Today, comic book movies, specifically superhero movies, are more popular now than ever and a major trend in Hollywood. These movies tend to come and go, usually in peaks and values, where just one flop can alter the course. 1978’s Superman was a huge hit, but then 1987’s Superman IV put a halt to that franchise. After 1989’s Batman, a new wave of comic book movies flooded the market before losing steam in the late 90s. Enter M. Night Shyamalan, who suddenly exploded with the release of The Sixth Sense in 1999. After that film’s massive success, he envisioned a film that paralleled a comic book’s traditional three-part structure. Overtime, he decided to focus more on the hero’s origin, essentially having the first act be the whole movie. So, in 2000, Shyamalan released what is arguably the best film of his career, Unbreakable.
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The film opens in 1961, where Elijah Prince is born with Type I osteogenesis imperfecta, his bones now easily broken. Cut to present time where we meet David Dunn (Bruce Willis), the lone survivor of a massive train accident. Not only is he the only survivor, but he miraculously doesn’t have a scratch on him. After attending the funeral for the other passengers, he’s introduced to the now adult Elijah Prince (Samuel L. Jackson). Elijah is convinced that Dunn is some sort of comic book superhero come to life, but Dunn doesn’t believe him. Dunn even tries to counter this when he learns that he nearly drowned as a child, but to no avail. Eventually, Dunn learns that not only is he super strong, but he can detect evil people have committed through touch. Dunn soon comes into his own as a hero, but what does that mean for Elijah?
While most people say The Sixth Sense is Shyamalan’s best film, I’d argue that Unbreakable surpasses it tenfold. Not that The Sixth Sense is terrible, but Unbreakable is such a finely crafted film that it holds up better. The performances from Willis and Jackson are easily some of the best of their careers, Jackson’s in particular. Robin Wright also does a good job as Dunn’s estranged wife Audrey, who clearly still loves him despite their past. The direction from Shyamalan is phenomenal and James Newton Howard’s score really sells the tension and drama throughout. However, the reason why Unbreakable works so well is how it expertly deconstructs tropes common to most superhero stories. It takes the concept of a modern superhero story and places it in a real world setting. It’s essentially a story where, to quote Quentin Tarantino, “Superman is on Earth, but doesn’t know he’s Superman.”
Normally, I’d give away the twist (common amongst Shyamalan films) since it’s nearly 20 years old, but I won’t. Not only will the ending shock you, but it will make you think back on everything you just saw. Some critics at the time were disappointed by the ending, which is somewhat understandable, but it still works really well. It’s one of those endings that is shocking, but you can pick up on it if you’re paying attention. If there were any criticisms I have towards the film, it’s very minor and really doesn’t detract from the film. The only real issues are that the pace can drag at times and the characters tend to whisper sometimes. But again, these minor grievances can’t take away from what an incredible and well-made film Shyamalan has made here. In summation, Unbreakable is a superhero movie that works as a deconstruction of the genre.
