What if superheroes existed in reality? It’s a viewpoint more writers and filmmakers are taking which brings the X Men and others out of their bright Spandex and gives them some of the same struggles that the average person faces. None I’ve seen so far have approached the idea like Unbreakable.

 

David, the “super hero,” is more like the average working man than any other attempt I’ve seen. He has a hum-drum job, marital problems, child-rearing struggles, and thinks the idea that he has comic book-like powers is absurd. David is a man living an unfulfilled life. He slowly comes to a realization that he is not like other people. He is impossibly strong and resistant to illness or injury. As he explores what this means he crosses paths with Elijah, another man searching for his purpose in life. Elijah is the opposite of David, he has a bone disease that causes him to be easily injured. They form a friendship as David explores his abilities in a low-key but heroic effort to do something good. But every hero needs a villain...

 

Director M. Night describes his movie as what would normally be act 1 in an action movie - the character discovering he has super powers. The concept and story are good, but there’s a reason that it happens in act 1 of most movies; it’s awfully slow going when stretched out like this. That’s my biggest problem with the movie, it drags. I didn’t expect some flashy action movie from M. Night, but it could have used a quicker pace at times and more exhibition of super powers (the heroic battle near the end is not much of a showcase for the special abilities).

 

I was surprisingly disappointed with the main character. I loved Bruce Willis in 6th Sense, but I don’t think he adds much to the role of David in this one. Maybe he is too melancholy, or too disinterested in life to be on screen for as long as he is. It might be a valid character point, but it gets boring on screen. I prefer Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah and his quest for the meaning of his life even to the point that I would have enjoyed the movie more if he had been even more of the focus. I think it’s because he really is on a quest; he has to find out what his life means and so he seeks out David who is letting life pass him before picking up his own quest eventually only at the insistence of Elijah.

 

The quality in most aspects is good. Like I said, it’s rather slow so there’s a strike against the directing although M. Night does a good job with revealing the plot “twists.” The look of it is great. David’s “super-hero costume” is simple yet creative. Elijah’s look is every bit as odd as he is – stylish yet not quite right. The feel isn’t so much dark as dim – grim but with hope for those who search for it. The mood may add to the slow feel of the movie, but it’s well maintained all the way through. The music doesn’t feel like it permeates the whole movie enough. It does a fine job of accentuating a few scenes but feels too sporadic in its use with other scenes.

 

Acting-wise the only disappointment is Bruce Willis. He still does an average to better than average job, but he doesn’t lend much to the role. Sam Jackson does the best job of anyone in the cast, not too much of a surprise. His character could have been severely goofy but instead is likable and creepy at the same time; he’s definitely sympathetic. The young boy does an impressive job. M. Night has a knack for finding talented young actors.

 

Why did I put “twists” in quotes above? Because of 6th Sense viewers were looking for the “twist” in every M. Night movie that came after. There is something of a revelation at the end of this movie that is often referred to as a “plot twist” and is criticized for not being a good one. That's because it isn't one. It's a development, a revelation that anyone paying attention could see as inevitable. I knew this bit of info early on in the story and was only waiting for the characters to come to the realization of it themselves. I didn't realize until reading comments later on that it wasn't obvious to everyone resulting in an unimpressive “surprise” for some viewers. Don't expect to reevaluate the whole story based on what you learn at the end.