for a mr. glass action figure from mcfarland toys, and the limited edition figure that comes with a wheel chair and brace. and i do see that this will sell, because there is a lot of you who feel this is the new word of god. while i think this film will work only and if only this is the first in a trilogy, i do see all you, who blast everyone who didnt get this move, buying the toys. so while you look down at people from getting their jollys at looking a cameron diaz, which is not wrong at the least, you know you are the first to get his jollys looking at this toy (if and when it comes out). oh well, to each his or her own.
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LR, If I went to a train station and started touching people, I'd probably be arrested and committed. However, I did score "73% unbreakable" on the areyouunbreakable.com website. Considering David Dunn was only 80 percent sure that he'd never been sick... well, I'd say I scored pretty well. Hey, if you think that other stuff I posted was weird... tell me what this means: I have the same fingerprint pattern (whorls) on all ten fingers AND toes... what are the chances? Does that mean I can walk through walls and beat up guys in orange maintenance suits? I dunno. I guess for now it just means I'm a weirdo. Oh, and I do have two mandatory fatal flaws... one of them happens to be a fear of death... not the injurious aspect of it, but the idea of not being. I guess you could either say that makes a rather ironic flaw for a seemingly unbreakable guy... or, that it's the reason I seem to evade death, because I don't like it. :)
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Considering I've been dead before, you'd think I would be used to the idea by now. :)
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Nov 25, 2000 4:01:03 PM CST
Just because there aren't any flashy special effects doesn't ma
by zisteau
Harry, sometimes you have something intelligent to say about a movie, but this time you've just gone off your rocker. The dialogue in this movie was atrocious. And the character acting was nonexistant. I don't think I saw one person acting in this movie except for Sam Jackson. The cinematography may have been well done, but the movie was so sluggish it lost any appeal it had. I really expected a lot from this movie, but it pretty much blew goats. It takes more than a neato concept and decent cinematography to make a good movie. For one thing some ACTORS would be good, and maybe if they played CHARACTERS it would even be better, instead of just reciting bland lines designed only to further the plot and not to shed light onto the characters themselves.
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I was in a movie theatre that was pretty much full. There was a full range of people in there. Old. Young. Black, white, hispanic. Punker, conservative. Comic book reader or no. And when we got to the ultra serious scene where the child wanted to shoot his father (and if you don't think that should be serious there's something wrong with you), the entire audience, and I mean ENTIRE, erupted laughing. "I only want to shoot him once!" and everyone laughed again. And then when Sam Jackson said "They call me Mr. Glass", people started laughing again. You know the man has failed in his vision when the most serious moments of the film become slapstick. Oh, by the way, I collect comic books. I'm probably somewhere just under the 3000 average, and I'm totally into science fiction, but this movie sucked.
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the boy holding the gun to David when I saw the movie in a room full of people. You have to give Shyamalan credit. Most directors would be at the VERY LEAST hesitant to include such an awkward moment in a picture, but I actually admire that scene. It worked for me, and I think it's supposed to be awkward. People who aren't in synch with the characters on screen will laugh, thinking it's some kind of lame joke or something, but the people who understand the characters on screen and their motivations I think wouldn't laugh. Point is, no matter how you shoot it, it's probably going to come off awkward. After all, comic books are often referenced here, and when a movie often alludes to comic books audiences are trained to think that the movie has its tongue firmly placed in its cheek. I thought that was an important scene in the movie though. In fact, I don't think there was one scene in the movie that didn't serve to display a trait for a character or serve a purpose in trying to get the audience to understand the character's motivations. And forget about comic book readers being the target audience. that's not really true. This movie is targeted towards the open-minded, intelligent audience. That's extremely rare for a mainstream movie, but Shyamalan doesn't underestimate his audience. Unfortunately, I think he overestimated his audience by seeing all these different reactions to the movie. The movie could have been interpreted in a number of ways, in my opinion. I think if people interpreted the movie further than at face value, they might think that it's not really a comic book movie at all. The comic book is a motif used to justify Elijah's intentions. Doesn't mean David Dunne is one of those typical superheroes you see. The comic book is used to explain the powers or abilities in the movie, but it never says we're living in a comic book or anything like that.
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This movie was a joke. Nobody I saw it with, and nobody sitting around us in the theater, thought much of it. As someone muttered as we were leaving the theater, "I could have told that story in five minutes." Pretentious, dreary, interminable and CORNBALL. It was interesting to rent THE SIXTH SENSE (which I had never seen, and an infinitely superior movie) and see all of the stuff that was lifted from SIXTH SENSE - the long, ponderous silences; the relentlessly expository dialogue (apparently M. Night cut class the day they went over the "show, don't tell" rule in Screenwriting 101); the "cute" little kid crying (please, at least Haley Joel Osment could act). Even the family kitchen was the same. Blech. Who cared about these characters?
As for the gun scene, lots of people in the audience were laughing, and it was uncomfortable because the scene was obviously not meant to evoke laughter. By the time the ridiculous sequence with Bruce Willis and his Security Man cape was over with, the audience seemed too numb to laugh.
Worst of all was the end. Just when it finally got interesting and we got the Big Twist(tm) which will no doubt be a labored trademark of every M. Night movie from now until Doomsday... what does our little Wunderboy do? Instead of letting the audience roll the situation around in their minds, he RUINS it with some cheesy titles telling what happened to the characters. Great, just when even those of us who hated this movie were willing to give it some slack and anticipate all of the adventures that Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson would have together in the future, we are informed that Mr. Glass is in the slammer for the criminally insane. Wow! Compelling ending... NOT!!!!!!!!!!
There's a word for it. It's called "Sophomore Slump," Mr. Shyamalan. Or maybe it's really just called "Massive Wunderboy Ego Which No One In Hollywood Dares Question. Yet."
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I saw this movie in two theaters... one in Minnesota, land of zero cultural diversity, and one in Austin, Texas, land of guns, electric chairs and one dumbass of a governor. In Minnesota, where people are too "polite" to tell you how poorly they REALLY think of you, the laughing during the gun scene only came when Dunne and his wife gave some lines that were obviously put there by Shyamalan to elicit such a tension-breaker reaction. Though people walked out saying things like "That was weird," it doesn't follow that Minnesotans are representative of moviegoers worldwide... considering that the piece of shit Armageddon FLEW off the rental racks at most southern Minnesota video stores. In Austin, not surprisingly, the audience laughed even when the kid pulled the gun... and when the father showed the kid the newspaper, what should have been a rather emotional moment. Of course, these are the same people who elected a governor who can't elocute properly, dragged the educational standard to near-rock bottom in the 50 states, AND has a penchant for things that involve killing people [not that I'm pro-Al Gore... don't get me started on that robot...]. In fact, most of the elements that made the movie swing between tension and relief are classic cinematographic elements... if you in fact studied your "Screenwriting 101"... Then again, there aren't many western philosophical themes in this film at all, its rooted almost entirely in eastern philosophy, mythology and religion in terms of its exploration of good and evil, and the struggle to discover one's true destiny. I don't expect it to have wide appeal. And as for the repeated suggestions of "show, don't tell" being a central element of "Screenwriting 101"... I can't think of anything in that film that wasn't shown... most people don't like thinking for themselves and would prefer being spoonfed, having everything explained for them... So, how one can say this movie didn't show, but told its way through is a bit strange... considering no one felt that the dialogue clearly explained anything, but all agree, even those who didn't understand the inferences, that symbology and suggestion was used in every aspect of the film... the camera angles, the positioning of characters and scenery, the use of colors and contrast, the score, the sounds, the dialogues AND the silences between them (which Sting once commented on in an address to the graduating class at Berklee College of Music... one of the most prestigious academic centers of music learning...). Silences can be a very powerful tool used to "frame" the dialogues between them... making the sparse words ever so much more important. If you have no patience, and want a Jerry Bruckheimer explosion-fest, this movie isn't for you. Also, in the tradition of "Show, don't tell"... if that is a "Screenwriting 101" precept... I'd challenge those who have criticized Shyamalan's style of film making to show us their vision of film making instead of the constant pontificating on this forum. Go make a film, and we'll see if audiences like it better than Unbreakable. Proof in the pudding, eh?
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while many of you out there in netland may have been twitching to see this (as was i) you knew that you were going to see something special. that the movie itself would be genius....that may not have been m. night's reason for making it though, perhaps he left the movie's trailer so vague that even those who had no desire to see a sci-fi film would go....just to find out why this regular guy was the sole survivor of a train wreck. there were people in the theater today who would not have gone if they had known that this was a superhero movie...the true genius was its marketing. people went out of curiosity not b/c they love comics. it's about time we tricked those who were skeptical, if not totally against fantasy, we are not geeks. we are smart...smarter than they are...studios need to make films like these and stop making garbage like batman and robin.
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"Go
make a film, and we'll see if audiences like it better than
Unbreakable. Proof in the pudding, eh?"
Give me a BREAK. This is the oldest lame comeback to any criticism of something. Let me ask you something: Why don't YOU go make a film, and then you'll be qualified to PRAISE it? That works both ways. Why should I take your word that it's a good film if you've never made a film yourself?
And no, for your information, I don't like explosion-fests either. I don't even like films with background music that is too loud, obtrusive and cornily used, which was definitely true of this film. I blame the director, not the composer, for the mess.
One would think that even if you liked THE SIXTH SENSE, the almost wholesale lifting of atmosphere, camera movement, music, tone and characters from the first movie would make this one unbearably precious.
I saw a far more fascinating movie about an accident survivor who thought he was Superman - FEARLESS - by a director who doesn't keep repeating himself, Peter Weir. -
I agree with Harry on the craft of the film: beautiful, haunting, exceedingly well written and performed. Wonderful craft.
However.
Sixth Sense was methodically paced for a reason, and it had a twist ending that was full of emotional resolution for characters that you cared about. You were in the hands of a craftsman with heart and soul, and didn't feel cheated when the rug was pulled out from under you. You thanked him for the ride, and for what it taught you.
Although I am quite a fan of comic myth, Unbreakable seems like a cheat. A wonderful, darkly ponderous journey, which leads to a twist ONLY for the sake of the twist. "See, this is a movie about superheroes and you didn't know it!"
Um... so what. I knew this was about superheroes when you posted that title scene at the beginning, Mr. Night.
I am intrigued yet unfulfilled. -
When critics saw X-Men a lot of them complained, "where's the tongue-in-cheek humor, the action sequences, etc?" What? Superhero movies are supposed to be made in a certain way, filmed a certain way, or told a certain way? I think that's ridiculous, and I think it's hypocritical of people to complain there's nothing unique being offered in Hollywood these days when movies like Unbreakable come out. They redefine or give a fresh perspective to the genre. If you don't like it, that's your prerogative, but I see no rulebook saying superhero movies should be done in any particular way. Finally, we have a unique vision that doesn't treat the audience like idiots. By the way, even though I'm ranting about the criticism of the superhero concept, I still think this film can be interpreted another way, and it would still make sense. I think the comic book element/superhero element isn't quite what drives this movie. That's just what drives Elijah in this movie. Shyamalan uses the comic book as a motif for explaining the supernatural, for Elijah's motivation, etc. But the film itself ISN'T just a superhero movie. It's much more than that. All of David's powers are grounded in reality. There are two powers he has: superhuman strength, and superhuman instinct. Ok, so this movie deals in the supernatural. But Elijah MAKES this movie into a superhero film, the movie itself doesn't. It sounds odd, but in a way, I think it makes sense. As for David Dunne's supernatural powers, those "visions" he has could just be a manifestation of his instincts. I don't really think the movie gives you a clearcut answer as to whether David's "visions" were something he was born with or something he developed. In fact, I believe the movie hinted at the latter, but let audiences believe whatever they got out of the movie. For instance, in the stadium, Elijah says that maybe comic book powers are really exaggerations of what can be so simply explained as instinct. We even see David's deduction process when he passes by the man with the gun who was followed by Elijah later. And Shyamalan's cameo itself may prove to be another clue as to showing David as fallible. If he is fallible, then David probably just has supernatural instincts developed from his security guard training. Remember, David thought Shyamalan had drugs in the stadium, searches him, and finds nothing. What I think this story really parallels is the Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty rivalry. That, mixed in with a little of the supernatural to create what is, I believe, one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Of course, this is just my opinion.
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I have to say, that the review of Unbreakable mostly captured my feelings about it too. I liked this movie more than The Sixth Sense just because it surprised me and I couldn't see where it was going (I guessed the plot twist in The Sixth Sense in about the first 5 minutes and thus found it boring). I didn't think that Elijah Prince set out to be a villian. In the midst of his despair he had an epiphany that if he found his opposite, he might be giving the world a gift in this person and it might justify all the pain he had experienced in his life. In his need to justify his existence, he was willing to do anything to find this hero, even sacrifice the lives of innocent people. But it was a means to the end, not the end itself. He didn't set out to be villianous, he just felt it was necessary to achieve his goal. I agree a sequel seems in the offing, but whether it could have the same quality as the original, or turn into a cheap comic book (I, unlike the reviewer am not a comic book fan) is hard to say.
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Talkback folks seem very hot about this! I saw Unbreakable tonight and thought it a fine, unique film. As a longtime comic geek myself, I found that element particularly satisfying. Unbreakable was surely a subtle, intelligent vision the likes of which seldom seen in big commercial movies. However I don't believe one need be labeled a dolt to express the view that the ending of the film is subtle and complex to the point of being more than a bit unsatisfying. I believe the sequence when David saves the family was lacking in emotional impact. And the revelation about Mr. Glass, while clever, is subtle to the point of being confusing. If one reads comics, it IS true that heroes and villains often share a strangely dependent relationship (see Joker's emergence from stupor following Batman's reappearance in Miller's TDKR) in which one man defines the other. However, these dualities only express themselves slowly, reluctantly, and with the passage of much time and many experiences between the two enemies. There is no such history in in the David Dunn/Mr. Glass dynamic. Therefore, the idea that Mr. Glass conducts this jihad specifically to unearth his defining nemesis only works if one rejects most of the super-hero trappings of the film and instead regards Elijah Price as a very intelligent (but super-powerless) psychotic and David Dunn as a remarkably sensitive and healthy foil. Thus, for me anyway, the ending of the film invalidates the superhero/supernatural elements of the film and, in doing so, makes the film an ultimately noble but unsatisfying experience.
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I cant believe how pompous and self righteous so many of the talkbackers are. If someone found faults in the film they didnt get it? Please. This movie is no Solaris, who are we kidding. Its very well made, but lacking something. Its Dead Zone meets Fearless. I agree with the IGN and Moriarty reviews. For me this movie in no way simulated or worked like a good comic book does. And I dont mean in terms of explosions and big gigantic battle scenes.
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Well, I'll be buried among these posts, but I feel the need to talkback. I did not enjoy Unbreakable. I think all the elements of the film were outstanding and it was a great story, but the thing severely dragged for me. I thought Shaymalan didn't spend time right in the film. So many of the things I wanted to see weren't there and way too many things I didn't want to see were. There are more effective ways of conveying Dunn's bad marriage, his boredom with his life, etc. without dwelling on it repeatedly in scene after scene. It didn't leave room to flesh out other great details, so everything came out kind of half-way done. Now, I'm not anti-characterization nor do I think that all movies have to have a peppy pace or anything, but I almost fell asleep twice during this movie because it was so slow moving. And I love comics and detail-oriented character movies!! I went in spoiler free and all atwitter about what the film might be, but I found myself doing a rewrite of the thing as I watched it--figuring out what I would've included and what I wouldn't have. And I figured out the ending when Price's mother told him the comic book had a surprise ending, so that kind of blew it for me too, I guess. Like I said, I thought all the elements themselves were great, and I also loved the ending. Wait, hear me out. Price was a lonely kid. All he had was his comics (I assume from what we saw of his childhood). That was his life. The characters in them did the things he could never do, and he loved the mythological quality of it all. It's easy for me to believe that a kid like that could grow up seeing himself in terms of comic book elements and lose himself in that world (hey, I can relate). He wanted to believe that that magical world was real, he wanted to be a part of something, to find his place in the world, and he found a purpose through comics. If he could find the one person that would incontrovertibly confirm that the mythic elements in comics were real, his child-like superhero view of the world would be right and he would have his purpose and a reason why he was born how he was. And just like in the comics, he would have to play a comic book role. Price obviously couldn't be the hero with his frail body, so the only role left would be the villain. He would have to be the opposite of the super-person he found. They would be strong, he would be frail. They would have physical powers, he would have his mind. They would be good, he would have to be evil. He wasn't an evil man; it was like a game, and he had his role to play. He just needed another player for the hero role, and David Dunn was his playmate. You could hear Price's desperation as he explained the nature of the hero and his arch-enemy while Dunn walked away. He was still a lonely boy that wanted someone to play with, and he would play the only way he learned how--the comic book way. He thought that if he convinced Dunn, schooled the super-human he found in the ways of comics, then that person would eagerly play their role opposite him. I can understand that perfectly. It's sad and touching. I freakin' loved it. But that all comes after you think about the movie rather than being actually conveyed with the film. I'd rather have that dawning moment of clarity while I'm watching the movie than after it's over. On another note, I don't totally buy that Dunn had any powers. He didn't do anything super-human. His "flashes" of insight could have been just luck--only two were anything close to true since we didn't know if the others he sensed even happened. Human memory is reconstructive, so that flashback to him ripping the door off the car coming just as he began to believe that he was more than just a man could have been a distortion in his mind of what actually happened. I think he convinced himself that he was something more with the help of Price's nudging. That's what I loved about the story. I see these guys as just two misguided souls searching for something special in themselves and succumbing like children to the pure, fascinating world of comic books. But this all comes from reflection on the movie. This all has to be interpreted and read into the movie because the film doesn't do a good job of doing this itself. This COULD have been THE movie that makes people realize comics aren't all kids' stuff, but it ain't. People at my showing were MST3K-ing it, laughing at it, and bolted like animals for the exits when it ended. Such a shame. But the version I came up with was pretty damn good. That's right, I'm just asking to be flamed.
