Film Review: Unbreakable (2000)

Reign of superhero films at the global box office began in Summer 2000 with X-Men, film proving that Hollywood studio can make big money adapting comic books other than Batman and Superman. Few months later, another great superhero film was released, but, despite very good commercial results and critical reviews, initially failed to be properly recognised as one of the top examples of the genres. It was Unbreakable, film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, which after its premiere wasn’t even considered a superhero film at all.

Protagonist is David Dunn (played by Bruce Willis), ordinary man who used to be college football star before having to make ends meet as security guard at Philadelphia stadium. His marriage to Megan (played by Robin Wright-Penn) begins to fall apart because of monotony and apparent loss of any feelings. Everything changes when David becomes involved in terrible and unusual event – train he was travelling in derails. David is not only the only passenger out of 300 that survived, but he actually didn’t have a single scratch. Baffled with it, David begins receiving anonymous messages inquiring whether he was sick any time during his life. It is soon revealed that the messages have been sent by Elijah Prince (played by Samuel L. Jackson), eccentric owner of a comic book store which has bizarre but very personal reasons to be interested in David. Elijah is suffering from rare genetic disorder that makes his bones brittle and which forced him to spend much of his life bedridden and forced to read comic books. He has developed idea that person who is complete opposite of him must exist in the world. David, who is apparently impervious to disease and injury, appears to fit such description. Elijah tries to convince him to accept his condition and use his powers as a superhero. David is sceptical, but David’s young son Jeremy (played by Spencer Treat Clark) is enthusiastic about the idea.

Shyamalan made his film shortly after his triumphant debut with The Sixth Sense. This allowed him large budget and more creative freedom from Disney, but also proved a mixed blessing with critics, some of which they viewed his next film as somewhat unoriginal variation of his previous work and just another dark, slow atmospheric thriller where nothing happens until the finale with huge twist ending. Similarities between two film indeed exist, but they are less due to story and more due to Shyamalan’s very specific style. It could be said that Unbreakable is even more personal film for Shyamalan than The Sixth Sense. He grew up in family of doctors and it was expected that he would follow family tradition, but in the end he decided to dedicated himself to film career. This reflected in his treatment of David Dunn and very effective and convincing way in which he portrayed anxiety and doubts of the protagonist.

Shyamalan again shows great talent for setting up bleak atmosphere. This involves use of cold, threatening locations of his native Philadelphia, various strange camera perspective, but also a very long shot that are meticulously planned and allow audience to notice some minor but frightening details. One of the best examples come at the very beginning when a seemingly banal scene of innocent flirting in the train turns into something much more disturbing when protagonist slowly realises that is something very wrong with the train and that it is moving too fast.

The acting in the film is superb. Bruce Willis, just like in The Sixth Sense, proves that he is something more than an action star and that he can play complex and very demanding role. It is often said that the role of David Dunn is the best in Willis’ career. Some credit for that should go to Samuel L. Jackson, who had worked with Willis in Die Hard with a Vengeance and here creates very effective “buddy buddy” dynamic while playing bizarre and quite unusual character. Robin Wright-Penn is also very good in rather unglamorous role of frustrated housewife, but she is overshadowed by young Spencer Treat Clark whose splendid performance clearly showed that he would continue successful career in adulthood. James Newton Howard also provided very effective musical score. The ending, which many considered the most disappointing part of the film, is indeed its biggest flaw, but even with it Unbreakable is a very good film and one of the best examples of superhero genres. In 2016 Shyamalan directed semi-sequel until title Split and in 2019 concluded the trilogy with Glass.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)

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