Unbreakable Reviews

For me, The Sixth Sense is M Night Shyamalan's best film, but Unbreakable comes very, very close. Maybe it is not a movie for everybody, due to some parts dragging and rambling on just a tad, but it is a thoughtful, moving and compelling film.

It is a very well made film with beautiful, brooding cinematography and striking scenery. Unbreakable also features my personal favourite James Newton Howard score for any of his collaborations with Shyamalan, it is so gorgeous and subtle. Even with the odd draggy moment, Unbreakable does have a very enthralling story that resonated with me a lot. Like The Sixth Sense, it deals with the supernatural genre but takes it to a thought-provoking and surreal level.

The pace is measured, and for the most part it works. The script is thoughtfully written as well, the characters are interesting(I don't think Willis has had a more involving character than the one he has here) and Shyamalan's confidence and assurance further adds to the many impressive things about Unbreakable. Bruce Willis and Samuel L.Jackson are both fantastic, and one wonders why they didn't do more together.

Some have been dismissive of the ending, I actually thought it was fine, though I was underwhelmed by it on my first viewing a few years back. I did say before that The Sixth Sense's ending was the only one of a Shyamalan film that worked, after re-watching Unbreakable I take that back. I still think though the others were either needlessly melodramatic(Signs), laughable(The Village) or both(The Happening). All in all, a great film and one of Shyamalan's better ones. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This is one of my favorite Shyamalan films with its incredible shots. Especially the opening credits. After watching Glass and Split, this is still my favorite out of the three.

with a story made in the best possible way
even if it bored someone average
and something cooler than superhero movies

with solid performances of bruce wills and samuel L. Jackson
and with an ending that leaves you mind fucked

Unbreakable is one of the best superhero movies and although not counting the sixth sense M. Night Shyamalan is a bad director I did a good job being a more realistic and dramatic movie than another superhero movie

con una historia hecha de la mejor forma posible
sin importar de que aburriria a algunas personas
y mas fresco que otras peliculas de superheroes

con buenas actuaciones de Bruce Wills Y Samuel L. Jackson

Unbreakable O El Protegido es una de las mejores peliculas de superheroes y aunque sin contar el sexto sentido M. Night Shyamalan Apesta Hico un buen trabajo siendo una pelicula mas realista y dramatica que otra pelicula de superheroes

[English Version]

Unbreakable is a 2000 American superhero thriller film produce and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. After surviving miraculously to a catastrophic train accident, David Dunn (Bruce Willis) meets Elijah Price (Samuel L Jackson), a man who seems to know the cause of its invulnerability. Elijah has a degenerative disease and has to use a wheelchair; Firmly believes in a universal balance, by which the weak have the support of the strong. He would give an explanation that could change forever the life of David and his family.

This is the definition of a realistic superhero film and by far the best work of his director.......... no joking. Since, it's very unique (and depressing at some point) the vision that the movie has about "The great plan that the universe has for us", also it's more focus on the interactions and the characters than the action scenes or saving the day, making it a great drama.

Taking about this, the drama on the film is coherent and quite strong, with a cast of characters with very realistic personalities, having also strong relationships, been David and Elijah the perfect example of this. And, unlike most Shyamalan movies, the plot twist actually works!!!! Thanks to this twist, the character of Elijah having a tragic revelation and strangely similar to other stories of superheroes but without becoming cliché, and both the build-up and consequences are great made dure out the movie. And in the end, it offers one of the Most devastating and tragic final messages that I have seen in this type of cinema.

The visuals are freakin' beautiful: The soundtrack from James Newton Howard, the use of colours that helps to express the tone, emotion or ambience that the scene in question wants to give,the use of symbolisms and different camera angules to show the emotions of our protagonist, the acting by Bruce and Samuel are more than excellent and difficult to forget.


The only problems that this movie could have is that his pacing is slow as a snail (but it's also helps with the build-up to the end) and the story has a plot hole VERY easy to notice (also side with some minor conviniencies like where Willis is going to stop the rapist/murderer), but in the end, it's a very unique film that deserves to be watch, and by far, my favorite superhero film of all time.