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I just saw this movie today. I saw it with two fo my friends and we all loved it we loved they way that Mr. Glass ended up being the cause for all the disasters we loved the way the characters developed throughout the movie we loved the way it was filmed and yet there was one of my friends sisters there seeing it as well she hated this movie but did not give a good reason why. She sais it was stupid and creepy she was making me mad so i just ignored her and remembered she is the type of person that make movies like that one about cheerleaders number one at the box office she's the type of person that listens to whatever music is popular and likes whatever movies her peers say she should see, she is the reason bad movies get made. Bad movies get made because people in general are stupid and will see anything with explosions in it or anything with the latest teen idol. These are the people who when they die should go to hell and be forced to watch the movie bedazzled for all eternity that'll teach 'em. That is all I have to say about that. May peace be with you
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You watched the same film we all did, and yet you missed so much. Then you come on Talkback and pretend to know what you're writing about. Someone earlier said you deserve an award for not knowing what you're talking about. - I'd have to second that motion.
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The movie was great but the ending was no suprise. Remember the scene where Elijah tells off the guy in his gallery for buying a sketch for his kid...or later when he intentionally keeps turning into the aisles when the comic shop worker is rolling him out...THE GUY WAS A PRICK!!!! These scenes made everyone in the theatre laugh and (like always) miss the point. There was certainly a mean streak in him...but even before that as soon as we see SLC for the first time what is he doing? Talking about the physical attributes of a villian...particularly the proportion of his head to his body head....LOOK AT HIS HAIR FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!! THAT'S WHY HE LOOKS SO FUCKED UP!!!!!!...and just before the end, if you had no clue when Elijah's mom stands there, practically looking into the camera and gives you a lecture on villians...I feel so sorry for you. I have to say that I'm loving Unbreakable more and more especially with the potential sequels...I'll be hoping for Elijah's return. Another Talkbacker complained about his lack of powers: whether or not he has any powers is of no consequence. He has created a fantasy world for himself and in doing so changed lives forever.
What powers does Lex Luthor have, or Dr. Doom, even the Joker? As far as I can see Luthor has no hair, Doom wears a tin can, and the Joker...laughs a lot? They are villans based on the power of their minds and the way they get under their adversaries' skin. Can David go back to normal knowing the good he can do? Of course not, because he finally feels whole, he is now complete. Balance that with the guilt over of all the people who perished just so he could be discovered has changed him forever...Elijah has created and destroyed a hero in just over 100 minutes..who else can say that? -
I first saw "Unbreakable" this past tuesday, because I had to review it for a college paper. In anycase i had mixed feelings walking out, It reminded me of how I felt when I saw pulp fiction There was so much to digest that I couldn't do it in an hour and 45 minutes. Just like "Pulp Fiction" and "X-men" this movie grew on me as the hours passed. It is a film that will become sweeter with each viewing. I heard some people mumbling at the free preview of how they were glad they didn't pay for it, they just did not get it! This film is a cult classic, It was so well thought out and well acted. Samual L. Jackson gave such a beautiful performance. he was so subtle and you loved the guy and by the end everything got ripped apart and you were just as astonished as Willis was on screen. For all the naysayers go see this movie again. I think "Unbreakable" is this years "Matrix". Not based on similarity , but originality. It's a hero's journey that has never been played out on screen. It's not a dumb actioner this film has heart and substance. I agree with Harry. "Unbreakable" is a must see for any fanboy or girl. Even if you aren't into pop culture the mythology that the tale creates is marvelous. Don't sell this film short at first glance. It may appear simple but it is not.It is my sleeper pick of the year. I just wish all hero films could be made with as much realism and care.
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There is no way this movie is going to have a sequel, what type of movie would it be? It would be completely different from this movie. Also, ALL those people who hated the movie where just peeved that it was about comic books, that's it! That comic books are stupid and not worthy of a serious movie like this.
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Nov 26, 2000 4:02:42 AM CST
Me fail English? But that's Unpossible! Now for the surprise twi
by troublemaker2000
Are you ready for the truth? The entire universe is one great big comic book! Or as Shakespeare wrote 500 years ago, the world is but a Stage and we are merely Players... As for great twist endings, who remembers the amazing astounding ending of the final episode of the late great TV series "St. Elsewhere" in which the entire Hospital and all its inhabitants were merely a retarded boy's imagination whilst looking at one of those snow-globes? Now that was a neat ending! I wonder if Shamalyan has seen it, heck he probably "borrowed" it. Unbreakable is clearly a divisive film, let's return our attention to the Florida election that's not nearly as divisive as this movie!
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Nov 26, 2000 6:52:40 AM CST
Revenge of the nerds-Making comic book haters watch comic book m
by jharrison187
Smokey92 made a very good point when he brought up that the film's marketing didn't make it look like a "comic-book" movie. I once heard the Wachowski brothers say that they wanted people who were seeing the Matrix to be seeing a comic book movie, but not to feel like they were watching one, as if it was just some big saturday morning cartoon. That's what the marketing did with Unbreakable; it was able to get people who would never see a superhero movie, to actually see which was really a superhero movie, although an unconventially made one. The moviegoers who hate superheroes and fantasy know to stay away from something like X-Men, and movies like Matrix and Star Wars are obvious enough to keep hero-haters away as well. But with Unbreakable, the ads and trailers had everyone thinking it was the next Sixth Sense, with no mention of comics whatsoever. As a comics admirer myself, I thought it was a very pleasant surprise, I found the movie very interesting and enjoyable. However, the people who thought they were going to see "an intelligent thriller from the writer and director from the Sixth Sense" and ended up seeing a movie about "illiterate comic books" probably weren't as happy, thus the negative reviews. So isn't Unbreakable the movie sort of the ultimate Revenge of the Nerds: making anti-geeks watch more or less geek films?
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There's something I wanted to ask that I didn't get around to in my last post. Has M. Night Shymalan publicly stated that he is a comic fan, or was one? There's no way he could be a comic hater and still write a script so understanding of the artform and the little things that make it up, and especially with what Samuel L. Jackson tells the man shopping for his 4-year-old son.
I'd be surprised if he thought lowly of comics and was still able to write something with that much sarcasm and bite, while echoing the feelings of many fanboys, unless maybe Samuel L. Jackson ad-libbed the whole "comics aren't for kids" diatribe. According to Wizard, he's a big comics fan and frequent customer at the Golden Apple. It's a great movie, and before for me, there were three great comic-book movies (they don't have to be based on comics, they just have the tone down), the original 1989 Batman, X-Men, and the Matrix. Now Unbreakable is the fourth. Dogma inches in at being the fifth (it has a strong fantasy/good vs. evil jive to it), and I don't really want to list Superman, I don't know, it's too outside my generation for me to list with other movies I love. And I'm sure there's lots I forgot...:) -
I don't think it's the first time that the audience has been put into the POV of another character. It doesn't mean the audience is a child, a dog, a baby, a block of cheese, or whatever--it only illustrates that somebody else is witnessing this quiet conversation, and you get to listen in. It's certainly a more unique angle than a 2-cam or an overhead shot, or through the seat backs. ...Unlikely or not, that 'last car in the parking lot' trick gets used often enough in TV, though maybe not in movies. It Means He Cares (TM). And, well, despite his hydrophobia being 'thin', it's not any more thin than anything else in the movie--he almost drowned as a child, and developed a phobia. Fair enough, lots of people do. But for him it's more important than a phobia--he won't ever get sick, but he needs to breathe to survive. So, this person with extraordinary powers has both a fear and a weakness associated with that fear. It's a big vulnerability. I imagine the first thing Elijah does when he escapes will be to build a moat. :p
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Dear Harry:
As usual, I certainly appreciate your unremitting enthusiasm for movies, & in this case a particular movie, UNBREAKABLE. But I wanted to play Devil -
I absolutely loved the movie. It is easily my favorite film of the year and I want to go back and see it again. I'm reading a lot of posts about sequels and what is to be revealed in parts 2 and three. I think you're missing the point of the film. It wasn't meant to be some kind of superhero trilogy or ongoing series, he didn't set this film up for mass commercialization. He wanted to be a storyteller. And he told his story in the time frame of two hours. And that's it. At least according to me.
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I'll start by saying i enjoyed this film. I'll continue by saying that my interest in mythology is more classical than comic book, but I have enjoyed comics and other elements of modern fantasy. I think the idea of comics as mythology needs a great deal more scrutiny than can be given here before i buy into it fully, but it's an indea worth discussion if not outright acceptance. Okay, enough with the preface.
Unbreakable left me filling unsatisfied in a way not unlike Gladiator in the sense that i felt like there was a real gem beneath the rough but it just wasn't quite refined well enough--or perhaps more precisely, the cutting had been a little off. I think most of the film works well though the abrupt ending is a little forced for good story-telling and I definitely felt cheated. There wasn't enough sympathy in my mind for Elijah for the ending to work. I needed elijah to belive he had done good to such an extent that the audience was left questioning whether he had been right in sacrificing lives to create his super hero. It needed to not just be about him but about all the potential good that could be done.
Secondly, I needed Willis' character to realize the impossibility of his situation. There's a moment in the train station when our hero is starting his mission where he spreads his arms--similiar to a crucificied Christ--and feels for the sinners amongst us. then theres the sweeping horror/sadness as the worlds crimes are laid at his feet in quick succession. In less than a minute he's faced with theft, rape, and murder. The world is full of evil and he is only one man who must choose. There should have so much more done with this. It's arguably the most dramatic aspect of the hero story. A man destined to stop evil so prevelant he can never fully succeed. letting some darkness go avenged and choosing which evil's are greater. In Western mythology Christ has it easy, he dies knowing those who wish to follow may escape the suffering because in one fell swoop he has died for all our sins. The hero of Unbreakable has no such assurances. He cannot in one act of sacrifice eliminate all sins. He must choose which to avenge and stop in so doing let countless other evils survive. Worse yet, he belives that he is fated to be man's protector yet he is utterly incapable of fulfilling this role. He can stop a chosen few acts of evil but never turn the tide. It is a futile fight that cannot be won. This is the dramatic reality of the real hero and the missed opportunity of Unbreakable. -
I recently finished writing a screenplay and I will either shop it to a studio or produce it independently. I can imagine not everyone will like it, but that's not why I'm making it. It's a dream of mine that's been in my head for ten years, and I'm doing something about it. I am not saying I'm any better than anyone else... but I'm just answering your question of "why don't YOU go make a film..."... I am. So it's not a copout statement I was making... I'm challenging you to put your money where your mouth is.
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Nov 26, 2000 11:15:06 AM CST
dumb for not linking this movie? you're the one who's dumb.
by hawauer29a
ok then, you'll have to say that more than half of the audience I saw this movie with who either walked out or went to the restroom more than once are all dumb too. I can't believe how people can be so condescending! thinking themselves as SMART just because they loved the movie. Personally, for me, the movie isn't that bad, but I could point more than a dozen holes on the movie, but that would be pointless. Most of them have been pointed out above already.
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Nov 26, 2000 11:15:09 AM CST
dumb for not linking this movie? you're the one who's dumb.
by hawauer29a
ok then, you'll have to say that more than half of the audience I saw this movie with who either walked out or went to the restroom more than once are all dumb too. I can't believe how people can be so condescending! thinking themselves as SMART just because they loved the movie. Personally, for me, the movie isn't that bad, but I could point more than a dozen holes on the movie, but that would be pointless. Most of them have been pointed out above already.
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Nov 26, 2000 11:16:00 AM CST
dumb for not linking this movie? you're the one who's dumb.
by hawauer29a
ok then, you'll have to say that more than half of the audience I saw this movie with who either walked out or went to the restroom more than once are all dumb too. I can't believe how people can be so condescending! thinking themselves as SMART just because they loved the movie. Personally, for me, the movie isn't that bad, but I could point more than a dozen holes on the movie, but that would be pointless. Most of them have been pointed out above already.
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M. Night is brilliant. Unbreakable - 4/5 stars. I will see the sequel._______Main strength: daily villainies of everyday man. _______But Unbreakable could be better: A.>>> Wrap in a second storyline. (HOW Audrey endangers Joseph?) B.>>> This would help with the pace of the film, which was just a bit slow._______Sequel: Harry is wrong when he says that Elijah has it all figured out, and he'll escape to cause grief and mayhem. He will escape to serve Dunn, to cooperate and support "the Hero." His underground fortress is not Mr. Glass HQ, but built for Dunn. Only after Dunn rejects this arrangement does the relationship between the Hero and Mr. Glass become...personal (see Audrey/Joseph above.)_______General notes to the "lady" who sat down next to me last night in the multiplex: 1.>>> Don't answer cell phones in theaters - turn it off. 2.>>> Go to the bathroom before you go in to a movie. 3.>>> Take a nap in the daytime if you are going to an evening show. 4.>>> Shower after your nap. 5.>>> Wait for video - stay at home._______Addendum: I'm adding half a point to my rating, 4.5/5.
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Nov 26, 2000 11:51:22 AM CST
dumb for not linking this movie? you're the one who's dumb.
by hawauer29a
ok then, you'll have to say that more than half of the audience I saw this movie with who either walked out or went to the restroom more than once are all dumb too. I can't believe how people can be so condescending! thinking themselves as SMART just because they loved the movie. Personally, for me, the movie isn't that bad, but I could point more than a dozen holes on the movie, but that would be pointless. Most of them have been pointed out above already.
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Oh please, everyone "got" this movie- but apparently there are a handful who want to regard it as The Bible. It feels more like M. Night saw "Hero At Large" when he was a kid. I would also hardly liken Mr. Glass to having the charisma of a Hitler- it's extrememly doubtful that he'd ever even been laid! (An act that would, no doubt, have left him with a broken pelvis and a penile fracture!) His only experience with Love seems to be in the form of vague, general concepts that he has read about in his comics ("Football's what? Ten years- but Love...that's forever"). The bigger in-joke of this film is that the "Jock" ends up being the heroic one, while the guy who reads too many comic books and spends all his time on computers is deemed unfit for society at the end.
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Oh please, everyone "got" this movie- but apparently there are a handful who want to regard it as The Bible. It feels more like M. Night saw "Hero At Large" when he was a kid. I would also hardly liken Mr. Glass to having the charisma of a Hitler- it's extrememly doubtful that he'd ever even been laid! (An act that would, no doubt, have left him with a broken pelvis and a penile fracture!) His only experience with Love seems to be in the form of vague, general concepts that he has read about in his comics ("Football's what? Ten years- but Love...that's forever"). The bigger in-joke of this film is that the "Jock" ends up being the heroic one, while the guy who reads too many comic books and spends all his time on computers is deemed unfit for society at the end.
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Everything cool in the world has been stripped from us i.e. MST3K,Babylon 5, Jim Henson, etc. All brilliant but lost for very different reasons. (I still cry when I here Kermit sing in the original muppet movie.) Then comes a film called 'Unbreakable.' I can't tell you the last time I got chills in a movie theatre, I sat there amazed. I can't pick the details apart and tell you why like some. I just loved it, but then the group of kids next to me started demanding there money back from the theatre owners and almost turned to violence with their demands. Then I thought to myself about this film, "Like Dark City, Thin Red Line, Ronin, Labrynth, Lady Hawk, and Out of Site the Good Guys snuck one in their." How do we get the sequels to this made? We failed to save MST3K and B5 Crusade. Watchmen the Movie never got made. But Lost in Space will probably get a stinkin sequel. If anyone knows Bruce willis, Sam Jackson or M.J.S. let them know that there is a United Fanboy Frontal Attack willing to fight to get the sequels made!
