Split

I was going to start this review with my usual jokes about M. Night and the terrible movies he’s made over the past ten years, but that always ends with me calling him something ridiculous like M. Night Shemamalikesmydong, and that’s the last thing this world needs more of right now. So I’ll put my focus on my creepy idiot friend instead. For months he kept saying that there was no way he’d ever give M. Night his money again after his latest string of movies, and honestly, who could blame him? His downfall started with men in plastic suits dressed as aliens in Signs, continued with clairvoyant cereal boxes in Lady in the Water, and reached its pinnacle with Marky Mark outrunning evil wind in The Crappening (Happening).

But there’s one sure fire thing in this world that will get men to forget recent terrible events and that’s the wonderful presence of boobs! Boobs are the only reason why my friend decided to pop in on Split. And thankfully no, I’m not talking about my man boobs, I’m talking about the ones that belong to Anya Taylor-Joy, the co-star of this film. Granted she is 21 years old but that’s way too young for my idiot friend. At some point you would think he’d start to develop crushes on the crustier women in film, women like Annette Benning or the collagen filled Goldie Hawn; but no they get younger and younger and he stays the same age mentally (in Matthew McConaughey voice). Well the good thing is, Taylor-Joy is a talented and rising young star in Hollywood as she’s been in The Witch and the forgettable Morgan; two pretty big releases for a relative newcomer.

And she definitely holds her own as she stars opposite of the now unbelievably respectable James McAvoy. When he first burst on the scene, I thought that he was at best going to be the next Colin Ferrell; and I’m talking lame Ferrell (SWAT), not the now good Ferrell (In Bruges). But he has won me over with his approach to the usually dull Professor X character, as well as with his brilliant performance in Filth. Well after you witness his performance in Split, you’ll see the kind of range he has as an artist.

McAvoy plays the troubled villain in this film; a man who has 23 personalities, all of whom could take the spotlight at any given time. He effortlessly and seamlessly transitions from one character to the next; which is amazing when you consider the fact that every time he does so, it never comes off as cheesy or comical. He kidnaps three teenage girls who are leaving a birthday party and holds them captive in his unbelievably clean but still creepy basement. And it’s at this point where you begin to meet all of his unique personalities.

Now the natural questions is, why can’t three girls jump and overtake this one guy? I’ve seen pics of McAvoy and he’s not that big! Well this is where M. Night’s storytelling actually saves the day (no pun intended). Split is easily his most well thought out script in decades. All of his films, for the most part, have an underlying theme behind the main storyline and the one that exists in Split may be his most important and challenging one to date (Signs would’ve been number one if his delivery wasn’t such an epic failure). I’m not going to give anything away but the story more than adequately answers that all important question.

This isn’t a jump out at you scary film but there are a few creepy scenes in the film’s final act when McAvoy releases his 24th personality. And in case you were wondering, yes M. Night does supply us with his usual big reveal at the end, but unlike Split’s predecessors, the viewer’s experience doesn’t hinge on the final few scenes; this entire film was entertaining. There’s even a nice little nugget for loyal M. Night fans in the movies final shot. I was so dumbfounded by it that I couldn’t even fully enjoy it until I walked out of the theater and I honestly don’t know the last time I could say that about a Shyamalan film! Split gets a rating of FRESH!