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Unbreakable (Vista Series)

Unbreakable (Vista Series)

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: another brilliant film for Shyamalan
Review: I went to the movie theater on a date expecting to spend more time trying to get with my date than trying to understand a movie. I was sorely mistaken.

Unbreakable is truly one of the best movies I have ever seen. It made me feel emotional and in awe at the brilliance of the story. When I left the movie theater I felt privileged to have seen such a great movie.

The movie is as good as the six sense, and it my be even better. I truly respect Bruce Willis as more than just a action hero now. I have also gained a great deal of respect for the director Shyamalan. I can't wait for the next Shyamalan film to come out.

My suggestion is that if you haven't seen this film, you need to go see it. You are missing out on a work of art.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: UNBREAKABLE Is UNBEATABLE!!
Review: This Movie is easily one of the greatest films ever made. It made me remember why I ever went to the movies in the first place. It was Haunting, Wonderous, Exciting, Humourous (when it wanted to be), and most importantly, it was highly entertaining. Now, I am not being Biased. Anyone who has looked at my members page will know of my feelings towards Bruce Willis (He is The Greatest Man to ever walk the face of the Earth). Even if Lorenzo Lamas stared in this film (and gave a good performance), i'd love it just as much.

As I said above, these films are the reason I watch movies, I don't think I've felt such wonder since I first saw "The Empire Strikes Back".

The Acting is Perfect, the Direction is Perfect, it really is a perfect film. I've heard the word SLOW peppered through some reviews, but I call it "leisurely paced". And the Ending is one of the most stunning I've ever seen, as with the Sixth Sence, the ending really knocks you for six. (get it, knocks you for SIX..)

I pray that the rumours of the Willis/Shyamalan Trilogy are true, at least then we know there'll be one great movie on the horizon.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A good film, especially in the shadow of its predecessor
Review: M. Night, Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson. What more can you want in a film?

If there was ever a reason to believe in superheros, this film makes the case - it left me wanting a lot more. The first half of the film is what "Superman" should have been in terms of building a character.

The best thing about M. Night is that he knows less is more. We know Bruce is a (capital-L)oser who basically let his life slip through his fingers, but we never find out exactly what happened in the years since his athletic career ended, nor where the "problems" he and his wife are having come from. We don't really need to know, and it is a tribute to Night that he doesn't exposition us to death.

Jackson's character has a similar lack of background, which is my only beef - when the twist comes (of course there's a twist, this is M. Night!) it is a bit less stunning than one might expect. I wanted more backgound on the elements of the twist, or a massively unpredictable twist. As it is, you can see it coming a mile away(I did, and I didn't see the twist in 6th Sense until it hit), and there is nothing REALLY compelling about it that you didn't already know.

The voyage to the twist, however, is a trip well worth taking.

A very good film. See it. Rent it. Buy it if you are a die-hard Bruce or Samuel fan.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Some People Just Don't Get It...
Review: This is a brilliant film by Shyalaman and Willis.Even the early ads/previews which ran in theatres this year did an amazing job of keeping the public in suspense by not hinting at all what the premise or plot of the film was about ! The marketing team used the same tactic as for the theatrical previews of Sixth Sense: brooding, dark, menacing and somber images or flashes.

By now it's no secret that Willis plays a middle aged guy with a non-glamorous security job. Each morning he wakes with a strong sense of sadness and a gripping tug at his heart and mind that is telling him he was meant for a greater destiny (yet, he doesn't know what it is). It takes another man to awaken him from his life of drudgery by explaining to him the history of the super-human form and those who are born into it's nobility. The trick for that special someone is to know they are destined for such greatness before their entire life flashes by ! Some discover their special mental and physical abilities in early life while others later in life or never in life !

The gripping basis for the main character and story is that Shyalaman makes this super-hero very much super- human;He is human !Unbreakable is the fall season's theatrical version of a poor man's X-Men. It is not pretentious nor does it flash laser technology or planet-destroying weapons.Unbreakable is a very humble version of X-Men (and I'm not knocking X-Men either--that was a good film also on a different entertaining level of it's own). The film merits four stars,however, due to its periodic moments of slow action or no action. Otherwise, it's creative and intelligent storywriting,storytelling, directing and acting at it's best !...In the end Shyalaman and Willis put one thought in mind to ponder; Are there people out there with such special potential on a "super-human" level both mental and physical ? We already know there are plenty of weak and evil humans on the other end of the extreme spectrum...

