'FROM THE MIND OF M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN'. When that flashed up on the screen during the trailer for Devil, the entire cinema I was in burst out laughing. That was three years ago, and things haven't changed much. At the time Devil was released Shyamalan had just taken a critical kicking for the one-two of The Lady in the Water and The Happening. Since then we've had The Last Airbender (6% on Rotten Tomatoes) and, as of last week, After Earth (11% on RT). So now seems as good a time as any to light a candle for the writer-director that once was. He really did used to know what he was doing.
After The Sixth Sense everyone went into Unbreakable prepared for a twist. It was expected, and no one wanted to be caught out. That's not the way to watch a film. Or, rather, its not the way to appreciate a film. It didn't help that it was marketed as a psychological thriller, when its actually a superhero flick; albeit one in disguise.
The opening ten-minutes are immaculately written and staged. Everything we need to know about Bruce Willis's forlorn security guard is woven in subtly as he tries to chat-up a young woman on the train. Nothing is obviously wrong during this scene, but there's a tension to it all. Something's going to happen. Something bad.
One of the best scenes in the film, and the best I saw that year, saw Samuel L. Jackson's character Mr. Glass in a foot chase in which he was moving at the rather stately pace of three miles an hour, having to hobble along with his glass cane. That Shyamalan could make that scene edge of your seat stuff really is impressive.
If you haven't seen it: its a better film that you've heard it is. If you have seen it: its a better film than you thought it was. Give it another look.
Overall: 8/10
Never saw this when it came out and assumed it would be mediocre. Shall certainly give it a rent now!
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