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SPOILERS WITHIN
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I generally agree with you--although without all the unabashed effusiveness...but then, I'm not a comic book or science fiction aficionado--the movie was good. It is getting so-so reviews by the critics, but then I think they are missing the boat. The movie ends in a way that's designed to make you think and ponder and wonder. How else should it end when Bruce discovers that his 'savior' is a villian? It also ends in a way that leaves it open for a sequel, which, occuring to Bruce Willis on some entertainment report I heard somewhere, will occur. This movie is to be the first of a trilogy. I'm glad I did NOT listen to critics' reviews, as I unfortunately do much of the time. Also, I too loved the cinematography, the mood, and yes, even the movies pacing. The pacing was perfect for Bruce's character discovery of himself as hero. I glad you liked the film Mr. Knowles, and I hope people will see the film based on your and others word of mouth. The films' flaws: lack of Robin Wright Penn, and Spencer Treat Clarks (Gladiator) characters' development. Also perhaps, Shyamalan could have briefly *showed* Elijah Price in the home for the criminally insane at the end of the movie, instead of in a written epilogue. [E.g.: Show EP staring morosely and evilly out of a window, and then pan back to show a east coast, university styled brick sided building, the institution's name on the side of the building, a beautifully landscaped and horticultured grassy, treey clearing, and then maximum security gating. OR Show white suited men roughly bounding strait-jacketed EP up the brick stairs in his wheel chair, ranting about his bones, his deeds, his purpose, his future deeds, his hate-whatever.]
My favorite part: when Bruce's character Dunne, and the house kidnap villian are fighting and the character fights Dunne against the wall. The wall becomes damaged with the force of Dunne's body, imagery straight out of a comic cartoon scene!
P.S. Unbreakable's official website is tastefully done and captures the spirit of the movie. Especially intriguing is the story behind the making of the film. http://www.areyouunbreakable.com
-ToniT. -
Shamalamadingdong we love you! Hi! Ho! Everywhere that you go we love you! Dingdong Shamalamadingdong! Our fine filmmaker friend! Dingdong Shamalamadingdong! The fun will never end! Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! Shamalamadingdong! Shamalamadingdong! We love you! Hi! Ho! What the hell do we know! We love you! Dingdong Shamalamadingdong! Our fine filmmaker friend! Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! The fun will never end!
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If you love comic books but if you are tired of the same ol' crappola rolling out of the comics offices month after month....GO SEE THIS FILM
If you DONT love comic books (hey they arent for everybody) but your bored with the same ol' crappola running out of Hollywood week after week...GO SEE THIS FILM
In a nutshell.....
Its a superhero movie WITHOUT
special effects, stunts,silly looking costumes or sexy women in tight tights.(Although X-Men had it's share.)
Its a superhero screenplay written the way comic book companies SHOULD be writing their stuff by now.
Intelligence, a GREAT "what if" premise, and the basic core of good vs. evil.
And while we are here, wasn't that use of the flashing GREEN light on the answering machine the very coolest thing you ever saw???"Water is your kryptonite."
And that little green light is flashing its ass off.
Theres talk of a sequel...COOL!!!!
One last time for you slow thinkers.....This is like voting folks,If you dont go spend your 8 bucks to support a GOOD film you got NO F******G right to cry like a child when Hollywood doesnt MAKE any. -
Saw that coming a mile a way. Lot's of stuff in this movie was overdone and obvious.
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I knew something had to be up with Elijia from the beginning, since we only saw him in reflections. First when he was born, you saw him in the glass, and then when he was speaking with the man in Limited Edition, we saw him in the reflecton of the case. I thought it was kind of a cool way of forshadowing both "Mr. Glass" and also how Elijia was the opposite of David.
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Nov 26, 2000 8:04:24 PM CST
"People despise critics because people despise weakness,and crit
by large molecule
I thought that quote might get someone to read this post. Dave Hickey wrote that. "Unbreakable" was a tragic subtle dreary dream of a movie. Gleaming with rich detail; it's more mature and restained than "Sixth Sense". M.Night Shyamalan has now emerged as one of modern film's great visionaries. Can anyone tell me the first movie he made? The man knows how to move a camera! A feeling of inescapable doom draped every second. Some found it "plodding". I relished every carefully tuned sequence as it unfolded before me. The staircase scene was brillantly executed! The above shot of Willis sinking into the pool left me breathless. I can't wait to see it again.
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Not all of them were bad. Rolling stone, Time, EW, and Ebert all recommend it. Some even recommend it highly. I loved the film and I enjoy the dialogue it has created. That's what it's all about. Even for those of you that hated it, it definately has you talking and pondering etc. That's great. It shows someone made you think and didn't give us another brainless movie that we follow like a (bad) cartoon.
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This movie tries to combine the world of the superhero with the real world. Mission: failed. The enemy comes off as a loser with no goal. If his goal is to find his hero foe, why does he need a foe? There is no game being played, no competition. The only bad thing Mr. Glass ever does is kill people looking for his hero. When the hero is found, Mr. Glass gives up. If his only purpose is to find the hero, there is no need to kill hundreds of people. If he is a true criminal mastermind, why isn't he rich? Never do we see paid guns, useful gadgets to protect his body, teams of doctors familiar with his problems, etc.
When I walked out of the movie, I felt like my time had been wasted. The hero does nothing truly useful on even a city-wide scale. Sure he saved some people, but the cops could have done it. His skills aren't that impressive. Perhaps I have been spoiled by X-Men's beautiful live action introduction, but this movie did nothing for me. -
Man, this movie has inspired me! I have just realized that I, too, have never gotten sick! I am... unbreakable! I've had this clarivoyant vision! I am a superhero as well! And, to prove it, I will jump out my apartment window! Ready.. here goes.... AAAHHH!!
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I just returned from seeing this film with my girlfriend and absolutely adored it. I do have some concerns, however. The people around me did not love this film. Some did to be sure, but most did not - I'm talking LA here. They wanted the 6th sense part 2 and got something completely different. I sat mesmerized throughout the movie, salivating over each new revelation as M. Night expected. The film was the absolute best comic film I've ever seen, that was never a comic. M. Night is the man, but I fear he will be underappreciated on this one. Thank God he made a killing on the 6th sense so that he could tell his story, his way. My fingers are crossed re: rumors of a sequel. M. Night is the BOMB!!
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I just returned from seeing this film with my girlfriend and absolutely adored it. I do have some concerns, however. The people around me did not love this film. Some did to be sure, but most did not - I'm talking LA here. They wanted the 6th sense part 2 and got something completely different. I sat mesmerized throughout the movie, salivating over each new revelation as M. Night expected. The film was the absolute best comic film I've ever seen, that was never a comic. M. Night is the man, but I fear he will be underappreciated on this one. Thank God he made a killing on the 6th sense so that he could tell his story, his way. My fingers are crossed re: rumors of a sequel. M. Night is the BOMB!!
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I'm not so sure, considering that the "heroic" one is the High School football star, while the guy who reads too many comic books and spends all his time on computers is deemed unfit for society in the end.
I would also hardly liken Mr. Glass to having the charisma of a Hitler- it's extrememly doubtful that he'd ever even been laid! (An act that would, no doubt, have left him with a broken pelvis and a penile fracture!) His only knowledge of love seems to be in the form of vague, general concepts that he has read about in his comics ("Of all things for a woman! ...I suppose that makes sense...Love is forever") -
I won't post a review since I feel love for this movie like most people here (my rating was the literal current average on the review poll - an 8).
I just wanted to let Harry know there is already a theme song for his fictitious sequel, BREAKABLE. It's sung by an independent piano playing female singer/songwriter named Fisher. I believe she just got signed to a major label and I know the song is available on Napster and at her website. It's a beautiful little song, but personally I'd go with the title SHATTERED for the sequel. ;) -
While I sat through Unbreakable the one thing that kept going through my mind is how glad I was that I avoided learning anything about the film prior to its release. Had I known this to be a "real-world superhero" film, I would have developed expectations and ultimately found myself disappointed. I liked this movie in spite of it's overly reverant take on the subject matter (can any of you truly imagine being approached with Mr. Glass's theory and not cracking a smile?). I also must agree with several others that the text "post-script" at the end of the film was completely unneccessary. In fact, post scripts of this nature (short of ones done for laughs a la Animal House or Fast Times at Ridgemont High) belong exclusively at the end of documentaries. I would much rather have my own thoughts about what happened to the characters AFTER the film than have everything wrapped up in a neat little bow. Good work but please, for the love of Mike, no sequel.
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WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MR. KNOWLES, I THINK SOME OF YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT IF YOU SAY WITHOUT ANY RESERVATIONS THAT MR. SHYAMALAN INTENDED THIS MASTERPIECE TO BE A "SUPERHERO" OR "COMIC BOOK" MOVIE. UNBREAKABLE'S MAIN DRAMATIC TENSION COMES FROM _NOT KNOWING_ WHETHER OR NOT DAVID DUNN IS AN ORDINARY SHMOE OR IF HE IS IN FACT A LIVING COMIC BOOK CHARACTER. HELL, DUNN'S "POWERS" ARE NEVER CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED TO US--NOT DECISIVELY. HE HAS VISIONS OF PAST CRIMES THAT ARE NOT COMPLETELY RELIABLE--E.G. M. NIGHT'S GUEST APPEARANCE AT THE STADIUM DUNN WORKS AT. THE FACT THAT M. NIGHT'S CHARACTER DOES NOT HAVE DRUGS ON HIM STRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT DAVID MAY JUST BE AN ORDINARY, THOUGH EXTRAORDINARILY LUCKY, GUY. MR. SHYAMALAN IS A MODERN HITCHCOCK, A MASTER OF SUSPENSE, A GOD OF POPULAR CINEMATIC FORM; THIS GUY ROCKS!!!! EVEN SHYAMALAN'S ENDING LEAVES US UNKNOWING: CLEARLY "MR. GLASS" IS A LUNATIC WHETHER WE'RE WATCHING A MOVIE SET IN OUR WORLD OR IN A COMIC BOOK WORLD, BUT DOESN'T HIS MADNESS TAKE ON A TERRIFYING NEW DIMENSION IF HE'S JUST AN UNFORTUNATE INDIVIDUAL WHO KILLED HUNDREDS TO LIVE OUT A PERVERSE COMIC BOOK FANTASY. WHETHER OR NOT UNBREAKABLE IS A COMIC BOOK FILM, ELIJAH IS LIVING IN A COMIC BOOK, IN HIS OWN MIND, CREATING THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LEAD TO HIS OWN CAPTURE: TO HAVE A SUPERHERO IN THE "MEDIOCRE TIMES" WE LIVE IN ELIJAH REALIZES HE HAS TO LITERALLY CREATE ONE. HE CAN'T HIMSELF BE A SUPERHERO BECAUSE OF HIS ILLNESS, SO HE DECIDES TO BECOME A SUPERVILLIAN INSTEAD: HE DOES THIS, NOT OUT OF MALICE, BUT AS A TWISTED FORM OF ALTRUISM. HE FIGURES THIS HERO HE DISCOVERS/CREATES WILL DO ENOUGH GOOD TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DEATHS OF HUNDREDS. IT'S HILARIOUS: MR. GLASS IS A VILLAIN WHO'S ONLY PURPOSE IS TO TRY AND CONVINCE HIS ARCH NEMESIS TO BE GOOD. THIS IS FUCKING BRILLIANT!!!!!! I CAN IMAGINE A SEQUEL WHERE DUNN TRIES TO FORGET HIS PAST WITH MR. GLASS, WHERE MR. GLASS ESCAPES FROM THE ASYLUM AND KIDNAPS DUNN'S WIFE AND CHILD, NOT OUT OF ANY EVIL INTENTION, BUT TO TRY AND CONVINCE DUNN TO TAKE UP HIS "UNBREAKABLE" MANTLE AGAIN. BUT A SEQUEL WOULD ONLY WORK IF WE NEVER DEFINITIVELY FIND OUT WHETHER DUNN HAS ANY POWERS AT ALL. WHY YOU ASK? WELL CAUSE THE AMBIGUITY IS WHAT THE MOVIE'S ALL ABOUT. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT IT. WHAT'S THE TENSEST, MOST AMAZING SCENE IN THE MOVIE? WHEN DUNN'S SON HOLDS A GUN TO HIM. THE REASON IT WORKS IS CAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN, WE DON'T KNOW IF DUNN IS OR IS NOT A SUPERHERO. AND WE SHOULD NEVER KNOW FOR SURE, EVEN IN POSSIBLE SEQUELS. NOT IF M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN WANTS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THIS MINDBLOWING MASTERPIECE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK IT'S A CLEAR CUT SUPERHERO FILM AND CRITICIZE IT AS SUCH, I SUGGEST YOU REWATCH THE MOVIE, WITH NO EXPECTATIONS, WITH NO BIAS, WITH NO REASON TO BELIEVE OR DIBELIEVE IN DUNN'S ABILITIES. THIS IS WHY MOVIES ARE FANTASTIC: BECAUSE A DIRECTOR CAN CREATE ANY WORLD HE CHOOSES, AND BECAUSE IF HE CHOOSES HE CAN CREATE TWO, SIMULTANEOUSLY... FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I made a point of not reading Harry's (or anybody's) review before seeing "Unbreakable," but all the way through, I was thinking "If Harry doesn't love this one..."
Anyway, the idea that a hero needs a villain -- wasn't that pounded into us many, many times in MI2? If Night taking his inspiration from dopey Tom Cruise movies? -
I really enjoyed Unbreakable, but its problems are many. I am very excited about the possibility of a sequel, but not really sure how it will work. Also not sure if Bruce Willis was the right person if this is meant to be a trilogy, mainly because of his age, at 45 it is hard to imagine him progressing as a hero. Though the main problem is all the avenues and loose ends that were never explained really. I find it really hard to believe that based on Elijah's revelation about his heightened instincts that all of a sudden he just started seeing things people have done. Why couldn't this have been something he developed on becoming an adult, in college playing football he started having visions during games of things players had done. That would have been an excellent reason for him to fake an injury and quit football. To start avoiding human contact and become the distant person he was. To unsure and afraid of what is happening to him, doubting that anyone would believe him, he shut himself off to to world. Until the train wreck forced him to deal with the things he had been long trying to deny and avoid. Until Elijah came along and pointed him in the right direction. I would have liked to have seen Willis' character get attacked, perhaps he and his wife getting mugged on the way home from their date, and then at the end finding out that Elijah had paid the mugger to attack him. Perhaps Willis successfully thwarting the mugger, but getting stabbed in the process, his wife calling an ambulance, but when the ambulance gets him to the hospital he knife wound is barely a scratch. Such a defining event that would have opened Willis' eyes a little sooner. This would have also been a nice place for Mr. Night's color trademark, much like the color red in Sixth Sense, many things associated with Elijah in the film have purple in or on them, the mugger could have been wearing a purple jacket. Perhaps getting to see Willis actually buy into the idea and make 2 or 3 outings as a hero, with Elijah becoming more of a friend and mentor, before shaking his hand and dropping the bomb on him. The tone of the film had me expecting some sort of ending where Willis does get hurt performing some act of heroism, followed by a seen where his wife listens to a answering machine message from Elijah's mother explaining how Elijah has died and how Elijah believed that upon his death the balance would be offset, and without Elijah to be his complete opposite that Willis may become breakable. I could spend all day going on about the what ifs and what should have beens and for that reason, despite some small disappointment, I really liked this film. It sparked my imagination, made me think of all the different possibilities, and not many movies do that. Still the slow pace, Willis' overly distant and removed performance, and what I mentioned above keep this from being a great movie.
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Duh! He's supposed to be a criminal mastermind. No powers, just diabolical schemes to perpetrate mass deaths and global domination. Basically, he's the Lex Luthor to David Dunn's Superman. Get it?
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I recently finished writing a screenplay and I will either shop it to a studio or produce it independently. I can imagine not everyone will like it, but that's not why I'm making it. It's a dream of mine that's been in my head for ten years, and I'm doing something about it. I am not saying I'm any better than anyone else... but I'm just answering your question of "why don't YOU go make a film..."... I am. So it's not a copout statement I was making... I'm challenging you to put your money where your mouth is.
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Okay... The acting was top notch. The story was interesting... and I can see that the movie really tried to present a superhero in "real life" terms. If an ordinary joe suddenly found out he had these powers... I think it was presented very realistically. Unfortunately, I also felt that there could have been more to it. I felt like they were building up to a climax which never seemed to happen. I left the movie wanting more, and feeling a little dissapointed. Too much melodrama for my tastes, but I say again... excellent acting and story.
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A person with a special gift learns to use it to help others, under
the guidance of a man who is not quite what he seems.
It's the same plot as M. Night's The Sixth
Sense, right down to the twist
ending. It is laughable that
some of you deny any similarities
between the two films. Fool you
once, shame on him; fool you
twice, shame on you.
Do you really think that M. Night
can sustain this formula for
an entire trilogy?
I can't quite put my finger on
his problem as a director. He
seems capable of subtlety, which
is a good thing, but at the same
time I feel like he's shouting
"Look how subtle I'm being!" over
every frame. I really wanted to
like this film, but it took
itself much too seriously. -
This movie was terrific. By far one of the top 5 best films of the year.
I was entertained from start to finish.
Anyone with an imagination would think the same.
