Split (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: M. Night Shyamalan (The 6th Sense, Unbreakable)
	Actors: James McAvoy (X-men 7-9, Filth, Wanted), Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson
	Country: USA
	Genre: Thriller
	Conditions of visioning: 20.01.2020, VOD, 10" tablet screen.
Synopsis: Three female friends get kidnapped on a parking lot, by a man we quickly learn suffers from Dissociative identity disorder (multiple personalities). While his motives are unknown, Casey (Taylor-Joy) plays the game.
Review: Except his first two movies, I have seen all the ones directed by M. Night Shyamalan since The 6th Sense back in 1999, with more or less pleasure. He was a bit outside my radar until I heard about Split. I will review the movie itself even though what attracted me to it is (spoiler, highlight to read) its last scene connecting it to Unbreakable and the following Glass. A quick internet research showed me that Split may be one of only two movies dealing with multiple personalities, although many deal with two or sometimes three. That other movie is (spoiler in fact) the 2003 Identity which I liked a lot at the time. I imagine this kind of role is an Actor's dream because it allows him or her (James Mc Avoy in that case) to showcase his ability to play a vast range of characters within a single movie. And he does it very well for the few characters we get to meet. I really liked that about the movie. I also like the whole mythology theoreticized by the character of Dr. Karen Fletcher, which in fact already hints at the connection mentioned above. I didn't know the details of the story before watching the movie so I feared a bit when I saw it veer towards kidnapping and sequestration in a basement (like in 10 Cloverfield Lane) but it turned out better and more open than I thought. I liked that Shyamalan tricked me into thinking I found out the twist of the movie (his movies are famous for that) half-way through it, while I was wrong and in fact the twist is that there is no twist, just a story. It is nicely done and not disappointing. After being tired of the Hollywood system and going back to independent films in 2015 with The Visit, I would say that M. Night Shyamalan is not dead and still manages to direct movies that I like.
Rating: 7 /10