Glass – 4 out of 5
Unbreakable was an incredible film. It broke the norms of superhero movies before superhero movies were even close to what they currently are. Later, when M. Night Shyamalan brought out Split, no one was prepared for the reality that it was connected to the world of Unbreakable but, there at the end, we see the character of David Dunn. When Shyamalan announced he was doing a crossover film, I was very excited. When my buddy hooked me up with free tickets, I hungrily took them. The critics aren’t reacting very positively to Glass but I sure dug it!
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| Universal Pictures Might want to add a domino mask or something, Dunn. You know, so we can't figure out your secret identity so easily. |
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| Universal Pictures I think he stepped in or on something. Possibly a LEGO or some dog droppings. |
David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is hunting down Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), the man with dissociative identity disorder. Kevin kidnapped some girls and after tracking down and fighting with Kevin, both men are taking by the authorities and transferred to a mental institution. Also housed in the institution is the mad responsible for “making” Dunn who he is; Elijah Price a.k.a. Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson). There, Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson) plans on “curing” them of their supposed delusions of super abilities. Soon, doubt creeps in if they really are what they believe they are or if it is all in their head; however, Mr. Glass has his own plans…
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| Universal Pictures It's always nice to see Sarah Paulson in a role where she isn't crying all the time. It feels like that is 90% of her performances in American Horror Story. |
The strongest aspect Glass has working for it is its performances. The weakest link in the chain is Bruce Willis but the guy hasn’t really felt like he’s been giving his all for years now. However, even then, he isn’t bad, there’s just not a lot of time given to him where he can really deliver. Sarah Paulson has this eerie calm about her that is captivating to watch. Samuel L. Jackson is always slick and cool AF and, finally, James McAvoy's portrayal of the character with D.I.D. is absolutely astounding. In the review of Split (which you can read here), I commented how the film’s story is okay but not incredibly noteworthy and that the reason the film is truly something to watch is McAvoy’s performance. Once again, he showcases this almost uncanny ability to get lost in these identities that Kevin has within him. Everything from speech patterns to the sound of his voice to the very way he carries himself and the mannerisms he throws out as the identities is absolutely outstanding to watch. Furthermore, watching him transform from one personality to the next is so enthralling. Without a doubt, just absorbing the performances in this movie is reason enough to give it a shot.
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| Universal Pictures With Jackson and McAvoy in the room, you're forgiven if you forget that Willis was in this scene. |
From a story perspective, the film is a little hit-or-miss. While I dug it and found it engaging and fun to watch as it balances drama, intrigue and even some humor, the feature does feel like it is perpetually in the first act before abruptly jumping into the climax. So much of the story is eaten up by the establishment of Dr. Staple and her desire to treat these men. We are informed over and over again that she is out to “cure them of their delusions” and that she only has a short window to do so. You would think this is establishing a looming conflict or threat on the horizon but there is never a feeling that there is a deadline coming or that Dr. Staple in under the gun to get her work done in any way, shape or form. Instead, the film just feels like it is all just establishing her and the institution for her coming therapy before we are given one moment of her trying to cure them and then are thrown into the film’s final act. While this is never an entertainment killer for me, there was no denying that the story was a little on the sloppy side.
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| Universal Pictures I wish I was as cool as Sam Jackson so I could wear that amazing jacket! |
In typical M. Night Shyamalan fashion, Glass has a twist in the end. This twist isn’t as shocking as The Sixth Sense but it did leave an impact on me and I had to digest it for a bit because it had the potential to ruin the entire experience. The problem I had with the twist is it never feels calculated or foreshadowed. When you revisit The Sixth Sense, there are clues to the fact Bruce Willis’ character was dead the whole time but Shyamalan was able to provide just enough misdirection that you never fully notice the clues. Without the added benefit of seeing the film a second time, this twist felt like it came out of left field and never is really lying in wait. I can’t recall a moment that may have sneakily hinted at this moment and it left feeling like the twist was a tad lazy. Ultimately, I liked what the twist brought to an extent but I can’t help but feel like it was tacked on and only added to my early critique about the third act feeling like it is arriving out of nowhere.
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| Universal Pictures Not to give away the twist but it turns out that David Dunn is the reincarnated form of Malcolm Crowe and then ends up being dead the whole time all over again. |
Glass isn’t the genre-defying feature that Unbreakable was but it didn’t have to be. There are issues with the story and I’m still not entirely sure if I dug the twist completely but I was entertained and I absolutely was enthralled with the performances.
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