I definitely intend on watching this film again.
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If you're reading this, you should've seen the movie FIRST to avoid very minor SPOILERS.
Ready? Okay. I'm just wondering what happened between M. Night and the comic book companies in the making of this film. There's a lot of Marvel Comic-related stuff seen as the camera pans throughout the Limited Edition gallery, comic store, and Elijah's private room. Cover art and copies of "THOR" seemed to stand out the most -- is there a reason for this (true hero Norse mythology here)???
There are very few DC Comic-related items displayed, even though we have obvious allusions to Superman ("Active Comics") and an outright mention of Kryptonite. Why couldn't we see the real Steel deal??? Was Shyamalan forbidden to show Superman/DC stuff?
By the way, in regards to the ending...the reason it was unsatisfying to me was that the overall pacing of the movie was slow. The ending was curt and abrupt in comparison.
Also, for anyone who cares, the revelation of "Mr. Glass" as a villain reminded me of the last few issues of Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol, where it was revealed that Niles "Chief" Caulder caused the accidents that changed the members of his Doom Patrol forever. -
One more observation I forgot to make...did anyone else notice that M. Night paid tribute to another Marvel comic-book tradition -- that is -- the "double initials"?
Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Bruce Banner (Hulk), Scott Summers (Cyclops), Peter Parker(Spider-Man), Robert Reynolds (Sentry)...thanks to M. Night, we now have David Dunn (Unbreakable)!!
It's got to be more than just a simple accident! -
I loved the movie, but the freeze frames at the end with the titles were a last minute add on by the producers that didn't need to be there. It was intended to end with Willis walking away with the realization that Elijah is evil, and that's it.
Those tacked on titles go to show how producers think audiences always need CLOSURE, and the knowledge that the 'good guy' won... -
I, too, loved this film, and I'm not a comic book reader. It is beatifully shot and edited. Someone earlier in this TB mentioned the scene where Dunn is fighting the murderer in the bedroom. AWESOME, I couldn't agree more. Another scene that stands out in my mind is when his son is threatening to shoot him to prove his invincability. All at once, you're scared for him that he might get shot, and also wanting the kid to do it, just to see what happens.
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I admit I'm not a comic book enthusiast, but I have turned a page or two in my day. I truly admired the core of this story, but I can't say I was so impressed by the execution. A superhero who steps from the masses as David Dunn (who's name is the first tip off that he's a superhero... i.e. peter parker, bruce banner, clark kent... all alliterative names)is refreshing. But I'm not particularly keen on the whole surprise ending, which it wasn't. Sam Jackson's villian was obvious, from his dress to his constantly stating the obvious ("we're opposites of the same spectrum")to his "slightly larger eyes" as stated by his mother. I did enjoy Dunn's journey in his creating his new mental self as a superhero. I like that he has this semi-omniscient ability to see into the lives of people so that he could right wrongs. Then again, so did Frank Black in "Millenium," and he didn't have to touch anyone. I do admit the scene where he stands in the crowd with his hands extended (seeing all) was pretty damn cool. I also felt that it was pretty weak to bring his son into his conclusion of who he truly is. Wouldn't the burden of taking on the world's ills be enough for him, than to expose his son as well? Now he's gotta deal with that "son following him around and screwing things up" thing. Finally, I could see the finally coming. But think about it. Here's a man who just realizes he's a superhero, he kills his first villian, then he discovers who his arch enemy is. A man who has killed hundreds just to find him. And what does our hero do? He tells on him. Goes to the cops and has his put in a prison for the criminally insane. I've heard others who read the script earlier this year say the same thing... that the ending doesn't work with the rest of the story. I agree. I truly don't believe a supervillian would just give himself up like that. Even Hannibal Lecter called Clarice from "out of town" and it's obvious that he could kick her ass... or eat it (and I don't believe Lecter was caught on purpose. He had already been imprisoned in "Red Dragon" or "Manhunter" and seized the first opportunity to escape). Maybe "Unbreakable" is along the lines of "Episode One." Maybe it's a promise of greater things to come. I sure hope so. Not to knock the film, but I wish I was left with more. Which isn't neccessarily a bad thing.
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Last May, I was stoked to find out that Bruce Willis was in another M. Night film being shot a my University football feild. A little pissed becasue I couldn't play ball there, but whatever. Watching the film and seeing Franklin Feild (UPenn's own) and the train station next door (used as the "subway station" appear in probably a third of the movie was pretty cool. 30th Street station also. I hope he continues to make all his films in Philly- this is too cool :)
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It's wonderful to see a director/writer finally tell some awesome character-driven fantasy stories like Sixth Sense and Unbreakable that don't need flashy distracting special effects. I know some people didn't like this movie, but personally I agree with Harry this time -- this film was perfection! M. Night Shyamalan has quickly become one of my favorite directors. I can't wait to see what further stories he has to tell us. If you haven't seen Unbreakable yet, check it out!
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Yes, in the theater I saw it in the audience cracked up in a few places during this scene. So did I, and I'm sure it was purposeful, as that scene was very stressful. It provided a little relief. M. Night seems to be great at easing the tension with humor, while not undermining it. Good movie.
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I've seen a few posts on Talkback and a few reveiws comment negatively about David Dunn killing the janitor in the orange jumpsuit. Two things: 1. Did he kill him, or did he choke him until he passed out? My wife and I discussed it and we felt it could go either way. 2. If he killed him, is that so bad. After all he didn't have many options that we know about. David didn't have a firm grasp on his own abilities. He was winging it. Most critics of this scene have indicated that Superheroes don't kill their villains. That may be true of the majority, but it isn't a universal rule in comics even if it is very prevalent.
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My wife and I just saw "Unbreakable" on the weekend. I read the first part of Harry's review then convinced my wife to see the movie. We loved it. What amazing characterization!! "Real" people. There will be alot of discussion about this film by all of us geeks for years to come. The thing is this, why was this marketed as a "Sixth Sense" genre film. Its too bad, it has affected a couple news reviews here in eastern canda. People don't like it because they did not know what they were watching (not that this should affect one's appreciation of good cinema)but lets aknowledge what is affectionately know as "the masses." I just hope this doesn't affect the possibility of a sequel. I want to see what happens!
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I love comics, but this movie reeked of pretension and silliness. People were laughing openly at the packed theater in Georgetown where I saw this movie, and I couldn't blame them. Just as word-of-mouth built up THE SIXTH SENSE, it'ss gonna kill this one quickly, and rightly so.
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Nov 27, 2000 12:21:00 PM CST
I'm glad I don't sit next to Harry at the movies, the squealer t
by bravecapt.
"Unbreakable" was so-so. 60/40. Almost there. Don't hold your breath waiting for parts 2 & 3. Something tells me we won't see them, despite this weekend's box office.
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I was wondering what Bruce Willis' character would call himself, if he called himself anything, or what "Mr. Glass" would call him. Would he call himself "Security Guard" or "The Guard" or "Guardian." I just loved his Spectre-esque costume with SECURITY printed in bold letters on the back. Dang it was cool seeing him look like the Spectre. What a brilliant movie.
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This film was fabulous. I totally agree.
I really feel that it allows one to escape to his or her youth when such ideas were a party of everyday living.
I also felt that this film was the beginning and not the end of a great story.
I tip my cap to the entire cast and crew for a job well done.
The movie was awesome!!!!! -
Unbreakable is NOT part of a preplanned trilogy. Whatever newspaper article Harry pulled out his butt that cited Willis as stating there is a planned trilogy is not the case. According to a more recent interview (than the supposed Nov. 6th interview Harry is citing) with Willis, Jackson AND Shyamalan, Willis and Jackson have been pushing Shyamalan and Disney for a sequel... but so far, Shyamalan, who conceived, wrote, produced and directed Unbreakable, has not made any commitment. Does this mean that Willis and Jackson can't convince him eventually? No. Does it mean they will convince him? No. Does it mean they should? No. However, I do think Shyamalan is capable of making sequels that don't have all the bad characteristics of sequels... especially bad hero story sequels. If he isn't going to pen it and direct it, forget it, I wouldn't want to watch some Joel Schumacher-like bastardization of one of the most unique, best films of our time. But this certainly means that the idea of a trilogy HAS NOT BEEN PREPLANNED from the start... Harry should know better than to pretend unconfirmed rumors are headline-worthy... but then, who am I kidding, he's a journalist. What else should I expect from him?
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Unbreakable was boring, and when I walked out of the theatre I wanted to find Security Man myself and tell him I was robbed. The build up was unbearable...and for what...a slow drawn out discovery of what most of the audience probably new already. Oh, and the drama of the "Mr. Glass". "They called me Mr. Glass". I can't believe these guys read this script and thought no one was going to laugh at them. And I have no sympathy for Bruce Willis who gives this 2 dimensional somber performance that never deviates from it's moroseness. Pleeeeease! It might have worked for the 6th Sense, but it almost feels like M. Knight said to Bruce "OK, same thing as last time" and to Sam "OK, your character is going to be like Shaft meets Pulp Fiction, but with a big fucked up 'fro and brittle bones". The pay off really sucked on this film too. I could have forgiven so much if the payoff were something to wright home about, but he doesn't do anything incredibly extra ordinary. Nothing that a trained security guard couldn't believably do. The most that really happens here is he gets some pychic flashes and survives a train wreck you never really see. This film needed to be seriously more demonstrative of what this character could actually do to sell me on it.
And as for Harry...I hate to say it, but the more I read your reviews the more you keep sounding like a CLASS ACT SELL OUT. You and Ebert have been paid off by the same people. You're reviews feel candy coated and softened and so you've lost my trust and my respect as professionals. -
Apparently, you are as grumpy as your namesake. Chill out on Harry, man... nobody has all the time in the world to check out every rumor, and just because it was mentioned that there are no "official" plans to make a sequel, that does not mean that it wasn't planned as a trilogy.
Also, to everyone else that posted: it makes me feel all gushy inside to think that a movie can inspire these kinds of feelings in people. I personally thought the movie rocked, and it proves M. Night is the only one worthy of Hitchcock's throne.
"They call me... Mr. Blonde?" -
I have been a avid comic collector for most of my life and I loved this movie! There are a couple of cool this I noticed that made me appreciate it even more afterwords 1)The Raincoat David Dunn were near the end of the movie looks alot like a Cape 2)The description of the drawing of the hero and villan Elija give to the customer in his comic store exactly describes David Dunn and MR Glass. David Dunn has the Square Jaw and Mr glass is tall with a over exaggerated head . Pretty cool stuff!!
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The more I read these TB's the closer I come to the realization that almost every film goer has A.D.D. I like big explosion movies as much as the next guy but it's nice to see a movie come along that actually makes you think. When you have to work at it to figure out what's going on the ending is that much more rewarding. Yeah the SIXTH SENSE was good, I'm a big fan of it. However, when I went into UNBREAKABLE I had high expectations and an open mind. I wasn't expecting the SIXTH SENSE and I didn't get the SIXTH SENSE. Instead I saw what I believe to be the greatest comic book movie of all time. It was the absolute perfect year one story for a hero. It seems that too many people went in expecting something that they shouldn't have. You don't go into every Spielberg movie expecting SCHINDLER'S LIST do you? that would be unfair and would probably ruin the movie. I know some people "got the movie" and still didn't like it. Oh well. It seems though that the majority of the people went in expecting an apple and got an orange. And instead of cherishing what they got they bitch and moan and throw away a perfectly good orange.
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Elijah's character wasn't really a super-villain... his motivation wasn't to be evil. His whole motivation came out of what he said was the worst feeling possible: not knowing how you fit in. Elijah wanted desperately for there to be some "reason" for him to exist. It was too horrible to think of his existence as being merely chance or an accident... he could bear being so fragile if he knew that it somehow made sense. His whole reality was viewed through the grid of comic books, and so the sense he looked for came from that reality. He didn't want to find someone who was "unbreakable" so that he could become the super-villain and fight him, he wanted to find that person to validate his own existence. As soon as David became a "hero," his quest was over. An unbreakable hero did in fact exist, and that made his existence make sense (at least to him). That's why he didn't embark on a rampage of crime when he found out David really was unbreakable... that was never his intent. All of his terrorist acts had finding the unbreakable man as their goal. Once he had found David, he didn't need to do it anymore. That's how I saw it, anyway.
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First off, love your site Harry. As for the film, I
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I have seen the movie twice. I think it is a masterpiece. There are some things I noticed that many of you might have not. Please write back with what you think of my insight into this movie. M. Night Likes to play with props and colors. Using forshadowing is a must and I believe that I have cracked the code for many of his ideas that he placed in this movie. Basically, I feel as though I figured out most the information that he will be adding to the special features for the DVD release.
First of all, the movie starts off in the reflection of a mirror.
Then David is leaning his head against a window.
Next you see the accident through the television news which projects onto a glass tube.
Next you see the reflection of Elijia in a TV.
He looks at a PURPLE gift his mother placed on a bench through a WINDOW.
David comes out of a church with stained glass windows.
He sees an invitation to the art gallery through his windshield.
You see Elijia and a customer talking about the art piece in the reflection of the glass cover.
David tells his son to throw out the glass of water.
Elijia sees the man with the silver gun in the mirror of his car.
He chases him and falls down a stair well breaking his glass cane.
Elijia is told that he will have to go to a rehabilitation center where it fades into the WINDOW of the entrance of the building.
Joseph fill up the glass with PURE ORANGE Juice.
The woman with the RED jacket steals the jewelery from a GLASS case.
The guy with a YELLOW jacket hits the pedestrian with a GLASS bottle.
The guy with the ORANGE jumpsuit says that he likes the house to the house owner through a storm window.
I believe that the guy who was going to rape the passed out girl did not rape her because there was no glass reference.
The window was opened on the top floor of the house when he was pushed onto the pool.( I feel there must be a reason for this. What? I do not know.)
The guy was spitting beer from a BOTTLE right before he was strangled by David.
The plane explosion was viewed by people through a window from the airport.
The apartment fire was conjured up during a conversation at a bar drinking some alcohol from a glass.
The Train incident does not have any glass involved because David was in it....
That is all I can think up right now, if anyone else finds more please email me.
Now the Colors.
Above, I have mentioned some colors from different scenes in BOLD.
Orange Red and Yellow signify evil/bad.
When ever he felt or saw a vision of a bad deed, the person wore one of these colors. Except for Elijia. He wore purple.
The comic book was wrapped in purple tissue in a box with purple wrapping paper.
The camelflauge jacket had yellow.
The red jacket
The yellow jacket
The orange jump suite
David wore mostly blue
The complimentary color of blue is orange.
Orange is pure evil.
Joseph poured pure orange juice into the GLASS foreshadowing that Mr. Glass is filled with Pure Evil.
So guys, what do you think? Anyone else see what I saw? There is more but I will post later under the same heading PART II ok?
Write me back at yoshids@hotmail.com with any comments on what you think of my post.... Id be very interested.. This movie is the start of a cult following I predict. We want more!!!
Yoshi -
I can't believe that nobody has brought this up yet, but I'll mention it just in case.
As many people know, in 6TH SENSE the director used the color red to indicate that something "scary" was about to happen. ONLY such scenes contained the color red. Knowing this, I looked for how he used color in this movie. You'll notice that Mr. Jackson's color is purple, while Mr. Willis' color is green. Most scenes with these characters make use of these colors. Now look at some of the comic books that are briefly flashed on the screen. Purple vs. Green.
Is there an even greater meaning about the colors that I missed? Probably. So show me up by delving into the meaning even further! -
I thought the movie kicked ass. I do however agree that I would have liked to have seen just a little more action and and little more to the ending but enough with that. Everyone at one time or another wishes they were special in some way. Can you imagine what it would feel like to wake up one day and discover that you were not only special, but special in a way that could give your life meaning and that you could make a difference. When I was a kid I used to dream what it would be like to be Superman or have the ultimate weapon like Green Lantern. That if I had that power what I would do to make the world a better place. Watching Unbreakable brought all that back. It made me feel like a kid again.
BScanner -
Maybe the second film can be called Inedible. It can be about a crippled cook with no taste buds, named Gerald Icetope AKA Mr. Bland who spends his life cooking inedible and horrible food, searching for the one man who will enjoy his cooking. He finds that man after hearing about a guy named Edgar Eggs who is the only man to ever win the Texas State Hard Boiled Eggs and Yogurt Eating Compotion by eating over 400 hard boiled eggs and 300 containers of Bananas
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For those of you who saw the movie and did not like it, it is obvious that you are a bunch of MONKEY FUCKERS because this movie kicked serious ass!!!!! And YES, this is the FIRST MOVIE IN A PREPLANNED TRILOGY!!!!!!!!!! THIS MOVIE IS IN MANY WAYS SUPERIOR TO THE SIXTH SENSE-INFACT, IT STRESSED MANY ISSUES WHICH THE SIXTH SENSE DIDN'T!!!!!
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I don't know how you IDIOTS could say that this ending was shit because it wasn't by far. The ending gave Elijah a real purpose in the film and it gave the film a real bad guy. It also added in last minute depth to his character and told how he thought of the world in which he felt he hadn't a place.
