garethvk
"Interesting Concept."
All About Comics!
Join | Log In
Rating:
Pros: Good script; Bruce Willis was great
+3
Cons: I hate Robin Wright Penn; annoying cinematography; the toddler that sat in front of me
No, the title of this review doesn't have anything to do with Unbreakable, M. Night Shyamalan's answer to his box office smash The Sixth Sense. It has to do with the four-year-old girl that the parents sitting in front of me and my date decided to bring to the movies with them. I'll get into that later. I just wanted to clarify my title before anyone got angry with me.
This is yet another good movie that has loads of twists and turns. I don't want to give anything away, so my plot outline is going to be minimal. Here goes: David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is an average man working as a security guard for a local college in Philadelphia. On his way home from an interview in New York on a train, there's a major train accident. David is the sole survivor. Elija Price(Samuel "put the L back in my name" Jackson) is a man that has some sort of osteo-disorder where his bones break a lot. He's obsessed with comic books. When he hears about David, Elija wants to meet him because of his fantasies in the comic world.
That's all I'm gonna tell you. I'm not going to say why he wants to meet. I'm not going to spoil any of the subplots. You have to see this film for yourself.
Bruce Willis does a great job playing David Dunn. His interaction with his son Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark) is terrific-- Perhaps working with Haley Joel Osment shaped him up for this. Robin Wright Penn has never been a favorite of mine, and this film didn't change my mind. I must say, however, that I like how she looks as a blonde better than a brunette. Jackson is just creepy and musters feelings of pity from the audience. I can't believe the same man played the title role in Shaft It just goes to show how versatile he is. Finally, keep your eyes peeled for the director himself. M. Night Shyamalan plays a drug dealer at the stadium where David works.
The sets are okay at best. The lighting is very dark, so it takes a lot of getting used to. The costumes are pretty lousy, especially putting Sam Jackson in purple. The cinematography is dizzying at moments, usually using a swiping shot, rather than clean cuts. (Swiping is where the camera pans back and forth between actors.) A lot of times, things are out of focus. The effect is used too much, and really got on my nerves.
The screenplay is what carried the film for me. I don't know how someone can come up with such an incredible story, but it totally worked. It was fantastic, but creepily (is that a word?) real. I'm giving Unbreakable a rating of 4 because of the story.
Parents, please leave your children home if you go to a grown-up movie. When the child declared that she had "tooted," I couldn't help but laugh because it was at such an inappropriate time in the film. It was a very serious scene, and it was ruined because of the little girl. Yes, it was funny, but I really missed a key part of the movie. On top of that, everyone that heard her say it absolutely roared with laughter. Chuckles ensued for about ten minutes thereafter. I'll go to see the film again, but only at a matinee or I'll just wait for video. If you go to see this film, be forewarned that it is a bit odd. Then again, so was The Sixth Sense. Be prepared for an incredible ending.
And, be sure that there are no toddlers in the theater.
Recommended:
Yes
What did you think of this review?
Helpful
6
Thought-Provoking
6
Fun to Read
6
Well-Organized
6
Post a Comment
More Unbreakable reviews
Quick Tip by SheilaDeeth.
October 19, 2010
Cool premise, very nicely worked out. I love the way he placed subtle hints in the story that led to the conclusion.
Comment
Compliment
Mr. Glass will go to any lengths to find his opposite number in life -- Is David Dunn the one? Great thriller; any comics fan wil love this!
Comment
Compliment
review by heyzeus7.
April 25, 2009
"Unbreakable" is the ultimate postmodern superhero movie: it looks at the comic book phenomenon from the outside (in the form of a character who grows up immersed in comics) while simultaneously giving us the origin story of a real-life superhero. This by itself would be reason to see the movie, but M. Night Shyamalan refuses to rely solely on the intrinsic interest of the plot to carry the movie. "Unbreakable" is a dark, lyrical cinematic masterpiece that transcends the limits of its genre and … more
Comments (5)
Compliments (15)
review by SusiDee34.
March 26, 2002
Pros: Samuel Jackson, the idea of the movie Cons: Bruce Willis The Bottom Line: for Willis fans only This was a strange one, unless you absolutely love comics and super heroes. Actually, the concept was sort of unique, but coming off The Sixth Sense, you pretty much knew how this one was going to end. David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is our local hero this time. A security guard at a college football stadium, … more
Comment
Compliment
review by Candice923.
December 03, 2000
Pros: Good script; Bruce Willis was great Cons: I hate Robin Wright Penn; annoying cinematography; the toddler that sat in front of me No, the title of this review doesn't have anything to do with Unbreakable, M. Night Shyamalan's answer to his box office smash The Sixth Sense. It has to do with the four-year-old girl that the parents sitting in front of me and my date decided to bring to the movies with them. I'll get into that later. I just wanted … more
Comment
Compliment
review by garethvk.
December 01, 2000
Pros: Good Cast. Cons: bad ending. Last year, Hollywood was abuzz with excitement over the little hyped film The Sixth Day that had become a huge hit, and had turned its young writer director M. Night Shyamalan into one of the hottest properties overnight. The film went on to break the 200 million mark, and entered the phrase I see dead people into the American lexicon. The only question left regarding the film, was how would the … more
Comment
Compliment
About the reviewer
Candice Cain (Candice923)
I own the Candy Cain Travel Co. in Brookhaven, NY. I am a certified Professional Bridal Consultant with the Association of Bridal Consultants and my agency is certified by IATA and CLIA. I specialize … more
Consider the Source
Use Trust Points to see how much you can rely on this review.
You
Candice923
Your ratings:
Recent reviews by Candice923
About this movie
This suspense thriller unfolds as the audience is introduced to David Dunn. Not only is he the sole survivor of a horrific train-crash that killed 131 people he doesn't have a scratch on him. Elijah Price is an obscure character who approaches Dunn with a seemingly far fetched theory behind it all. Written by Filmtwob <webmaster@filmfreak.co.za>
Security Guard David Dunn miraculously survives a catastrophic train crash outside Philadelphia. Not only is he the sole survivor out of 132 passengers, he also is completely unharmed. A little later, comic book specialist Elijah Price contacts him to confront David with an incredible theory: Elijah, who has been nicknamed "Mr. Glass" due to his more than fragile bones, thinks that David has got all which he himself lacks. The two of them "seem to be linked by a curve, but sitting on opposite ends". First, David does not believe the strange man, but every single thing he had said proves to be true: David has never ever been hurt or sick in his life, his physical strength is larger than normal and he has a skill which others don't. Slowly, David begins to discover the shocking truth behind Mr. Price's assumptions. But after all, David's fate is not only to find his real place in the world. It also is about proving Elijah's theory of his own existence. Written by Julian Reischl <julianreischl@mac.com>
Cast:
Charlayne Woodard,
Samuel L. Jackson,
Bruce Willis,
James Handy,
Robin Wright Penn,
Spencer Treat Clark,
Eamonn Walker,
Elizabeth Lawrence,
Leslie Stefanson,
Richard Council,
Joey Perillo
Genre:
Action,
Adventure
Release Date:
November 22, 2000
MPAA Rating:
PG-13
Runtime:
1hr 47min
First to Review
- About Lunch
- Press
- FAQs
- Contact Us
- Terms of Service
- Privacy Policy
- Sitemap
- Report Abuse
© 2013 Lunch.com, LLC All Rights Reserved
Lunch.com - Relevant reviews by real people.