Final Score: 9/10

[Spanish Version]

Unbreakable/Irrompible/El Protegido es una película thriller de superhéroes hecha en el año 2000 dirigida por M. Night Shyamalan. Después de sobrevivir milagrosamente a un accidente de tren catastrófico, David Dunn (Bruce Willis) conoce a Elijah Price (Samuel L Jackson), un hombre que parece saber la causa de su invulnerabilidad. Elijah tiene una enfermedad degenerativa y tiene que usar una silla de ruedas; el firmemente cree en un equilibrio universal, por el cual los débiles tienen el apoyo de los fuertes. El dará una explicación que cambiara para siempre la vida de David y su familia.

Esta es la definición de una película realista de superhéroes y por mucho el mejor trabajo de su director............no bromeo. Ya que es muy única (y depresiva hasta cierto punto) la visión que tiene la película sobre "El gran plan que el universo tiene para nosotros", también se centra más en las interacciones y los personajes que las escenas de acción o el ahorro del día, haciendo así un gran drama.

Tomando esto, el drama de la película es coherente y bastante fuerte, con un elenco de personajes con personalidades muy realistas, teniendo también fuerte química entre ellos, David y Elíjak siendo el ejemplo perfecto de esto. Y, a diferencia de la mayoría de las películas Shyamalan, el giro de la trama realmente funciona!!!! Gracias a este giro, el personaje de Elijah tiene una revelación trágica y extrañamente similar a otras historias de superhéroes, pero sin convertirse en un cliché, y tanto la construcción como las consecuencias son bastante bien hechas durante la película. Y al final, ofrece sobre uno de los mensajes finales más devastadores y trágicos que he visto en este tipo de cine.

El apartado tecnico es jodidamente bello: La banda sonora de James Newton Howard, el uso de colores que ayuda a expresar el tono, emoción o ambiente que la escena en cuestión quiere dar, el uso de simbolismos y diferentes ángulos de cámara para mostrar las emociones de nuestro protagonista, las actuaciones de Bruce y Samuel son más que excelentes y difíciles de olvidar.

Los únicos problemas que esta película podría tener es que su ritmo es lento como un caracol (pero también ayuda para construir eventos importantes hasta el final) y la trama tiene un agujero argumental muy fácil de notar (también lado con algunas pequeñas conveniencias como donde Willis va a parar al violador/asesino), pero al final, es una película muy única que merece ser vista, y de lejos, mi película de superhéroes favorita de todos los tiempos.

Nota final: 9/10

After The Sixth Sense scored big with critics and garnered 6 Oscar nominations, director M. Night Shyamalan made a movie with various similarities to what most would consider, his crown jewel. Unbreakable has notable parallels with The Sixth Sense, the most obvious being Bruce Willis in the leading role, but the film also possesses a similar tone and delves a bit into the supernatural (though not as deeply as The Sixth Sense did). It also contains a twist ending - a signature of M. Night Shyamalan - though this element is ultimately the least satisfying part of the film. Thankfully, the preceding hour and a half, do more than enough to save this surprisingly strong follow-up.

David Dunn is returning from a job interview, traveling by train. Unfortunately, the train gets into a major wreck, killing everyone aboard - except for David, who hasn't even a broken bone. David is then consulted by a man named Elijah, who has a disease that causes his bones to break easily. Elijah - a comic book nerd - begins to wonder if David is invincible. And then, he wonders if David might be a superhero.

The most impressive thing that Shyamalan does with Unbreakable, is maintain a brilliantly dark and mildly creepy atmosphere from beginning to end. The film moves slowly, carefully crafting the appropriate tone for the film. The camera angles (most of which are highly unusual) are interesting as well, never quite focusing on the primary characters, making even the most simple scenes feel unsettling. This creates a level of tangible anxiety, which is fascinating as much of the film is occupied entirely by conversation. Essentially, Shyamalan has created suspense out of thin air, in what is an absolute triumph in directing.

The premise itself is interesting as well. It's a super hero film, but without action. It's thoughtful and smartly thought out. One could call it a "super hero film for snobs," but that's discrediting its ability to entertain. I admit that a lot of audiences are likely to be bored watching this film, but for the right niche, Unbreakable will be a delightfully twisted treat.