I pity all you fools who thought the ending was crap.
This film is the work of a genious and that genious is M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN!!!!!!!!! -
This is the first film I have seen in a long time that has completely floored me. I loved the story line, the cinematography, the score, the twists and most of all I loved the performances by Willis and Jackson. Shamalyan is becoming one of the better directors around. I don't understand the negative reviews about the film's end, it makes perfect sense, especially when you look back on certain scenes. I can't wait to see it again.
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Warning: If you've read this far on the talkback and are trying to avoid spoilers, you're outta luck. If you don't want spoilers, you shouldn't read something that Harry says contains spoilers or skip past the spoilers and read the talkback, 'cause that's where the most spoilers will be...after all, that's where all the discussion is.
I know I'm not the first person in this talkback to come to the defense of Unbreakable, but before we get into the muckraking, let's back up a bit.
Unbreakable isn't a comic book movie. This movie is about many, many things, however the fact that it uses comic books as a model does not make it a comic book movie. I'll go out on a limb and say it's even *above* comic books. Sure, comic books focus on the same ideas and the same general story (sometimes even the same format). But there is a vast difference between what M. Night has crafted and a comic book.
What both comic books and this film focus on is the hero -- the Greeks had their heroes and mythology, but that's old, right? Darn right it's old -- it's old because Man as a whole seeks heroes out and has been so since our origins as a species. And remember what the hero is intended to do and be: he/she is supposed to be a role model for us, to inspire us to improve ourselves. The film culture (and the American culture as a whole has followed it) has been leaning away from the hero as the Greeks, comic book fans and M. Night know it. After all, real heroes don't exist, right? That someone would go out of his/her way to make someone's day easier is almost out of the question, let alone someone who steps into a situation inwhich he/she has no definite interest and makes Good happen. That's not real, we are told by movies, Good is a sham and it's useless to try to go out there and *do* it because it will come to naught. I'm hard pressed to remember a movie that exemplifies this kind of selfless behavior (I could be wrong, of course, but that doesn't diminish the fact that Hollywood doesn't like a hero who is cut and dried in that manner). Real people are divided against themselves, after all, they have inner demons and struggle through every moral decision that confronts them. But Unbreakable begs to differ. It places Good in the world again as something that isn't forced, but something that should be done; and it's everyone's responsibility to do it. Unbreakable talks about Good and Evil as they are -- forces to be reckoned with, forces that are in constant contention, forces which intertwine and give birth to the other; and it places Man where he should be/is in that battle: as the pawns, knights and kings.
Hollywood as a whole does give us heroes, by the way. But all of them, almost to a person, are forced into their position. Gone is the time when heroes who make a conscious decision to do Good, instead we have heroes that require a motive forcing them there, and among these, revenge predominates. The reluctant hero has become an all-encompassing idea, the regular hero has all but disappeared (I'd be glad to be given counter-examples). And Hollywood tries to move on without it and the concept of everyday Good. Interestingly enough, their heroes still aim to do Good, usually on a large scale, i.e. the hero/heroine saves the world or a large body of faceless people. This kind of Good, we are told by movies, still exists, but without the concept of everyday Good, that sort of hero-action lacks a logical reason. Why are these heroes supposed to go about doing large-scale Good if doing Good in any other way is pointless?
Unbreakable brings the Good back into the world, coupled with the concept of a willing hero. David isn't forced into the hero business by Elijah (reference to Elijah the Prophet, mayhaps?). Elijah doesn't hold David's family at gunpoint or in some other way force David into the hero biz. David makes that decision for himself; he calls Elijah and asks what to do now that he's accepted the fact that he has the ability and that he really does have the *want* to do Good. This is what makes a hero captivating, this is what makes the hero story interesting: that someone would willingly choose to put themselves in harm's way to help people they don't know and have no reason to care about, despite their reservations. (And just having reservations does not a reluctant hero make). Also, we have to accept that David has been unbreakable since birth and that he was ordained by some higher conscience for this duty, something that makes the everyday Good that David does (here I mean that he combats everyday crime; stuff we would see on the evening news and shrug off before dinner) important and worthwhile.
Unbreakable isn't a comic book film; it doesn't make the hero superhuman, and that is where the movie's strength lies. Because the main character is Joe Schmoe and not saddled with blatantly obvious, ridiculous, or otherwise divisive powers (gotta love M. Night's ambiguity here...we don't even know if this entire power/weakness thing is real in the movie), the audience is forced to consider David as one of them. This makes David a model for us and not some wacked out freak that has nothing better to do with his extra strength, dexterity or mutation.
But now to the specific complaints that have been pasted up and down this talkback. First of all, don't even think of comparing this movie to The Sixth Sense. Unbreakable isn't a sequel to The Sixth Sense any more than The Birds was a sequel to Psycho. M. Night is a storyteller, not a serialist. Each is a story within itself.
Secondly, the ending. There's a lot of opinion on this talkback, but it's not really that varied. Either it sucked, or it ruled. I'm a firm supporter of the latter, but that's because I'm a writer and understand the difficulties that come with endings of this type. If Shyamalan had shown any more or less than he did, the impact of the ending would have been softened, and this would have failed to make the point that M. Night was attempting to make. (The complexity of the Good v. Evil battle for those of you who missed it...scoff not, Talkbackers, Good v. Evil t'aint lame...it's the meat and potatoes of the universe).
And what of the blatantly obvious (or pathetically stupid) stuff, like Bad = Black, Good = White? Well, like a wise playwrite once said, "Look closer..." Mr. Glass has all the trappings of a good comic book villian (odd physical flaw, smart, eccentric, but emotionally bent or broken), and this shows in the construction of his cane and his love of a deep purple lining for his coat. All of these obvious personal flairs are there as a tip o' the hat to the comic books that play such an integral part of the villians development.
There are also rumblings about Mr. Glass creating and destroying a the hero that he raised from the ashes of normalcy. I wish to offer an alternative: that David's journey to being a hero is far from complete, even without learning of the sacrifices made so that he can be found. This new information sets back our hero's development, certainly, but recall that he didn't give up the hero business. He turned Mr. Glass into the authorities. While he's going to go through a lot of turmoil because of this revelation, the ending of the movie indicates that he still presses on in his newfound occupation. He is still a hero at the end of the movie. (Something that M. Night couldn't have accomplished any other way, not without reducing the impact of the revelation.)
Well, that's my $0.02. Unbreakable is an outstanding movie in my book and I eagerly await the sequels, if they ever come.
NathanSloan
"Don't eat the pentagram." -
The thing that's bugging me about this otherwise quite interesting Talkback is how the word "comics" is used synonymously with "superheroes". Superheroes are a *genre*. Comics are a *medium*. A MEDIUM. And like any medium (radio, television, film, prose), capable of exploring any genre or combination of genres in existence. Speaking of comics as though the medium equals only superheroes is a symptom of the close-minded attitude that keeps American comics in the kiddie ghetto. And nearly every single post here is doing it. Shyamalan did it in "Unbreakable" too. It's a matter of semantics, but by no means a trivial one. I mean, Harry says, "Comic books for me have been about the mythology of mankind", only to mention comic creators like Eisner, Crumb, and Shelton in the next sentence and completely subvert himself. Not a ONE of those guys wrote about superheroes or mythology! My humble request is this: please don't use the broad term "comics" when you really mean something as specific as "superheroes". The Europeans and the Japanese have flourishing comic book traditions with nary a superhero in sight. When they hear the word "comics", it could mean anything from the surreal science fiction of Moebius to the political melodrama of Kaiji Kawaguchi's "Eagle" to the romantic comedies of Rumiko Takahashi. The thing is, American comics have that same diversity, but we just can't seem to get past that goddamn fucking mental block of comics = superheroes. It drives me insane.
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This is, by far one of the best films I've seen. I thouroghly enjoy the "storytelling" ability of M Night. His use of true humanity mixed with just enough fantasy has made this movie and the Sixth Sense a joy to watch. For those who thought the movie was too slow in developing, I say this -- the Sixth Sense wan't much faster! However fictional "Unbreakable" may be, M Night had done it so that the interested viewere could leave the theater with the slightest bit of belief that there is someone out there like David Dunn. It's an interesting thought to ponder -- however riduculous it may sound.
I am not a comic book collector, but I do not believe you need to be a fan of comic books to enjoy this film. It's a dark, modern fairy tale to me. In a lot of ways, M Night could be on his way to being labeled a modern day Hitchcock -- not in a Horro sense, be a mystery and suspense sense.
Bottom line -- this was an amazing film. As much as would like to be a seqel, I hope it will not be a disapointment. -
To those of you using the example of the drug dealer(Night)as proof that Dunn's powers are nonexistent, remember that the garbageman was a premonition. It's quite possible that Night hadn't gotten the drugs yet, just as the thief might not yet have the jewelry or the rapist yet to have his victim. He was seeing things before they happened. Seems pretty powerful to me.
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I agree that comics as an art form of ought not be conflated with the superhero genre. The problem is that the very term "comics" demeans and misrepresents all sequential art everywhere. At first I felt very disturbed by M. Night's apparent confusion on this issue, his seeming to think superhero stories were essential to "comics," but it's really Elijah's delusion, not Shyamalan's. Thus it is appropriate, given Elijah's psychosis and the commentary at the film's start, to use the term "comic book movie." Fuck, who in his right mind would call _Maus_ a "comic book"?
I strongly suspect Shyamalan has read McCloud. But I also suspect he was drawn to comic books as they represent the superhero genre because of the strong association between the two in this country, and because he is generally interested in subverting popular generic conventions--horror, superhero, and, if there is a god in heaven, sci-fi for his next movie--just like, ahem, one Mr. Hitchcock was drawn to the popular cinema and popular genric fiction, and like another obvious filmic influence on Shyamalan, Jim Jarmusch.
Finally, with regard to Dunn's "powers": The family was already dead. If he does have any power, Dunn did not see into the future when he brushed the janitor: he saw that the man had already murdered earlier in the day: otherwise, isn't Dunn just as "guilty" of murdering that family because he did not intervene sooner? When Dunn shakes Elijah's hand, he sees Elijah's past crimes, not future ones. No matter what Dunn's not precognative, just at best intuitive. -
It's true that the terms "comics" and "comic books" are misleading in and of themselves, but unfortunately I'm pretty sure they're here to stay. As if the subject matter of most American comics wasn't enough of a barrier to critical respect, the very NAME of the medium turns folks away. Shit. **** I still think Shyamalan did comics a disservice by using "comics" synonymously with "superhero comics" in the opening text of "Unbreakable". I realize that in America superheroes ARE the supremely dominant genre, and it's fine to use that as the basis for Dunn's psychosis, but the introductory text is essentially the voice of an omniscient narrator setting the stage. As an omniscient narrator it shouldn't represent Dunn's twisted perspective. If the text had begun, "The average superhero fan..." or "The average superhero comics reader...", I'd have no problem. But I'm pissed because bigshot, respected filmmaker Shyamalan basically just told a couple tens of millions of Americans that comics=superheroes. Hell, I'm even annoyed that that opening text referred to comic readers as "collectors", as though comics weren't stories but objects to be stockpiled. Most people with a house full of books aren't book collectors are they? They're just *readers*. Wouldn't it make sense then to refer to folks with lots of comics as comic *readers*? Nobody really hoards comics as collectibles anymore. The speculator boom-and-bust of the 90's had the single positive effect of proving once and for all to money-hungry dipshits that comics are poor investments. Anyway, I don't think Shyamalan set out intentionally to do disservice to the struggling comics medium, but that's still what he did. Doesn't mean the movie wasn't good (I'm still torn on how to evaluate it), but the comics advocate in me isn't real happy with some of his choices...
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Ever heard of subtlety? Ever heard of slowly building tension? Ever heard of an every-day good guy we can all root for? Ever heard of a movie that may not have been 100% perfect but was still pretty stinking awesome?
Unbreakable was all these things and more. But above all else this movie was one thing: cool.
If you didn't like it. If you didn't 'get it'. If you thought this movie was too slow, or boring. Please, do us all a favor.
Go find a very, very high cliff... and toss yourself off. Because you are what's wrong with this planet.
Mt. Top -
The visions that Dunn had are not premonitions. When he bumped the Orange Suited Man, he saw the dead man, but it was a daytime shot. When he followed him to the house, it was night. The murders had already taken place. Also, the drug dealer stashed the drugs in the bathroom. He placed them in a trashcan. That's why they weren't on him.
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This is the way I understood it, and it came after seeing it for a second time. Yes, most of his visions are not premonitions, but rather visions of the past (I realized this when he actually found the dead guy, as opposed to stopping his death). But in the case of the drug dealer played by Night, he saw what the guy was GONNA do (he was heading off toward the bathroom, not away from it), and his searching him was just a precaution to get the guy "scared" enough to back off and not pick up the package (same as the patting down when the guy with the silver gun was in line). Just an idea...
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You both make some excellent points regarding the use of color and glass. EP's color is purple. Purple is often associated with royalty and also religion. Price's character had a strange duality of being both a spiritual guide, and ultimately a villian, so I think that purple was a great color for him. His costumes were just fabulous, IMO. Yoshids, thanks for pointing out how much M. Night used glass as a photographic and story telling device. It's a perfect juxtaposition for a story about someone being "unbreakable". Damn, I've got to watch this movie again.
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I liked this movie even more than I thought I would after reading your review...and I came back and read the rest after I saw it. Bravo. One thing you left out of your review was M. Night's brilliant blurring of the line between good and evil. Sammy Jackson says something in the flick about one of the pieces of art being a "classic representation of good and evil". This film was not. It blurred the lines between the two in a way that made you think. These comic book characters were not cut and dry, they were good and bad, both, at the same time, and all the more human for it. A wonderful, REAL-LIFE comic book movie that deserves a huge cult fan following. I'm disappointed in how many people hated this movie, but I understand why. Let's hope that the sequels get made. Later, peeps...
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Call me confused, but, if his visions were of the past, can anyone explain to me why the murderer (Orange Jumpsuit) went back to the scene of the crime? If you get away with a crime of that magnitude, would you be so stupid as to go back? Just wondering.
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The drug dealer that NIGHT played wasn't heading toward the bathroom!!!!! He was in line at the ticket office!!!
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Mage the hero discovered...YES!! The magic was never in the bat.
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While trying to digest most of the postings here I see a wide range views and options all of them right to a degree. I only have two major though provoking question Since Mr. H has over 70,000 comic in one form or another I have not read one comment about the comics (Mr. glass first comic a Action comic cover price 25 cents and sentryman) yes I do know there where 100's of other comic books but these two comics are major parts of the plot. I have been told that neither of these two comics ever exited. I was looking for a second sources to confirm this. Thanks
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I did see that many people leaving did not like it, but I think most of them were expecting Sixth Sense 2, Electric Bugaloo. My wife, who is no big fan of comic books (though she does allow me to indulge myself in them), also enjoyed the movie alot more than I thought she would. We talked about the movie for the rest of the night - which I think is the sign of a very VERY good movie. Sure, it is not for everyone, as is indicated by the number of people here who HATED it, but I found it to be quite thought provoking. On a side note, hopefully without ***SPOILING** anything for anyone ... I am curious as to what some of you thought of the scene near the end, when Mr Glass was in the comic book store. What do you all think was going on there, and what did it mean? Thank you, and can you believe I'm ... gettinpaidforit
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Nov 29, 2000 3:26:08 PM CST
Bruce Willis is dead, Kevin Spacey is the bad guy, and that she
by twistedtenacity
Whoops, sorry wrong spoilers. Forgiveness please.
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With the wrap-up only a few weeks away, it 's hard to tell if Paul jenkins and Jae Lee's "The Sentry" is a kind-of rip-off of M.Nigh Shyalaman's new movie "Unbreakable" or vice versa. Maybe not. But the echoes and resonances ---the whole symbiotic relationship between good and evil, black and white, hero and villain, et.al. ---are there, right down to the comic book Elijah Price bought , "The Sentryman". Still. Doesn't stop either work to really kick ass. "Unbreakable" proves that M.Night Shyalaman is neither a hack nor a one-hit wonder. He's no Phil Joanou. "Unbreakable" ,in fact, might turn out to be a better movie than "Sixth Sense". At least it hasmore depth, more poetry and a deeper sense of dread. The ending, that creepy last five minutes or so, of "Unbreakable", in partiuclar, can make your hair stand up on end as if a ghost just passed by you.
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UNBREAKABLE: A VERY SORRY PROT
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Superb cinema; puts the "human" in superhuman. Not since the Denny O'Neil/Neal Adams GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW comics of the early '70's have I been so moved by superheroes. I've been making my own "down to earth" superhero movies for years (RATMAN, THE BLACK SHADOW, THE BLACK MASQUE, and THE WEREWOLF, all of which had their debut on Public Access), but to see it handled so well on the Big Screen is truly refreshing. (THE X-MEN and MYSTERY MEN were likewise pleasant surprises, but this movie delves into the mind of the men behind the masks in a frank and believable way.) Superb.
