[That Metal Beastie]

Any love out there for M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable?
Along with Spiderman2, Chris Nolan's Batman movies, Iron Man and The Crow its one of my favorite 'superhero' films. Not to everyone's tastes, to be sure, but the cinematography, set and sound design and performances by all the actors are great. Symbolism is subtle and pervasive. And the direction is deceptively brilliant. In fact it would surprise me if its not studied in film classes.
Its not an action film, deliberately and slowly paced, but if a superhero really existed it would probably something like this.

Any love for Unbreakable?

[MonsieurHood]

Originally Posted by That Metal Beastie

Any love out there for M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable?
Along with Spiderman2, Chris Nolan's Batman movies, Iron Man and The Crow its one of my favorite 'superhero' films. Not to everyone's tastes, to be sure, but the cinematography, set and sound design and performances by all the actors are great. Symbolism is subtle and pervasive. And the direction is deceptively brilliant. In fact it would surprise me if its not studied in film classes.
Its not an action film, deliberately and slowly paced, but if a superhero really existed it would probably something like this.

Any love for Unbreakable?

Yes, I love this film and it's dead-on accurate about what the inspiration for superheroes actually are. They are real people with inborn abilities to protect other people. It's like some people are born with the intellect to be physicists and some are born with the manual dexterity to be brain surgeons and some are born with the agility to be gymnasts and basketball players. Some people are born with the strength, insight, attention to detail and other factors that make them ideal protectors of others. These people tend to become police officers, firemen, soldiers, secret service agents and security officers. Perhaps they can't fly or throw a car a hundred feet, those things are the typical exaggerations of storytellers trying to embellish a story to make it better, but they do have enhanced abilities to protect others that a guy who was born to make pizza or train racehorses just don't posess, and vice-versa.

[That Metal Beastie]

Originally Posted by MonsieurHood

Yes, I love this film and it's dead-on accurate about what the inspiration for superheroes actually are. They are real people with inborn abilities to protect other people. It's like some people are born with the intellect to be physicists and some are born with the manual dexterity to be brain surgeons and some are born with the agility to be gymnasts and basketball players. Some people are born with the strength, insight, attention to detail and other factors that make them ideal protectors of others. These people tend to become police officers, firemen, soldiers, secret service agents and security officers. Perhaps they can't fly or throw a car a hundred feet, those things are the typical exaggerations of storytellers trying to embellish a story to make it better, but they do have enhanced abilities to protect others that a guy who was born to make pizza or train racehorses just don't posess, and vice-versa.

Like James T. Kirk was born to be a starship captain.
Oh, to know your purpose in life...'your first, best destiny.'

[martok2112]

While the premise of the story was cool....I damn near fell asleep watching it. I've never been too crazy about Shamalamaramalamadingdong's directorial style.

His actors (usually top notch actors at that) always seem like they're on some kind of sleeping pill, in pretty much every movie.

That said, I did like the scene in Unbreakable when Samuel L. Jackson (Mr. Glass) gives a potential art buyer what for when he learns that the buyer is purchasing a high value piece of Spiderman art for his little boy, when he thought the buyer was a genuine collector. LMAO!

[cjopbj]

I couldn't understand why the Bruce Willis character was always so morose. This is a common problem in superhero movies and TV shows. Whether it is Peter Petrilli or Wolverine, they have this fantastic gift and all they do is mope around about it.

Overall, I thought Unbreakable was worth watching on DVD. M. Night is sort of a one-trick pony. His style never alters. This is both good and bad.

[That Metal Beastie]

Superpowers and special abilities are daunting conditions and coming to terms with them a heady and often difficult thing. I know it was for me.
But seriously, its usually the villain/nemesis who more quickly accepts his condition and runs with it; typically with (insane) glee. With the hero we get self-doubt and moral questioning. That sombre introspection is realistic, IMHO.

As to Shyamalan he has been something of a one trick pony who's made one great movie (TheSixth Sense) and one even better (Unbreakable) his flawed masterpiece. Since then....meh!! Hopefully his next, Avatar: the Last Airbender will get him back on track. Then an Unbreakable sequel which he's finally admitted he should've done years ago.

[spokthecool]

Ya i love those films I love action films there the best also comedies