Moments of brief suspense are dispersed throughout the picture, though it's not paced as well as The Sixth Sense. Some scenes are shockingly dark in their implications. This is a super hero film that feels real. It feels like it could really happen. It's gritty at times, and doesn't shy away from consequence.

The characters themselves are fully dimensional. David maintains primary relations with three other characters, each is done superbly. The relationship between David and his son are especially convincing and impressive, but also very notable are his scenes with Elijah, and with his wife, Audrey.

Unbreakable does suffer from a handful of things, though. Mainly character oversights and the occasional bad dialogue. But the most significant issue is the ending. And in all honesty, the ending is fine. It's good. It wraps things up. But at the same time, it's deeply flawed.

Like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable ends with a twist. The Sixth Sense had a twist that worked on every conceivable level. Unbreakable fails to work on many of those levels. For one, the film is somewhat dependent on the twist, as it wraps up several loose ends. The twist also suffers simply because its less shocking than that of The Sixth Sense, and honestly, not as interesting. The twist isn't bad, it just falls short of the greatness of The Sixth Sense.

Bruce Willis delivers a performance that's equal in strength to his work in The Sixth Sense, though he is somewhat outshined by Samuel L. Jackson who delivers a surprisingly thoughtful performance as Elijah Price. Spencer Treat Clark, delivers a great child performance as David's son, and David's wife, played by Robin Wright, is also notably impressive.

James Newton Howard's score is appropriately creepy, but is also very melodious and frequently interesting. Though it unfortunately gives way to modern-styled percussion on two occasions (each time it's jarring and irritating), it succeeds in enhancing the atmosphere, and being an entertaining score on its own terms.

Not perfect, but mesmerizing nonetheless, Unbreakable certainly doesn't top The Sixth Sense, but it comes surprisingly close. The directing is brilliant, the acting is great, and though the twist is lacking, it still provides appropriate resolution. Unbreakable is extremely experimental - perhaps too much so for most audiences - but it's an intriguing and thoughtful origin story with more guts than most other super hero films on the market.

This is a very uniquely brilliant & personal film made by M. Night Shyamalan. Excellent opening long shot, subtle performances, deep messages, and a beautiful script. This is truly an underrated work of art!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The plot is basically that David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is the only survivor of a horrific train crash – completely unharmed. Then he's approached by Elijah Prince (Samuel L Jackson), who believes that, because David has never been injured in his life, he's a real-life embodiment of a comic book superhero.
Elijah's theory seems absurd at first, but gradually starts to make sense as the movie progresses. I especially like how, as a security guard, David has an instinct for wrongdoing, which Elijah sees as a human trait that's the basis for super powers. It gets to the point where he can tell if someone's got a skeleton in their closet just by touching them. :)
But sadly, this is one of those movies that seems to end too soon. The climax doesn't give you any indication that you're nearing the end of the movie; it feels like you're only at the end of the second act. (I had the same problem with Rambo 4 and Hostel: Part II.)
But on the whole, my first impression of Unbreakable is that it's pretty good. It's a well-written and thoughtful take on heroes combined with life imitating art.

My rating: 75%

If I remember correctly, I saw this one when it was released back then when I was living in England. Anyway, I thought it was time for a re-watch with Nick, my step-son and, this time again, I thought it was actually pretty good. I mean, if M. Night Shyamalan might be nowadays the laughing-stock of the movie community but, back in those days, he was considered one of the most promising directors. Personally, I wasn’t really impressed by ‘The Sixth sense’ which I consider one of the most overrated movies ever made, but his follow-up was really good, the best movie directed by Shyamalan so far, and as a matter of fact, the only one which I found really satisfying. The point is that way before the whole super-hero overdose, he came up with this really gritty and realistic approach on the genre and I thought it was quite fascinating to behold. Of course, the whole thing was not flawless. Indeed, as usual with Shyamalan, even though the directing was very solid, the writing was kind of weak. I mean, often he would sacrifice plausibility for thriller theatrics. For example, is it really realistic to believe that the main character would become aware of his ability only after a huge train wreck? I mean, you or your family would notice that you are never sick or injured (I mean, when I was a kid, I noticed I never got to the hospital and it remained so until I was 18 years old, and by now, I have been 3 times to a hospital. I mean, my point is that you notice and remember such things). Another point, when the main character notice a weird note on his windshield, shouldn’t he shred it? And don’t get me started with the usual Shyamalan twist... So, it is not perfect but it remains a good flick though, absolutely. I mean, I just loved this ‘super-hero’ who is actually some kind of depressed loser, so much more interesting than your usual though guys, and Bruce Willis delivered a solid performance. In fact, even though Willis was pretty good, Samuel L. Jackson was actually even better. Basically, he gives one of the best performances in his long career portraying a really fascinating character completely lost in his neurotic obsessions. To conclude, in spite of its flaws, it is one of the most interesting and entertaining super-hero flick I have seen and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you have completely lost faith in M. Night Shyamalan.