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If you look closely after Willis sleeper-holds the man in orange, the man is still breathing on the ground, but the woman tied to the radiator is not. Just my observation from my viewing last night.
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But I saw Unbreakable on opening night. I was completely blown away. I've never been a comic-book fan, but I watched Superman growing up and enjoyed the first Batman movie. I didn't know *anything* about Unbreakable going in other than the very little which was revealed in the trailer (might I add: FINALLY they do a trailer without revealing every last plot point!) My wife loved it too. HOWEVER, coming out of the theater I noticed something: every group of teenagers we went past were saying things like "well, that sucked!" or "I can't believe I sat through that!" The *adults* in the crowd were saying things like "That was the best movie I've seen all year!" Now, over a week later, I'm still astounded by the film. Most everyone I've talked with here at work who saw it liked it. Here, I see a bunch of comic-book loving people not liking it. Maybe the movie's audience is the mature and unsuspecting crowd, the ones who *haven't* read the script and searched the Net for every last tidbit about the movie before they see it, the ones who aren't distracted throughout the movie by little "inaccuracies" in how the comics world is portrayed (hey, as a programmer I get distracted by how movies mis-portray technology, so I can relate there). Just a thought.
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On his wall were headlines which didn't relate to his "big three" disasters. In fact, it seems there was one headline which said something like "Only Infant Survives", so maybe these disasters were also a part of his search for Unbreakable Man. As for those who say he's a lame "villain" because now his "evildoings" are done, I don't know. Maybe in Comic-Book Land that would be true, but I doubt it. In reality, I'd focus on the fact that he has already broken the moral boundary of killing to achieve his purposes, and the next time his purposes might result in death he'll go ahead anyways. And question: are hundreds, thousands, of lives worth bringing one "superhero" to the world? I don't know, but in Mr Glass's mind, they are. In other words, there is much potential there as a recurring villain, so don't count him out.
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Saw this last night.
I gotta say, my favorite part about it happened a few hours later while I was in bed. I was mulling the movie over, savoring the greatness and it hit me.
Originally the scene with Mr Glass in the comic store made little sense to me. I just saw it as a moment of depression that could have easily have ended up on the cutting room floor. But then, in retrospect... THE SYMBOLISM!!! Mr. Glass yanked that wheel three times. Three times he caused destruction in the comic store. The last time, he found the comic he wanted. Much the same way he thrice caused destruction to find Mr Unbreakable... BRILLIANT!! I LOVE it when you have those after the fact realizations!!
One minor complaint... I didn't like the "Mr. Unbreakable busts Mr. Glass" and "Mr. Glass goes to the funny farm" bits... Those are just a bit on the silly side. It would have been better just to leave them out and have that suspense. But hey, small gripe. No big thang. All in all... FANTABULOUS!! -
NormanOsborne/ BlewSanta... the
janitor returned to the house for the same reason that he didn't kill the wife and children outright. He didn't just like the man's house, but wanted to *replace* that man (family and all). This plays into the insanity that we all observed in him. Also... he was either watching the WWF or UFC (I heard the name "Shamrock" O.S.). This was to foreshadow the grappling match with Dunne. As to whether or not Dunne killed him... I thought so. But we don't know for sure. Someone said they noticed the morning paper read 3 people dead... and the daughters *may* have finished the (then helpless) janitor off if Dunne didn't. Either way, he's gone (and guys, going back up to the room may have been heroic, but it was *not* self-defense). Finally... Dunne didn't necessarily have super strength. He could reverse different forms of energy (this explains the "just enough strength" that someone else mentioned). That's why the struggle went on so long (he was reversing "orange suit's" own exerted strength... much as he did the gravity of the bench weights). Elijah, on the other
hand, *absorbed* energy... which
not only explains why he was so fragile, but why he needed to find a hero. A hero back from the dead (remember the words of Dunne's former teacher) who will spread his arms in a subway and take on the sins of the world (some of the best symbolism I've seen in a while). -
Hey, this is my first look at this website and my first time doing this sort of chat thing. I heard about this website and wanted to check it out. So after reading my review of "Unbreakable" could I get some feedback, thanks. Anyway, I too feel that "Unbreakable" is a very cool movie up until the end. I've read everyone's opinion about the ending and for people who don't collect comics or don't know too much about them, it can be a very disappointing ending and change their view of the movie altogether. I used to collect comics when I was much younger and haven't collected for about 10 years but M. Night is right on the money with the comic theme and it's really great what he did with both Willis' and Jackson's characters (Jackson especially). I knew pretty much nothing about the film except for what little information is revealed in the trailer. I got real psyched to see this movie when I read Peter Travers review in Rolling Stone. The only thing he would let loose about the film is "comic books". I saw this film with a family member who has had absolutely no exposure to comics and she absolutely hated it. She felt like the whole movie was a long dream sequence and the sudden abrupt ending was like an unpleasant splash of cold ice water on your face to wake you up. I really wanted to like "Unbreakable" and I really hope there are sequels. After thinking about it some more, I realize why M. Night ended it the way he did, but did he really have to. People in the theater were pissed that it ended the way it did. I thought a little caption should have been mentioned about Willis' wife and kid and I really, really wanted just a few more minutes of something, anything to explain why it ended that way, mainly for people who don't understand comics and don't understand good filmmaking. M. Night is unbelievably cool and the visions of Jackson waiting at the airport and walking out of the train that Willis was on were really pretty fucking creepy. I loved this movie but I feel like the ending was a slap in the face for those who were so absorbed in the atmosphere M. Night so masterfully drew us into. Am I a complete idiot or is there someone who kind of sees what I'm saying? Help me out here.
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I am also convinced that Dunn did not kill the orange suit guy. He is noticably breathing in the scene where Dunn frees the dead mother, if you watch him. With the very precise cinematography in the film, I find it hard to believe that it went unnoticed for about 20-30 seconds that the man on the ground was breathing.
I didn't see the paper that well, but my friend said that the text referred to something like "the police are still baffled by the motives of the good samaritan who saved the two children"...usually the words "good samaritan" are not used for heroes who kill the bad guys..."vigilante" would probably have been used. Guess we'll have to wait for the DVD for a definitive answer.
Also, a note on the "drug dealer". In the vision, the drug dealer was definitely wearing a different jacket...a three color type, but when Dunn stopped him in the line, his entire jacket was blue. Dunn got the right man, he just flashed too far back. The guy had no drugs on him that day, but had in the past.
Anyway, I thought this movie was totally awesome. I completely agree with Harry that it is one of the greatest movies of the year (and having not seen Requiem for a Dream, I would rate this the best)
I had the same reaction coming out of this movie as I did after reading WATCHMEN for the first time. I was speechless. Fantastic!
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I couldn't agree more that this is a great movie. However...you mentioned the Watchmen, and I couldn't help but think that this movie was sort of derivative...not in the direct sense, but in the realm of concept. Real People as Superheroes(and Supervillains): it's the theme of this movie, and I love it. But Watchmen certainly deserves the nod on at least some level. That's it.
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My wife and I went to see UNBREAKABLE last night. We were both disappointed. SIXTH SENSE was highly enjoyable in spite of certain obvious plot holes because the conflict prepelled the film over each hole so smoothly that you don't notice. Then, at the end, you are so blown away by all the implications that it takes a week to start saying, "hey, why did it take this genius a year to figure out he's dead? Does he eat? Does he try to sleep with his wife? Does he brush his teeth? What's up?
This is suspension of disbelief, well handled.
UNBREAKABLE hopes that we will be so shocked by the revelation that Mr. Glass (a comic booky name) is the comic book villain of the piece that we won't notice the plot holes... like how it is that a man doesn't notice in forty years that he has never been ill or injured. The primary means to this end is avoiding the issue of conflict. We are not supposed to notice that there is a villain, much less guess that it is Mr. Glass. However, this time, there was no conflict intense enough to suspend disbelief and propel us over those plot holes... so we have a rather bumpy ride, until, finally, the movie mercifully ends and we get to leave. This is not a comic book. It is a movie. Teens looking for a bit of escapism will love it. Adults looking for an insightful and intelligent work on a par with SIXTH SENSE will be disappointed.
I think Shyamalan is a very talented writer capable of better efforts. In ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY he speaks of a philosophy to film making, but after this film, I would guess that philosophy is to gloss over everything, ignore plot holes, ignore convention regarding conflict resolution, and offer a super-twist at the end that distracts from the lack of story.
Look at the conflict and how it is handled. First, Willis has never glimpsed evil before? Never realized that he was different? He's fortyish and doesn't have a clue? Is he retarded? And when he finally attempts heroics, he has to choose the worst offender from the numerous bumps he receives in a public place... and then he ends up in a pool (of course) and is rescued by children rather than by his own efforts (always disappointing). So after a rather unexciting collar, we move on... or rather we don't move at all because there is still no real conflict propelling this movie and thus no real sense of story. Then, before you can get too bored, bam... here's your trick ending... Mr Glass is the villain, No conflict. No fight. No water death traps. The writer simply tells us with words on screen how it ends and kicks us out before we can think about too many more of the holes in his "story." He tells us. He doesn't show us. He doesn't show us because it would be boring to watch Willis lead the police to Mr. Glass's "lair."
A bit more work at the keyboard could have given this story the structure it definately needs. A ruthless rewrite would have thrown out such silly coincidence as Willis' wife being the villain's physical therapist, which served no real purpose anyway. The directing was brilliant. The script was weak. Still, I am so enamored with Shyamalan's ability to surprise, that I eagerly await his next (hopefully more mature) effort. -
Shyamalan just had to stick an anti-gun scene into SIXTH SENSE. The scene didn't work and only served as a soap box without propelling the story. When a scene doesn't work, as that one clearly didn't, it is often because the writer is ignoring his own controlling idea to preach to us. Fits of altruism that belie the selfish fidelity to story simply do not belong.
In UNBREAKABLE, Shyamalan cannot resist his anti-gun sentiments long enough to shepherd us through this thin story. The scene where David's son points the gun at him does not work and is there only to make his Public Service Announcement (You shouldn't own a gun because your kid will find it no matter how careful you are. More kids die in accidental drownings than from gunshot wounds, but Shyamalan's swimming pool scene doesn't attempt to show us how dangerous they are for kids). There wasn't enough story in this movie to cushion the soap box bump, and we are left with a scene that doesn't work and isn't honest, and even worse, does not serve the controlling idea... which by this point, is that David has been most unobservant of his own life. -
Just thought I'd say that. But keep on complaining, buddy. We need wackos like you in this world.
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Vynson... you bring up an interesting point. My thoughts are that Shyamalan actually used the gun for 2 purposes. First is that the bullet most likely wouldn't have hurt Dunne (he would have just transferred it's energy), but for him to accept that notion at the time would be insane. Second is that if Joseph found the gun, then he also found the newspaper articles (and probably read them). I don't think the message was so much about "guns" as it was about secrets. Darkspawn... good point on "Orange Suit". Maybe he wasn't dead (which *would* make more sense). I was just taken aback by how long he was being chocked out...
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It would seem, Coswald, that your manners are not glued too tightly to you. Would you call me a whacko if we discussed a film face to face? Unlikely. Perhaps you could scrape up an attempt at civility and rebut what you disagree with rather than hurl juvenile insults.
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Let me get this straight: My intellectual capacity has been called into question by someone calling himself "Blew Santa?" Are you serious?
You liked the movie. Wonderful. That I didn't care for it does not mean that I didn't "get it." I got it. There was no great hidden profundity as you pretend.
Your assumption that I enjoyed SIXTH SENSE because of all the cool dead folk hanging about was a rather feeble attempt at intimidation. I'm not twelve. I'm a grown man who simply expected more from a talented writer/director than a half-baked plot with more holes than a net.
You really think UNBREAKABLE is deep water, Santa? You sound like a ten year old trying to convince his parents that his Caspar comics are superior literature. When you grow up, try some mature movie viewing and raise your standards. Tell me how well you understood Kieslowski's THREE COLORS trilogy and then we can discuss what I know and don't know about movies.
Best regards. -
I know I can always trust Harry to come through. I couldn't wait to go see this movie and finish his review. It is interesting the love/hate reaction to this film, no in between. That in itself is a great thing. I know those of you who saw it and hated it THINK you got it. Yeah sure, you grasped the surface concepts. But the difference is some of us just love a movie actually getting us thinking. "Sixth Sense" was great in that too, but in a totally different way. It appealed to those of us who really like thinking and my guess is that those who don't enjoyed the shock and didn't HAVE to do too much painful cerebral stuff afterwards. It was enjoyable either way, and this one is only enjoyable one way. The one true, intelligent person with imagination who likes to send their thoughts soaring way. I will be thinking about David Dunn for ages, maybe forever. When I am in a retirement home and I break my hip, I may be thinking of this movie and wishing I was "Unbreakable". This movie is so pure, it makes my heart ache.
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Your comments on this scene seem to me to be very bizarre.
The scene is hard and brief, and ends in emotional exhaustion. Neither David nor Audrey moralise at the boy. Nobody does any lecturing.
Except you.
You mention Kieslowski. You will be familiar then that a lot of modern film-makers have used religious imagery and symbolism in non-religious dramatic contexts: Kieslowski, Tarkowski and Von Trier spring immediately to mind. And if you've seen WIDE AWAKE and SIXTH SENSE, you'll be aware that Shyamalan has a deft touch with allegory.
If you know your New Testament, you'll recall that Christ refused to play games with Satan in order to demostrate his powers, and that he refused to use those powers to save himself when Peter begged him to.
If you know your Superman, you'll recall that he too refused to play parlor games to assert his identity.
Heroes are made of stern stuff.
When the boy pulls the gun stunt, the time is not right, and that's just not the way to do it. The boy is in his own way as desperate as his father. He wants his father to be special (what boy doesn't?) and he wants to save his parents' marriage. He's prepared to go to extremes.
But David isn't prepared to go to extremes, even if it breaks his son's heart.
The right moment comes, beautifully, when David pushes the newspaper across the breakfast table to the boy, after he's intervened in the murders.
I believe UNBREAKABLE is a film Kieslowski would have liked. I don't know what Kieslowski's views were on gun control. And I don't know what Shyamalan's views are.
But we know yours. -
A chip? No. I went in eager anticipation. We had planned to see it sooner but sick kids kept us in. I sat in the dark as the trailers ended, feeling what I always feel when I surrender my time and attention to a storyteller... that little shard of hope... touch me. Make me laugh or cry or wonder or something... anything.
Parking lots. That's where movies end. What am I thinking or feeling as I walk to my car? As I start the engine and drive back into the real world, what do I take with me?
I don't want to argue with you. But I am not an idiot simply because I did not enjoy this film as much as you did. I think Shyamalan is a very talented writer/director and I look forward to his next offering. But UNBREAKABLE was disappointing for me. I wanted to love it. I was a huge comics fan in the 80s and enjoyed that facet of the movie. I am not ignorant of the beauty of graphic storytelling or the clever use of comic book story convention to flavor the story. But there really is nothing new here. Shyamalan simply removed the element of rising action and conflict intensification from the formula so that you are surprised by the climax. That Mr. Glass was the villain was not the real twist. That there was a villain at all was the twist. If we realized that the inciting incident was the work of a villain (and why don't we? another plot hole) we would easily guess that the unlikely guy with the comic book name is the man. So Shyamalan simply removes that element to intensify a soft twist and give it punch. Nice trick, but no substitute for a tighter script.
Regards. -
I've just seen Unbreakable and I loved it. Shaymalan takes the subject matter very seriously and I love that about the movie. It's everything Harry says it is. It seemed as if I was the only person who liked this movie. People were leaving the theatre before the movie finished saying "Shit". They just did not get it. That scene where Sam Jackson chases the customer out of the store telling him that this is "art" and not for some 4 year old tellytubby bastard-(or in classic Jackson style "Get the fuck out of my store") struck me immediately. I knew then that some people would get it and others wont. It's a great movie. Good perfomances. Terrific music. Skillful direction and a damn good script. The movie does feel to drag at times. I felt that maybe a 5 minutes could have been trimmed off in some areas to keep a good pace but i'll have to see it again to decide on that. If all you saw was a low-budget flick with Bruce Willis playing an imitation Superman rather than the art that it really is get the fuck out of the theatre. I loved it especially the ending.
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I made this specifically for the people who don't understand why this movie is such genius. You don't have to like Unbreakable. But after reading some stuff on this site, I hope people can at least APPRECIATE it more. Thanks.
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I could tell from the audience's reaction that it went over their heads. The slightly surreal lighting has been criticized by some as making everything too "washed out." Sigh. These people do not get it. It's *supposed* to be that way, to emphasize and mythicize the ordinariness of the main character's life to comic book proportions. It's part of the homage, people!
