Movie Review: Split (2016)

Here's what I know going in: this is a movie about a character with multiple personalies played by the astonishing James McAvoy.  For me, this is the equivalent of "You had me at hello."  Beyond that, I've only seen the trailer and that was with caution because trailers are currently in the habit of giving the whole movie away.  What's up with that??  Let me watch the damn movie...if I want to see the whole thing first, I'll watch the 10,000 clips that are released before the movie even comes out!.  So I'm expecting a pretty cool thriller with at least one stellar performance.

The movie starts out like a tingle on the back of your neck.  Within the first scene, we establish what roles the teenage girls in the movie will play.  And that's just from their lines back-and-forth!  Enter Mr. McAvoy.  Hot damn, is he brilliant!  But I'm getting ahead of myself.  The tone is eerie and it veers back and forth between that and hopeful pretty much the whole movie.  It's some edge-of-your seat shit.  While it's definitely got a horror slant, I would place this firmly in the thriller/suspense category.  It doesn't go into the "gorey" category at all.  It IS thrilling and if you do have nails, you won't for long!!

Did you know that this was directed by M. Night Shyamalan??  I didn't!!  I'm one of those weirdos who likes The Village, The Happening and Lady in the Water.  I dig his stuff.  This is also one of those movies that's got a very limited cast (think Hard Candy, etc.).  I always enjoy that when it's done well and it was done well, because the actors tend to shine a little brighter, unless they're terrible and no one in this movie is terrible.  The cinematography is great as are the color palettes and lighting.  It all lends to the creepy/hopeful vibe and it doesn't jar me in any way.

I can't give too much away, so all I'll say about McAvoy's characters is that they are brilliant!  He gives off an entirely new demeanor (if not new accent) with every incarnation.  I believe that he believed that he was each of those people, and really, isn't that the whole point?  You are rooting for the good guy, but the good guy is also the bad guy!!!  Arghh!  Is it frustrating?  Is it unique?  What is this feeling??  I love it.  I have to say the girl playing Casey is a phenomenal protagonist and you can't help wanting her to win.  I would say that's mainly because her character is clever.  She listens and she's not the typical "run up the stairs to avoid the murderer" last girl.  That's damn refreshing.

MEMORABLE SCENE:
While there are several amazing scenes and gripping moments, I have to go with the dance scene.  It creeped me out, but I loved it.  There's also several scenes at the end, but I'm not spoiling those for anyone!

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
Hedwig.  I really want it to be the girl, but it's totally Hedwig....and that's pretty much all I can say about that.

QUOTE:
Dr Fletcher: "An individual with muliple personalities can change their body chemistry with their thoughts."

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Oh, as far as the subject material and how entertaining the movie was, I would say check out Identity and maybe Secret Window.  If we're giong with really great thrillers with the same pacing, maybe Get Out or The Game would be up your alley.

EXTRAS:
This is the same universe in which M. Night's movie Unbreakable takes place.  If you haven't seen it, just go check it out.  Bruce Willis, Sam Jackson...an entirely new take on superheroes.  The next movie is said to be a sequel to both films called Glass and will have James McAvoy and Bruce Willis reprising their characters from both movies.  I don't know about you guys...but I think that's fucking cool!

Anya Taylor-Joy has been recently cast in the New Mutants movie as Magik, which, if you're an X-Men fan, is pretty damn exciting.  Will James McAvoy make an appearance as a young Charles Xavier in that movie?  What a neat thought.