"It's alright to be afraid, David, because this part won't be like a comic book. Real life doesn't fit into little boxes that were drawn for it."

Unbreakable is an eerie, thoroughly thought-provoking comic book suspense thriller capable of leaving an audience completely stunned. The film comes from writer/director M. Night Shyamalan; a director brought into the spotlight after delivering the critically acclaimed 1999 thriller The Sixth Sense. The young filmmaker scored a surprise masterpiece with The Sixth Sense. The critics adored it, audiences loved it, the Oscar committee recognised the film with several nominations, and (as of late 2008) it convincingly ranks at #32 on the all-time worldwide box office. Subsequent to Shyamalan's success, it's probably safe to assume that he was a tad nervous about making another film. Expectations were probably unfairly high when Unbreakable rolled into cinemas. Although a decent movie, by no means does it threaten The Sixth Sense in terms of quality or box office earnings.

Shyamalan's Unbreakable could most likely be referred to as a contemporary interpretation of the classic comic book superhero formula. To an extent the film is a modern-day Superman story transplanted into a plausible world with realistic characters. Although the film may seem insipid on the surface, Shyamalan's script creates a fascinating character study that very much derives from the Superman good vs. evil mentality.

Unbreakable is a film of self-discovery and origins. Where typical superhero films spend barely half their duration developing the heroes and villains, Shyamalan decided it'd be more interesting to create an entire film covering the origins of his protagonist and antagonist. Originally the film was to be the initiation of a superhero trilogy, but a poor box office reception left the idea dead in the water. The concept of a trilogy still languishes with both Shyamalan and Samuel L. Jackson; however the outlook isn't flattering. As a standalone movie, Unbreakable is decent but ultimately a tad unsatisfactory due to the abrupt conclusion. As the first instalment in a trilogy, the film would have been an absolutely excellent origins tale that cleverly addresses the fragility and delicateness of mind under duress.

The "superhero" (so to speak) of the picture is an Average Joe named David Dunn (Willis). He's an aging man suffering a mid-life crisis: his marriage is ending, he's at a dead-end job, and he never achieved his dream of playing professional football. David's life is given new meaning when he's involved in a train derailment outside Philadelphia. Over a hundred passengers are killed in the burning wreckage...but David emerges as the sole survivor of the disaster without a single scratch on his body, nor a broken bone. Unnerved, confused and disorientated about his miraculous survival, David is soon approached by the enigmatic Elijah Price (Jackson). Elijah is a man suffering from a rare genetic disorder: his bones break extremely easily. Elijah, who runs a gallery specifically devoted to comic book art, theorises that comic books are an ancient method of passing down history. He believes comic book heroes are in fact real-life people who have been made more exaggerated and fascinating for the target audience. Elijah additionally developed a theory that, with his severe bone fragility, there is a man completely the opposite of him on the other end of the spectrum who's completely invulnerable to injury...and that David Dunn is this "indestructible" man.

