Split (2017) Movie Review by: Tristan Bunn

Split is the new psychological thriller brought to us by M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable) and stars James McAvoy as a man suffering from multiple personality disorder…and it gets creepy and suspenseful, as you expect from this director.

M. Night Shyamalan is actually a brilliant filmmaker. He has fallen on hard times lately and has made some really awful films, but that doesn’t take away from the masterpieces he has crafted. I think it’s easy for the average viewer to see his latest work and think he’s an awful director. It is really easy to forget, in this adderall consuming ADD culture, the talent that Shyamalan once put on display. I think his first three films (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs) are truly all masterful works of cinema, with Unbreakable being one of my favorite films of all time. He went through a series of creative duds and unfortunate pictures, but I thought The Visit was a step in the right direction, considering I really enjoyed it. I am happy to say that Split is a return to form for the master and is Shyamalan’s best film since Signs.

This is a dark, disturbing, entertaining, and surprisingly funny psychological thriller with James McAvoy giving the best performance of his career. Let’s start with McAvoy’s performance: It is electrifying. McAvoy gives his all to this role and it really shows and provides the audience with one hell of a ride. A performance where an actor plays multiple personalities can easily appear as a show-off performance, but that is definitely not the case here. Yes, it is loud and he swings for the fences, but that is enmeshed with the subtle acting on display through the more reserved personalities of the character. McAvoy covers a wide range of emotions in this piece, but they all stay grounded within the world that Shyamalan is building. McAvoy knows the line to walk and knows when to throw himself at you, while also knowing when to pull himself back, and it is truly brilliant. If it wasn’t for the release date and the overall content of the picture, I would promulgate McAvoy’s Oscar campaign. He is perfect in this film, and I just have to say, no spoilers of course, that he has one scene involving a song…and it is breathtaking. It’s one of those magic moments in cinema that doesn’t happen that often, and I was savoring every second of it. 

Anya Taylor-Joy is also extraordinary in her role. What is wonderful about her performance is that there is disparity between her and McAvoy. While he is often loud in his portrayal, Taylor-Joy is enchantingly subtle. There is so much depth to her character that she portrays with a lot of small pieces trying to build to a puzzle, and most of this comes through her eyes, considering her character is largely quiet, and for good reason. She is really just beginning her career and I can’t wait to see where it goes because this is probably the best she has ever been.

In a film like Split, you can have great performances, but you need some great direction to make it a great film. Luckily, Shyamalan’s direction is great. He is back in the spotlight and showing us why he was once our generation’s master of suspense. His ability to play with the audience and hide secrets within the narrative is unparalleled by most directors. He creates such a tense environment that had me gripping my seat and squirming to try and find comfort that I would never find. This film also does an astounding job at getting under your skin. For a PG-13 rating, Shyamalan really does go for it. I mentioned that McAvoy surrenders himself completely, but so does Shyamalan because this film takes the audience to places that some people might not want to go. I’m not easily disturbed by film. I really enjoy violence in cinema and pride myself on being able to watch anything disturbing and violent, assuming it’s in good taste, but there is a place that this film goes that made me boil with heat and want to look away. The realistic nature of the disturbing moments are what make it work so well and I have to applaud Shyamalan for pulling this off. The cinematography is also perfect. The DP is Mike Gioulakis, who did the cinematography for It Follows, and he shoots this movie to perfection. The lighting is beautiful and poetically captures the mood of every scene. The actors look marvelous, the settings are breathtaking, and the third act is shot to perfection. Gioulakis was a brilliant choice to helm this film and it took it to even greater heights. The directing and cinematography is accompanied by some truly expert level sound design, and an original score that slides into the film flawlessly.

I do have some flaws with Split, but they are minuscule really. I think the acting from the other two teenagers, not Anya Taylor-Joy, can feel a bit wooden at times. Their lines just feel a little forced early in the film, but it it doesn’t take up a lot of screen time. I also think the film takes a moment to really find its footing. When I say that, I feel like the pacing is just slightly shaky in the early part of the first act. However, once the film gets planted, it takes off running. There were also some moments where I started to question if certain things were working with the film, but that is intentional by the filmmaker. As an audience, just trust Shyamalan to take you where you need to be. He truly respects his audience, so he expects you to respect him as well. Go with it and give it a chance because I think you’ll like where you go.

Split is an absolute blast at the cinema, and I can’t wait to see it again. I can’t stop thinking about it or talking about it. Please check it out if you’re a fan of unique films because I think you might enjoy it. M. Night Shyamalan is back making the films he should be making, and if you are a fan of his work then I think this movie just might have you dancing upon exiting the theater.