Jackson's performance is especially subtle and compelling. His character is an excellent device that attempts to explain to the audience, many of whom aren't getting it anyway, what's going on in a way that doesn't dumb the information down or condescend too much to the peanut gallery. (It's done a bit here and there, particularly with one of the last lines of Price's mother's character, but not too often.) Instead, it generally fits in perfectly with the building of his character.
People have mentioned the slow pace, but it works to the film's advantage. It gradually unfolds in such a way that it makes you wonder what direction the plot will move in next. This is not the film I expected from the trailers, and I'm delighted to say it's far more interesting. I rather wonder what it might have been like had Terry Gilliam directed it.
I plan to see it again, and that's a rare thing for me to do. If you like comic books, you'll like Unbreakable.
-Kill Switch out -
I think it is very silly to continue to call everyone who did not like this film stupid because they "just didn't get it". I think it is fair to say that the vast majority of people (always SOME exceptions) taking the time to post here are intelligent people who, well, weren't really popular in high school, let's put it that way (I know I wasn't). I understood perfectly what this film was going for. The reason the film SUCKED, in my humble opinion, is due to the fact that WAY WAY WAY too much time was spent on ENDLESS shots of Bruce Willis walking in the rain or Bruce Willis furrowing his brow or Samuel L. Jackson looking upset.......this is the fault of the director, whose last name I will not attempt from memory. He was given carte blanche (due to the success of "The Sixth Sense", a very good film) to do the directorial equivalent of masturbating on the audience. I hope its just a fluke and not the way he will always direct in the future.
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First, a comment about the ending. The only thing I'd change is to have the end captions played over a black screen, with no stills. Other than that, this film needs to be on the short list of oscar contenders. I saw this film two days ago, and I'm definitly going back for more. When I saw it, the theater was either full of comic book geeks such as myself, or everyone was just in tune. Either way, the last time I've heard an audience reaction to a film like what I heard was at Return of the Jedi, when I was just a young space pirate of seven. Whene Mister Glass asked the prospective art buyer "Do you see any Telletubbies?" the crowd cheered. When he fell down the subway steps, a collective gasp filled the theater. Everyone was laughing their ass of in the weightlifting scene(one of the ten best scenes in film history.) During the gun scene, there was more laughter, but the nervouse kind. the kind of laugh that says "We're laughing so we can't scream." The silent awe as David is slammed into the bedroom wall, a sleeper hold clamped on to the mantinence villan. The news that this is a potential trilogy has helped me find faith in Hollywood. Good films can still be made.
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Let me also say that the end of this film was just about the only ending that could fit. Mister Glass is a character filled with hate for his lot in life, hate for anything and anyone who didn't understand his look on life, as in the "It's for my kid" scene. He wanted a place in life, and the only one he saw as viable was as an antagonist to someone who had great strength. He's a Magneto in search of a Professor X. Let me also add, not to piss anyone off, that I strongly disliked The Sixth Sense. I thought it was slow, plodding, and the "surprise" ending was obvious by the halfway point. What that movie did have was some great acting and an original premise, even though it went nowhere, in my opinion. Hey, what if M. Night is building up to some sort of Joe average JLA, with a kid who can communicate with the dead, an indestructable man, and who knows what else. Food for thought, eh?
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This movie was an upscale "ok" in my book. The story was good, if a little slow. I just have a problem with the was Shyamalan executes this film. The ending was good story-wise... but the WAY it was presented to us just felt kind of rushed and odd. I don't know... does anyone else feel this way? And the music was mediocre and too prevelant at times..... but overall an ok movie. I just think that mr. Shamalongadingdong has some work to do before being called a "great" director.
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To all people out there complaining about the "surprise" and slide-show ending...how else is a comic book supposed to end? Dom't they always point to the next issue? But for what it was, it was executed brilliantly. Huge f'ing kudos to Night for successfully presenting a fresh view on a pruned-up, serve-up-some-action-and-boobs-in-a-crappy-story-sauce-with-a-garnish-of-caca-acting genre. A trilogy would be cool, but nobody's gonna watch it unless they love either comic books or quality film-making. Most people like Forrest Gump and Dances with wolves. Great use of the pixies song accenting Glass's bitterness.
Fear the Mullett,
Billy Ray
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The coolest thing about this movie, IMHO, is the development of the secondary characters (i.e. the wife and the son) specifically related to what roles they will play in the life of David Dunne. I've read through a lot of the posts, and I don't think I saw anyone mention the set-up of Robin Wright Penn's character. Did anyone catch the irony? She hates violence (which is why David had to fake an injury in order to leave football and win her over)....and, most significantly SHE FIXES BROKEN PEOPLE PHYISICALLY! - which is why it was important for her to have the random encounter w/ Mr. Glass. In wonderful irony, a physical therapist is set up to be David's "soul healer"....he comes to her, after he's done his first super-hero deed, to be nurtured after a "bad dream" (which is how he will come to view his Super hero deeds). He can't tell her the truth because she hates violence, yet, this physical healer "finds her place in the world" (somewhat unknowingly) as the comforter of the troubled soul of a super-hero.
This is a wonderful healing aspect to their troubled relationship - forecasted when they were in the bar and he tells her he became distant when he stopped going to her when he had bad dreams - I love that!...Also, the scene w/ David's son pointing the gun at him is significant because it points to his intense belief in his father's abilities. He's thus set up to be the confidante - the one who knows the true identity, but who will guard the secret at any cost because he places his father in such high regard (kind of an "immediate family" version of Alfred the Butler)....Even the film's weakest part - the overly drawn out scene in the basement w/ the weights, is extremely important because it enables the son to see the powers, but also the limitations, of his father. He can bench press 350 twice, albeit w/ a little bit of sweat. Any college offensive lineman can do that - thus, its extraordinary for a guy his size, but its' finite and human....Dunne and Mr. Glass aren't the only two who find their place in the world. Dunnes family does also.....I also haven't seen anyone suggest that the reason some people are frustrated w/ the ending is because their confused by the closing written words. I think some of them wonder if its based on a true story, because the words are stated matter of factly, almost as if they're true. They also don't see it as a prologue to a Super Hero story. Rather, they see it as a "so-what" self-contained movie. -
Wow. That is all I can say at the moment...let me somehow find the words to describe the greatness of this film...are there words? If you liked THE SIXTH SENSE and you are a comic book person, this film is yours. Heck, even if you aren't a comic book fan, you'll like this film. I loved it...and by far the best scene in the movie is when David Dunne rises out of the pool...oh my gosh...a perfect hero moment. I loved it...it's a 10. See it.
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This has to be one of the longest talkback sesions i have seen on AICN........good!, what a fuckin movie....i dearly hope that we see the sequel to this movie.......were the true battle between good and evil begins.......were Mr glass and Security battle each other, not because the want to...because they have to. I can almost see the scenes now...Mr Glass standing in front of his evil world domination machine...davids wife and child tied up in an enclosed bubble 20 meters under water.......David coming to terms with what he is.....the revelations of the anchient force which lives within him.......man this fuckin movie gets me all pumped up and salivating for more. God i hope the hungry producers are given their box office rewards on this one so that a sequel or two can be justified..........i could go on, and i will.......who says in this age of big explosions and effects that they have become nessesary to enthrall an audience....i was on the edge of my seat the entire time...i nearly had an embarasing outburst of joy when David rises from the pool, and when his cloked figure moves slowly through the room........this is a movie i whish i had seen as a child....it is the movie i'm now using as the measuring stick for any other action\comic\fantasy movie. And i'll be surprised as hell if anyone is reading this at all...........hehe
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Being an English major in college, I think I have some ability to describe why the ending makes perfect sense. (Flamers, start your engines.) At several points in the film, Mr. Glass refers to the concept of interpretation and translation. This is NOT a new concept. The Bible has been translated multiple times, each time changing certain aspects of the wording to conform to dogma (Those of you who think the King James is the original Bible need to take a ****ing history class).
The point to all this is that we never really learn what happens at the end of Unbreakable. Does Dunn come back full throttle, charging through Limited Edition until he seizes Mr. Glass by the collar and throws him into the paddy wagon? Does he confront Mr. Glass at the scene of one of his crimes? Does Dunn just give the police an address and say "Sic 'em, boys?" Are robot monkeys or sand worms involved in any way? (Sorry, the last 3 days of TV are running over each other.) We simply DON'T KNOW. We are left to try to piece together from the few clues we have been left, which for all we know may be wrong. To paraphrase Mr. Glass, everything may be based on truth, but gets twisted over time. Is Unbreakable one of these tales, a story that seems entirely objective but is not? That is the question. (Told you I was an English major.) So, to those who think the ending is hokum, you're on the right track; the truth is just a little deeper below the surface. -
A while ago I read a post in here stating something in the vein of " anyone who doesn't like this movie should jump off a cliff you are what's wrong with this world blah blah ". And now I have just been treated to some more utterly brilliant posts by the very few and blessed intellectual giants who understood the monumentally incomprehensable subeteties and transcendant direction of "Unbreakable", the best movie so far this century. -sigh- Looks to me like the wrong people are lining up at the edge of that cliff.
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of course he didn't have to finish what he was saying at the end of the film, because WE were allowed to finish ourselves and I still get chills thinking about it..."Because they used to call me Mr. Glass...I knew that there had to be a man of steel." This movie was brilliant, because not only was it a classic comic book movie, but it was a movie of hope. A rare movie that has the guts to speak about ancient philosphy and not just western ideals, the ying and the yang, for without evil, we could never know good, without pain how could we ever feel pleasure, without hate could love exist, etc...I love this movie!
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Vynson, you said, and I quote..."Shyamalan simply removed the element of rising action and conflict intensification from the formula so that you are surprised by the climax." This is where I think you truly missed the point of the movie. Unbreakable was made on two levels. Level 1 is somewhat of a safety net in case it doesn't make the money to warrant a sequel. This is the level I think you're referring to - the movie as a "self-contained" story w/ no sequel. You're quote is dead on the mark if the ending is only to be looked at on this level. Its simply there to appease the Sixth Sense fans and give some sense of closure via the written epiloque. Looking at the movie this way, I'd give it a C+, because you're absolutely right, conflict intensification, and rising action simply are not there. However, and this is where I'm a little surprised at your take, because you and I seem to be pretty similar - 30 something, wife, kids, movie buffs. I too have that anticipatory feeling when the trailers end and the lights go down...Give me hope, or something to noodle on and bug my wife w/ in the car on the way home. You put it better than I could. Anyway, on the 2nd level, this movie is simply a chapter one (and I think somewhat written by Mr. Glass, wh/ adds to the intrique). How much conflict intensification and rising action is there in Chapter One of a novel? The question becomes then, am I set up to want more? That's where I shouted a resounding "yes" at the end of the movie and then bugged my wife in the car all the way home about what the role of the wife, and the son were being set up to be in David's life - etc. I saw great hope for the whole family, and I can't wait to take that journey w/ them again. It reminded me of the feeling I got at the end of Shawshank Redemption when Morgan Freeman hoped that he'd to get to shake his friend's hand, that the Pacific would be as blue as it was in his dreams. I wanted to be on that beach w/ them. That's two different kinds of hope, I know, but the point is that the journey (movie) ends w/ great anticipation for more. The movie is about David's entire family finding their sense of purpose and destiny, not about capturing the crazed Mr. Glass. The fact that Mr. Glass helps them find that, just makes it all the more compelling. Rising action and conflict intensification is coming Vynson....in Chapter 2, etc. In the meantime, go see it again, and think about the possibilities and the hope for David and his family in the parking lot on the way home, and have fun bugging your wife about it.
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This movie was incredible. No other comic book, movie, cartoon, etc. has ever come even remotely close to having "super hero" elements portrayed to true to life. This movie was amazing to watch. Shyamalan is the top Writer/Producer/Director in Hollywood right now, in my personal opinion...because he is one of the few (and he does it best) of thinking of new ideas, stories and characters, that no one has ever thought of. Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" needs to be seen by everyone. But before you watch it, (and this seems to be a point that needs to be address)...TRY NOT TO COMPARE IT TO "SIXTH SENSE"...THIS IS A DIFFERENT FILM...FORGET THAT SHYAMALAN HAS EVER DONE ANYTHING ELSE. Enjoy the film. It's one of the best movies you'll have seen in a long time.
Also...who else wants to see Shyamalan and Michael Crichton team up? Crichton has: Sphere, TIMELINE, Jurrasic Park, Congo, The Lost World, etc. And Shyamalan has: Unbreakable and The Sixth Sense...these two would be UNBREAKABLE together...sorry, I had to. ;o) -
one simple question: what the hell did him being unbreakable have to do with him being able to see into people's pasts? the two were not connected!!! talk about coming up with a cool premise but not delivering on the goods. and on top of that the movie was really fucking boring.
it's a shame that so many movies coming out today suck so bad, that sub-par crap like "unbreakable" is considered great.... -
from the second scene (on the train) i knew it was going to be a painful film to watch - talk about annoying camera work!! so many scenes had unnecessary and unmotivated camera moves - clearly the work of a director who bought his own hype and felt the need to flex his moviemaking muscles - "ooh, i'll show the world how i can write not only a great script (the sixth sense) but how great i am at moving the camera....". well m night, you suck at moving the camera and obviously you're a one note wonder cause unbreakable SUCKED!! you should have concentrate more on the story than on the damn camera!
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... oh my, but what interesting trees. M Night is a great director. He
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If you didn't follow the ending to this film, then you didn't get the movie at all. Case in point, the post from Matthew Cable. Elijah waited for Dunn to emerge as a hero before he could truly reveal his own agenda. He purposely shakes Dunn's hand because he wants Dunn to know at that moment that he intended himself all along to be Dunn's nemesis, his opposite number - which is what he means when he says "...And now it begins" (or words to that effect) prior to allowing Dunn to touch him. Is this "rational" behavior? It is from Elijah's point of view. From his perspective, he's fulfilling the role of a comic book supervillain. He isn't concerned with going into an asylum as he's sure that eventually he'll be released to perplex and frustrate Dunn anew. Because that's what supervillains - like "Mr. Glass" - do.
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i invited a comment like yours, that i didn't follow the ending, because my post covers various possible motives for elijah but not the one you say [which, of course, is the one that elijah says]. no, adrian, i wasn't sleeping through the last 2 minutes or so, i heard what elijah said and, yes, it sure sounded like mr glass killed all those people to find a super hero so that he could be a super villain. i chose deliberately to ignore that because, in a way, i was looking for a scenario i could live with. i really did not buy the super villain motivation. so much has been said on this point that i thought i would omit it altogether. yes, i know, what i've done therefore can hardly be called a review, if i chose to ignore indisputable sections of the dialogue -- i never said it was a review. i was really approaching this as something like a script doctor. let me put my money where my mouth is [since you've got me started, you might as well gaze upon my work ... and despair][p/s since we're both characters created by alan moore, i hope we won't fight ... especially since you can catch bullets and i'm nothing but a raven ... a dead one at that, thanks to caitlin kiernan!]: primary credit [or blame!] for what follows goes to mise-en-scene -- i've added to his/her "punchline" and written this as a scriptment:
elijah price is watching tv in the back of his shabby comics shop [he is poor, in this version], and catches the news story that one man survived a major train wreck. he mutters to himself, "could it be? could it finally be???" in his little room wallpapered with news clippings of disaster stories.
then we see how EP investigates archived newspapers on the internet for stories of david dunn -- he is elated to read about how DD was a football hero, then disappointed by the story of the car accident which ended DD's promising million dollar career AND killed his pregnant wife -- "never mind, never mind -- this is the best lead so far." and EP dresses in multiple layers of padded clothes and ventures out fearfully on his walking frame.
the doctor who treated DD after the train wreck is helpful, so is the ambulance paramedic who remembered the sensational car accident [he found a burnt-out upside-down wreck with two people trapped inside -- DD's wife charred beyond recognition, and DD pinned by the weight of the car, unscratched -- NOTE that a car lying on DD's hip would be impossible to lift, even if he could bench-press 500 lbs like in the original screenplay]. DD's retired coach figured EP for a well-meaning but harmless gimp and decided, after all this time, he could admit that he helped DD pretend to be unable to play football [because of the emotional trauma associated with the game, since DD and his wife were arguing about his career when he crashed the car]. the doctor who administered vaccinations to the kids in DD's school remembers a kid who broke all his needles, but can't confirm that kid's name. the principal of DD's school recalls how DD had been taunted into a fight, and had put the bully into hospital -- even though everybody sympathised with DD, the extreme nature of his "self-defence" meant he was prosecuted in juvenile court and made to do community service -- that was the only fight DD had ever got into.
this last sequence is interspersed with colour filtered flashbacks of both DD and EP [with EP's sad, twisted history, lightened by his mother's love and by comic books].
EP finds out that DD is a night-watchman at the local football stadium. DD's boss tells EP that DD is a quiet, humourless, friendless man, with a record that's spotless, in the sense that DD's done nothing bad, but also nothing of merit. he has never taken a day off in the last 20 years [DD's been working there since the car accident -- people suspect he's had a mental breakdown, but since he's so introverted and "invisible", nobody's ever had him formally examined].
