Summary
6 tech score
“Glass” (Universal)
A few years ago I watched the movie “Split” and thought to myself M. Night Shyamalan still has it. The director of that film and also of earlier films such as “The Sixth Sense” and “The Village” has long been one of my favorites, but he seemed to have gone off course in the past few years with movies like “The Happening” and “After Earth.” Still the maker of “Glass” has drawn from “Split” and “Unbreakable” to give us a trilogy ending finale that will satisfy his fans to the fullest.
“Glass” draws from those two movies and puts Elijah Price/Mr. Glass (Samuel L Jackson), David Dunn (Bruce Willis) and Kevin, etc. (James McAvoy) in one medical facility where they can be studied and treated by psychiatrist Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulsen). It seems she wants to prove to them and to the world that these “super humans” are really just persons with a psychiatric disorder.
She uses blinding lights to control Kevin and his other personalities while using Dunn’s phobia against water to keep him in line. Elijah is kept heavily drugged, and of course his bones are so brittle and breakable it is not hard to keep him under control. Or so she thinks.
The movie moves at a fairly sluggish pace but you know at some point there is going to be a battle royale for control and dominance by these three men. While waiting for this, director and writer Shyamalan brings into the story Elijah’s mother (Charlayne Woodard), David’s son Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark), and one of Kevin’s former victims Casey Cook (Anna Taylor-Joy). All three of these actors/characters appeared in one of the two other movies.
Jackson is eerily scary as Elijah. Even in a sedated state he seems to ooze evil. Willis is in hero mode without the usual wisecracks that have attached themselves to some of his other characters. But it is McAvoy who stands out from the crowd. While playing Kevin/Patricia/Hedwig/the Beast/etc he injects voltage into every scene. He is completely mesmerizing when “the Beast” arrives. This brilliant actor transforms himself mentally, physically and emotionally to give all dimensions to this character.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
“Glass” is not the best Shyamalan movie ever made, but it certainly is not his worst either. This film has those trademark Shyamalan touches such as the creator’s cameo, the feelings of impending doom, and of course the twisty ending. They add up to above average entertainment if not going for the gold glory.
I scored “Glass” a fragile 6 out of 10.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com
