Movie Review: Unbreakable (2000)

Unbreakable (2000) written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan

The life of David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is falling apart. He's estranged from his wife (Robin Wright Penn) but still living together because of their young son Joseph. David is on the verge of leaving them when something unbelievable happens. On a train ride from New York, David's train wrecks and everyone on board dies except for David. David has no injuries whatsoever. He tries to go back to his life but he receives a strange note from Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson). Elijah is a comic-book expert who thinks David is an exceptional person, someone meant to be a hero. Elijah has lived his life with a debilitating condition where his bones are extremely fragile. He's so weak, shouldn't there be someone else, a polar opposite, who is unnaturally strong? And doesn't the world need people greater than normal, people who are heroes?

The story is told in a very quiet but direct way. When David is leaving the hospital after the crash, Joseph puts his parents' hands together. As soon as Joseph turns away, they let go, showing that they are not really together except for their son. Shyamalan tells a lot of the story in a similar fashion, showing an artist's touch. Big, over the top moments don't happen on screen except once or twice, and then to great effect. The actors all deliver great performances. The story is finely crafted and visually rich.

Even better is the thematic elements. David is a lost soul, without a real purpose or direction to his life. And he knows it but he doesn't know what to do about it. Elijah thinks David is meant to be a hero; his son wants him to be a hero. Accepting that vocation is a long and hard road for David and a fascinating journey for the viewers. The ending is a classic Shyamalan twist and his most powerful.

Highly recommended.