EP catches DD at work in the middle of the night, throwing the football impossible distances. DD is scared and angry when EP makes his presence known. EP offers his hand but DD is cold and withdrawn. EP asks DD what he thinks being unbreakable means, and DD is shocked to be asked that. he runs away at astonishing speed and, of course, EP can't catch him.
the next few days, EP tries to find DD, without success -- he's not at home, nor at work. EP's sitting in his store feeling depressed when DD walks in. DD asks, "how do you know about me ... why am i cursed like this?", with anguish in his voice.
DD confirms that he has never been sick, never been vaccinated, never been hurt in football and, yes, he was at ground zero of both the car accident and the train wreck. he saw his wife slowly burn to death -- at this point, he breaks down and when EP reaches out to comfort him, he runs away again.
the scene changes, and EP and DD are standing on a bridge watching the sunset. EP tells DD about his frail condition and his sad childhood, being black, crippled and gay. the injustice of it, and how he's always dreamed a superhero would come to right all the wrongs of this world. then he tells DD his secret -- EP has the psychic ability to read people's crimes. all the worse for him. he REALLY doesn't dare to touch anybody, because he can't do a thing about it! he can see all the sins of the world, and he can't right the slightest wrong. it's his dream to do some good. will DD help him? they can be a team, like wheelchair bound charles xavier, the telepath, and his "enforcer" wolverine, the man with the unbreakable skeleton.
DD shakes his head -- he withdrew from the world when he couldn't do a thing to save his wife. it's been two decades, but he hasn't healed from that mental scar. EP says, that's why you must do this! to get the closure you need.
DD's not convinced. EP stages some kind of an accident where he puts himself at risk in front of DD, who's forced to react. and DD does, performing some awe-inspiring super-heroics [make this flashy, i want the audience on their feet].
DD cracks a big smile for the first time. the next day, they begin. in the railway station, it's EP who spreads his arms, while DD lurks in the shadows. EP sics DD on the orange garbage collector guy [let's call him "the thing", and cast somebody sufficiently grimm]. DD sneaks into the house in his spectre hood and frees the two kids on the ground floor. then he goes upstairs and is surprised by the thing, who attacks with some suitable weapon [an axe, maybe?]. finally we get PROOF that DD is unbreakable, and extraordinarily strong. DD knocks out and ties up the thing. then he goes upstairs, draws back the shower curtain, and grimaces. fade out.
the papers the next day describe how two kids were saved by a hooded avenger, although the kids' parents had been tortured and killed by the psycho garbageman. EP is ecstatic, he is on cloud nine when DD swings in through the skylight in his hooded parka.
EP abandons his walking frame and fairly runs to hug DD. then he recoils and falls backwards with a sound like a coke bottle breaking. images flash through his head as DD steps on his hand, grinding it into pulp. EP sees DD straining, unable to lift the car, sees DD scream and go mad. DD in a dark room, naked, attacking himself with knives and electric saws, unable to do any damage. DD in the house last night, tying up the thing then going into the bathroom, drawing back the shower curtains. the couple is alive. DD grins and proceeds to torture them. DD almost catatonic at work, but depraved in the privacy of his home. torturing and killing innocent victims in his basement [perhaps one of the sick games he plays with his abductees is russian roulette?]. DD on the train, prying open the door and swinging down under the wheels, using his indestructible body to derail the locomotive. walking through the burning wreck, enjoying the carnage through the greasy plumes of smoke. snuffing out the few survivors there are, hissing "no witnesses, no witnesses". or singing "four little survivors, crawling from the wreck..."
most of what's written above is my invention, but i'm keeping 80% of what mise-en-scene suggests for the closing dialogue:
DD: And that -
Uh, I guess if you understand Shyamalan's intent but choose to ignore it in favor of a scenario you can "live with", there's not much to say about that. While there's certain leeway in interpreting any film, ultimately it is what it is. You lay out an entirely new story as a perferred (by you at least) "alternate take" to the film at hand but it really has nothing to do with a discussion of Shyamalan's Unbreakable. This is "Matthew Cable's Unbreakable". In other words, a movie that doesn't exist. I can see expressing dissatisfaction with a line of dialouge or line reading or the staging of a certain scene in a film but if you feel like you must re-write the entire movie in order to talk about it because you're uncomfortable with the director's intentions, then I think it's time to move on because you're no longer dealing with the film at hand. I didn't think Unbreakable was without flaws (like most films) but the strengths of the movie outweighed those flaws (for me).
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I'm sorry but, as someone who grew up collecting comic books, I really wanted to like this movie. I tried so hard to like ths movie. When I saw the first trailer, I said to a friend of mine "I sure hope Bruce is a superhero". When it turned out he was, I was excited. But then the movie happened. I gave it credit for having a dark "graphic novel" type feel...but it never escaped that ambience and never excited me the way dicovering a new hero should. It was too obvious that Mr. Glass was a villain...his manner of dress, his affected glass cane, his padded vehicle...his desciption of the classic "villain" look and that look being reflected in his appearance...I suppose Shamalayan made me distrust him as a filmmaker after 6th Sense and forced me to watch his machinations more closely. His ego kept screaming off the screen at the audience taunting "I'm smarter than you." He may be at that, I thought. It is a smart film. A clever film. But as much as I really like Bruce Willis, I wasn't drawn into his character. When he finally becomes "SecurityMan" and puts on his parka, he could be, as far as I'm concerned, just another indie comic hero in a book being knocked to the ground by an angry man in a wheelchair. You read the first couple of issues and then realize there is nothing original going on here. And this is my point: There is nothing original going on here. The director feels it necessary to reprise his previous effort with a similar "surprise ending" and builds his story piece by piece. But what he makes, at the end, is a mere replica...like a Puzz3D version of the Notre Dame. Pretty to look at, but never to be mistaken for a masterpiece. The greatest comic hero, in my estimation, is Nexus. If you are unfamiliar with the work, then you cannot know the tragedy of great power awarded to the reluctant. On a side note: did we need the orange juice ad at the end of the film? What could have been a poignant scene was destroyed by the horror of watching Shamalayan's "Whispering Kid Archtype" shill for Tropicana. It was the most blatant product placement since The Return of the Killer Tomatoes.
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"It would seem, Coswald, that your manners are not glued too tightly to you. Would you call me a whacko if we discussed a film face to face? Unlikely. Perhaps you could scrape up an attempt at civility and rebut what you disagree with rather than hurl juvenile insults."
Nah. Much rather call you a whacko.
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best superhero movie ever... best film of the year... definately, definately, definately... it was perfect... even the little in jokes like "i hear this one has a surprise ending"... it was perfect! and the fact that one of the major messages of the film was that comics are art! they are our modern mythology!... now we must strive to liberate comics in the real world from the mire they are in... they need to rise up and take the birthright once more! it's about craft! not gimic! craft, art, the work is it's own reward... all of that noble stuff... rob liefield should be shot... the idiots running marvel should be shot... we have to save this noble artform before it;s too late!!!
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... the ending could have been better -- but I'm not talking from a story standpoint, but from a cinematic one. The freeze frame with the text didn't work quite right... it didn't FEEL right. What I would have rather seen would be the same ending, but have the freeze-frame fade into a comic book panel -- it's the whole point of the movie, right, that it's just like a comic book? You have Willis' "Security Guard Man" staring resolutely and stunned, a dialouge balloon from Elijah coming from behind him, and a description box at the bottom talking about how SGM turns Elijah into the police. Then maybe a second panel showing Elijah in the institution with the remainder of the epilouge text...
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The "perfect" villain would not end up in prison. He would be smart enough to avoid this. While well filmed and acted (except for some of the supporting roles), the movie was disappointing and the ending was discernable (all three people who watched the film with me had it figured out prior to the ending). It should not even be in the top 10 for movies this year. I have collected comics for over 20 years, but that doesn't make this film (or the X-Men for that matter), any better. You judge a film on its own merits.
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I, too, sat in my seat, enthralled by every moment. My friend commented afterwards that I looked like a fish, mouth wide and long, ready to blow every ounce of air out of my system. I was left shaken and awakened. I never thought this movie would be so good. Thank you to all involved. This is why I read this site, spend my hard earned money on movies, and even bother to go out on days this cold.
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This movie has been out a while and I finally went to see it. I was reluctant because of some bad press it recieved from fellow co-workers of mine. Well, suffice it to say, I will NEVER let anyone else's view on a film deter me from the theatre again. I found UNBREAKABLE to be an OUTSTANDING film from the camera work, to the subtle character quarks. I truly enjoyed the camera movement from the little girls point of view on the train and how NIGHT avoided showing us the all too often disasterous accident that makes up most of your ACTION movies that cater to the general publics taste. The sensation I felt from the whistle blowing and the quick camera movements on the train gave me a sense of the impending doom that was about to take place and then left me with my own imagination to experience the wreck. My thoughts went back to the little girl and her innocence lost. I truly enjoyed the subtle parrallels NIGHT showed us with the real life of these two characters and how they portrayed the comic book heros and villians we all read about now and when we wee growing up. Examples are the padded car that the villian drove and the "CAPE" that gets hung up on the closet door by Bruce Willis' character at the end when he returns home from being a "HERO" as the morning paper touted him to be. I truly enjoyed this film and will see it again after giving myself a couple weeks so I can be refreshed. One thing is for certain is that I will always see a film I want to see no matter the press it receives be it good or bad or indifferent. I think NIGHT is on the right track of fine story telling and I look forward to his next film.
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Dec 22, 2000 9:57:53 AM CST
Hi, I'm one more pseudo-egghead talking about why I liked this m
by zeno
I'll try to spare the attention span of anyone reading this board and try to be brief: I thought Unbreakable was indeed a great film. It is a story about Self-Actualization: realizing the full potential of who we are (see Maslow, et al.). Usually, this is a hero's journey. We witnessed this journey with Bruce Willis's character as he evolves from a small man to a potential and eventual hero. Unbreakable showed us something new however, and something a bit more challenging: that this road to self-actualization may also be taken by the villian. Indeed, Mr. Glass is compelled by this need for self-actualization more than Dunne. In order for Mr. Glass to fully realize who he (Mr. Glass) is, Dunne must realize who he (Dunne) is as well. The film worked for me. It was a challenging story, told elegantly. Good stuff.
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I am a "fanboy". I drive 10 miles every week to buy comics at a comic specialty shop, I can tell you how many times Hal Jordan has died. Even with all this, I felt Unbreakable was a failure. It was too 'inside' for the mainstream audience, and too boring for the comic book fans. A good idea that was poorly executed. I would be extremely surprised if we ever see a sequel with Raincoat Man and Mr. Glass.
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It's a little late but i've only just watched the movie.
Most people have discussed Samuel Jackson's role as Mr. Glass, and Willis' role as David Dunn. I have, however, an issue pertaining to Robin Wright's role as that woman in the house.
Now we've all been led to believe that she's DD's wife, but I kinda felt that there was NO direct reference to her ever being DD's wife. In fact, there were several red herrings along the way to hint that she isn't.
1) First of all DD and Audrey (Wright's character) never actually acknowledge each other as husband/wife.
2) When Jackson tells her about meeting David Dunn, she retorts with: "Who say's my husband's name is David?"
3) David Dunn says the car crash was fatal -who died then? His then-college wife?
4) The son calls her Audrey, never "mom", while son always calls David Dunn "dad".
5) When Audrey talks about her college jock husband, was she talking about someone else who also died in that car crash?
Does anyone has any comments about this?
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Dec 27, 2000 7:45:26 PM CST
Cantona, did you fall asleep during the movie or something?
by neovsmatrix
Sorry, I mean no offense. But did you fall asleep during Unbreakable? David and Audrey ARE married. They were having problems though, and David was planning to separate from her. When she DID ask Sam Jackson, "Who told you my husband's name was David?" she was startled that Sam Jackson KNEW her husband. Both David and Audrey were in the car crash. We even see the scene where David as a teenager rescues Audrey from the car crash and then pretends to be injured. Audrey even asks David whether they can give their marriage another try. So how is it that you doubt that they are married?
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I have just got back from the film. Its the opening weekend here in Ireland. What a big let down. I was looking forward to this film but sorry, I was disappointed. I would rate it as an average film with an "ok" twist. We dont get many Year One films but and maybe this is why this was such a SLOW film. Now I mean VERY SLOW. The film could have been condensed into a half hour short. The character development was poor. Can anyone answer this for me: What was the purpose of the wife and child??? Maybe it was the film's marketing?
Willis performed well and Jackson, well, he was his usual Jackson self. If there are sequels I fear a black rubber Willis chasing supervillians around a circus drawn New York.
Sorry for going on a bit. -
i'd read about Unbreakable (but not the twist) so I knew the basic premise of the film.But I expected alittle bit more-maybe less build up and more of him actually crime fighting like he does at the end.But if it is true that this is one of a trilogy then everything's cool.Night is the most exciting director out there and I shall be following his career with great interest.Sixth Sense was a better film.
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Anyone know what the craic was with the colour purple and the "upside angles" in the film. Is it bizarre symbolism or just arty stuff??? How come the film doesnt pick up any pace until near the end?
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I loved this fuckin' movie so much. Truth be told, it bored the shit out of me when I watched it. My girlfriend hated it. It was so boring that we, no lie, fucked on the floor in the back row of the theater. But then again, I thought Watchmen was kind of boring until I finished it and thought on it. Anyway, once we left I thought on it. I'm really introverted, but when something really excites me, I talk peoples ears off. The problem is we saw this for yesterday, January 2nd. I live in Chicago and we were in a really open area, it was cold as hell. She wasn't really in a talking mood. But God!! That movie was fantastic! And that ending...!!! DAMN!!!!!!! Good shit. Much better than Sixth Sense.
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This is not the best movie this year, but this is my favorite movie of the year, hell, one of my favorite movies of all time. The few who don't get it are just wrong.
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Well done with Unbreakable. I was unsure weather or not this film would surpass yopur previous sucess the Sixth Sense and it did. In honesty I found the film to be a little slow at times but otherwise it was a masterpiece. As a comic fan I feel proud to see this movie and to have been a comic fan my entire life. When questioned about the film having a sequal you said that you did not believe in franchises and that you would only make a sequal if it was relevent to the story and the characters. Well after seeing the film now I believe tha you should make Unbreakable into a trilogy with back to back filming. Of cource You do only what you want but I strongly recomend that you make a sequal. Look at the comments above. You have definetly hit a nerve with comic fans and normal cinema goers. Heck I will even help you put together a story if you do decide to make a seqaul. All I can say for now please make a sequal. You will be cahanging many lives.
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I thought this film was fantastic. Well written, directed and performed. Some of the best shot compositions I've seen were in this movie. If M. Night doesn't get an Oscar for screenplay and direction, and if Sam Jackson doesn't get anything either, I'm forever condemning the Academy as racist.
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I watched the movie yesterday and I'm sorry to say, it was much to slow. It is a great idea and the acting is very very good, but just get on on with the story will you and kill more bad guys in the process. And while the ending is suprising it's absolutely not the ending you want to see. To sum up the movie
Superman meets the perfect mister ripley -
Hey... first time poster... I just wanted to say that I thought Unbreakable was a great piece of work. I found the first hour or so to be interesting but a little un-engaging, but from there I became totally engrossed in the movie. I think the ending was perfect. The whole movie we were thrown little hints about there always being a villain etc. and I just didn't make the link until near the end when I realized that it's just so obvious with the cane and dark suit etc. Anyway... that's my 2c.
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I'm sorry folks, but the complete arc of Unbreakable (ending and all) made for a much better and satisfying flick than Sixth Sense. I watched it 2x in the theater, and the 2nd time it was actually more suspenseful than the first!
My husband is super picky and usually picks apart every movie we see, but he actually thought this one was worth the $7. If you went in with an open mind, you went away satisfied... I hope the next 2 are as good (but I'm not going to bet any money on it)!
Oh, and about the missing Mr. Glass as a kid scene in the carnival, I'm glad that one got nixed. The stair scene with the crunchy bits was enough for me. -
If the character of Mr. Glass was such a criminal genius, what was he doing walking around using a cane that could shatter so easily?
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Regarding comments made abot the ending of the film: I've heard it is the first part in a trilogy, and if this be the case, the ending is perfect. However, even if it isn't, I think the ending works very well. I don't see why we have to be spoonfed and showed that Elijah is arrested or killed or whatever.
This is a subtle movie from the word go. Does anyone really expect it to end in a bombastic way?
By the way, I have no background to comic books at all and even frowned when the movie opened with the quote about comic books (I also didn't know anything about the movie going in, apart from the teaser trailer that I saw), but I loved this movie. It is the best I have seen this year and one of the most daring, original and different movies since Fight Club. -
I could not get this film out of my head all week. If there ever was a film teased that weekly "I'm actually a superhero but have amnesia" daydream this is it. I get home from work tonight and there it is...."the average comic collector".
Most likely nobody will ever read this. I like that. I love this movie.
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