Plot
David, a man as ordinary as the next, is involved in a horrific train crash that kills everybody on board. He emerges as the only survivor and is completely unhurt from the ordeal. After the extensive media coverage of the accident a dark stranger, whose life revolves around comic books, approaches David with a possible answer for his miraculous escape. Could it be that David's true purpose in life has yet to be fulfilled.
Analysis Just why some people are left alive after such horrific accidents such as a plane crash or in this case a train wreck is anyone's guess. Most will put it down to luck, some will favor religion. For Elijah Price there could only be one reason why David Dunn did not die when his train became derailed. Elijah is a man with a rare bone condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta and has spent a good part of his life in and out of hospital wards with broken bones. The children at his school would tease him and call him 'Mr Glass' because he broke so easily. He spent a lot of his time in the house too frightened to play with his friends outside and became interested in comic books to pass the time. Now as an adult he has his own gallery of unique comic art. David is a normal, regular guy like you or I. A marriage on the rocks and on the brink of moving jobs to live in New York, he crosses paths with Elijah who reveals to David that he might be a little more than just a normal guy and encourages him to look deep at his life bother past and present for the answer to his being.
Reuniting Bruce Willis and M. Night. Shyamalan after their supernatural hit film 'The Sixth Sense', is no bad thing and again their use of a child star, in the form of Spencer Treat Clark, was a wise move to improve the emotional air that surrounds this film. Willis manages to pull of a great little performance by doing little more than looking confused and staring a lot. Nice work if you can get it. Jackson has yet to make a poor impression on me and again produces another fine effort.
The star of this movie has to be the plot. The whole idea behind David's miraculous escape and subsequent development is pure genius. When you hear the theory Elijah gives to David it will knock you for six. A fantasy film that concentrates more on plot than on FX is a rare beasty indeed, but this is story, story, story all the way. Just like The Sixth Sense their is a sting in the tale just at the moment when you think you have a handle on it all, BANG, it explodes in your face.
The technical team have deliberately conjured up a great 'comic book' style to the cinematography and manage to keep the visuals dark and gritty to reflect David's unfolding life discovery. The clever way in which some of the shots are framed especially the ones towards the back end of the film are very effective.
On the negative side, the story just seemed to end a little prematurely and desperately cries out for a sequel. It could just have been me, but I really could have gone another 30 minutes with this one. I guess wanting the film to be longer really should be seen as a positive point but hey, that's life.
Key Area |
Rating (out of 5)
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Comment |
Action
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Not too action packed but has it's moments at the rear of the film. A train crash and plane explosion are not seen on screen which is a shame, but we do get a burning car and a brief chase scene.
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Thrills/
Tension
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A few small thrills along the way but most of the good stuff is saved for the last 20 minutes of the film. Watch out for the twist at the end that will hit you like a wet kipper.
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Violence/
Gore
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A little pushing and shoving in the last 15 minutes, including a few shots of some poor family members being held hostage. Also includes a rather nasty 'bottle over the head' moment.
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Bare Flesh
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None
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Not really that kind of movie.
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Plot
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The plot is strong and keeps you rooted. The way in which David tries to deny his true meaning in life only to finally accept his destiny was wonderful to watch.
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Verdict A fantastic addition to Mr Shyamalan's CV and a worthy successor to The Sixth Sense. If you are a fan of Fantasy/Thrillers then you must see this flick. All fans of 'comic book' cinema will love this movie. I rated this as one of my favorite films of this year so it must be good.
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A solid story that could have done with being an hour longer.
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Facts, figures and boobs
1. |
Two computers under Elijah's desk move 3 feet to the right. |
2. |
When a strangulation is taking place, the wall shakes. The repaired hole from a previous take is obvious before the hole is made. |
3. |
In the beginning of the film, Joseph Dunn flips between a station playing "Powerpuff Girls, The" (1998) and one playing "I Am Weasel" (1999). Both shows are owned by the Cartoon Network and play nowhere else. |
4. |
The different types of Osteogenesis Imperfecta are not accurately described. The most lethal type (from which most victims "...don't last very long") is Type II, not IV as stated in the movie. |
5. |
The films director, M. Night Shyamalan, played a cameo roll as the suspected drug dealer in the stadium. |
6. |
The name Elijah is a biblical reference. Elijah was prophesied to return to Earth to pave the way for the coming of a savior. |
What other people thought of this film: - |
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