Told with admirable precision and imaginative camera shots revealing intricate details frequently overlooked by mainstream Hollywood films, Unbreakable bears a remarkable resemblance to a comic book. Shyamalan's unusual angles are framed to give the impression that the film is a motion comic book strip. He even employs ponderously lengthy shots that track characters for a few minutes at a time. For instance, near the beginning when David converses with a woman on the train: the multiple-minute shot looks between the seats like a voyeuristic child peering behind themselves to see what people are doing.
There are also clever metaphors, allusions and allegories; particularly in relation the nickname given to Elijah Price - Mr. Glass. In fact, glass is frequently used as a metaphor for Elijah's disastrous life. We see reflections of the character on TV screens, framed artworks, etc. Elijah even carries around a glass cane to help him walk, marking a brilliant allusion to the frailty of bones. This is especially noticeable in a scene that depicts Elijah tumbling down a set of stairs. His glass cane shatters as his interior bones suffer similarly.

Shyamalan is skilled at setting a masterful atmosphere. His action is well-choreographed while his lens perfectly captures it. The film is ponderously paced and some may find it boring. Shyamalan is a director who never likes to rush the proceedings. His actors usually appear zoned-out and with not much emotion to display. Also, by the end of the film you'll realise that it didn't have much to say. Be that as it may, I like the way he says it. The film's conclusion can be classified as a twist ending, but it's nothing as mind-blowing as The Sixth Sense. Nevertheless, it's a pretty shocking and unexpected revelation.

Shyamalan competently and appropriately blends his formulaic superhero origins tale into the real world. It's easy to believe that David Dunn is just an ordinary guy before his genetic abilities are uncovered. Unbreakable is about deep characterisation as opposed to unbelievable action and CGI effects. Absurd plots and cardboard characters are the opposite of a Shyamalan flick...the director takes good, thoughtful time to ensnare audiences in his dark web.
James Newton Howard's gorgeous music highlights the frequently changing atmosphere to great effect.

Bruce Willis presents a grim, emotionless performance as David Dunn. The veteran actor has a distinct look about him that makes him absolutely ideal for the role. Willis also previously starred in Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense. The last time Samuel L. Jackson shared the frame with Bruce Willis was in 1995's Die Hard - With a Vengeance. If fans of said Die Hard entry are expecting similarly outstanding results, they'll be disappointed. The two are ideal for their respective roles, although the script isn't as witty as that of the Die Hard film. Fans should instead expect something with a slower pace that asks more questions than it answers. In fact it was pleasant to witness these two actors expanding their acting faculties by tackling such roles.

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan ascended to stardom with the surprise hit The Sixth Sense. Since then his output has progressively decreased. The Village, for example, contained a promising premise but quickly disintegrated into silliness. Lady in the Water was next in the canon. Instead of creating an atmospheric horror tale, he attempted to create a vanity project for his children...and failed at just about every level. 2008's The Happening was a slight disappointment but an improvement over his last two films. Other than that, I found Signs to be a terrific alien flick that unfortunately became somewhat inadequate towards its conclusion. And I found the film in question - Unbreakable - to be an interesting depiction of a pragmatic superhero universe. It won't appeal to everybody, but I personally found the film quite rewarding. Perhaps it took too long to say so little for a straightforward origins tale; nevertheless I admire the creative touches added by the talented writer/director. Haunting yet droll and provocative without being pretentious, this is an involving expedition into the human psyche and the enormous price of being different. However the ending is quite abrupt and, frustratingly, the ending also seems as if it should have been the beginning. If only Unbreakable did mark the commencement of a superhero trilogy, because if it did the film's shortcomings could be further overlooked.

7.3/10

This one was definitely worth watching. Maybe I was a little harsh with the rating but I think it's what it deserved. The story is unique but some parts were just a little bit slow and boring.

A security guard, David Dunn, becomes the sole survivor from a train crash and is left without a scratch on his body. Pretty weird, but things get ever more strange when he is confronted by a stranger named Elijah Price. Elijah owns a comic book store and is determined to convince David tat he is a real life super hero.

It's another great thriller performance by Bruce Willis, and Samuel L Jackson just shows his amazing talent in this movie. The other acting was decent, nothing amazing there.

It was a pretty good movie, and if you're a Bruce Willis fan then I really recommend you see this, it was a strong performance from him. So if any time you're looking for a thriller with a surprising twist at the end, this is the one for you.