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Commendable movie
Review: These days, it's rare to have a Director whose works have the capacity to captivate audience from start to finish. Shamayalan has done just that. It's very easy, really by providing audience with hints little by little until we get the whole story in the end. His style of directing is rather unique too: dark & sombre background as always, slow frames, focal attention towards the main characters for character development purpose, fitting soundtrack by James Newton Howard. If you want to enjoy this movie, it's better you watch by not knowing anything from the beginning. Otherwise, the essence of the whole movie would be lost. I'm unsure if this movie could hold up for the next 2 sequels or if we would be fed up with this format of directing by then. The only downside I could see from this movie is that Robin Penn Wright should be given more chance to do her share. We weren't told why her character in the movie started to drift apart from her husband character aka Bruce Willis...Definitely worth watching to kill hours but I still think the plot should be darker and heavier than comic book connections.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A mysterious mythical movie of great intensity
Review: I just saw this movie and was very impressed with the way that M. Night Shyamalan can truly direct a film with great skill. Moreover, this is probably the first time that I can say that Bruce Willis IS a good actor!

Willis plays a man who has begun the divorce process with is wife; they sleep apart, they live like strangers in the same house, but they share a son who they both love. David Dunn (Willis) walks with an air of oppression and doom about him. He is clearly an unhappy man, and things get a lot unhappier for him.

Dunn escapes completely unharmed from a train wreck that kills all other passengers when it derails. From there, his life takes an amazing turn of events as he meets Elijah (Samuel L. Jackson) who insists that he has special powers of great strength and that he is unable to be harmed by anything. Dunn begins to come to grips with the fact that his life has been missing something and that he has missed the calling to be the "superhero" he was meant to be.

Using the genre of the comic book as the medium of our culture's hopes and dreams, Shayamalan, like The Sixth Sense, once again is able to direct a film with a heaviness and darkness about it that makes almost everything eerie in some way, regardless of what is actually happening. His interesting camera angles (e.g., one whole scene being shot as the reflection off of a television screen) was somewhat pedantic at times, but also brilliant, e.g., the scene of the woman tied in the bedroom, the curtain flapping in the wind; the opening shows her, then Dunn, then her again....we catch glimpses of the scene - not everything - but just what is necessary.

The slowness to the film's beginning may put some people off. I found that it added to the heaviness and slowing mounting air of anticipation in the film. I know something big is coming and Shayamalan let's you know in very subtle ways that there is so much more than what meets the eye.

Then there is the ending. If it indeed true that this movie is the first of a trilogy, then perhaps I would give it four stars. However, coming out of there, you somehow feel cheated, as if Shayamalan wove this beautiful movie around tricking you with the "twist" at the end. And it is a mere 10 seconds that taints this wonderful film. I loved it so much I want to give this a four-star rating, but still feel cheated enough to give it a three.

Nonetheless, given that, I recommend it be seen. It gets big points for originality and direction.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Unbreakable: A True Winner
Review: This is a wonderful movie that takes pains to be intimate and realistic about the see-saw balance surrounding what we call normal.

Willis and Jackson play both ends of this scale realisticlly.

This is a classic superhero origin story played out in very real terms.

I'd love to see a sequel, although I doubt one could be done that doesn't stretch the bounds of believability much beyond where this one does.

Must see. Go see.

Peace.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This movie really made me think...
Review: I really enjoyed the movie, though it was a little slow in the beginning, the ending definately made up for it! It really made me wonder... It left me with a feeling similar to the movie Powder. What if people really did use their brains and strengths 100%?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A True Work Of Art
Review: Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan faced a formidable task in delivering a follow-up to his last outing, "The Sixth Sense," which was a remarkable film; and his attempt at capturing that same quality and integrity in his latest effort has resulted in a film that, while it does not surpass "Sense," is nothing less than it's equal. Beginning with a screenplay that is brilliant in concept, content and structure, and realized with equal acuity, "Unbreakable," starring Bruce Willis, is a unique, challenging film that will test the limits of audience perception like never before. From the cryptic opening scene to the denouement, this is enthralling drama that offers singular insight into the dark capabilities of human nature, and a perspective of evil never before suggested in any movie in the history of the cinema. Conan Doyle said there's nothing new under the sun, and that may be true; other films may have dealt with similar themes, but the approach Shyamalan takes here is entirely original. Shyamalan approaches his material like a quiet, unobtrusive Hitchcock, resulting in a style that is quite his own. His pace is deliberate, and information is doled out in subtle, measured proportions which affords the discerning viewer a chance to place the myriad pieces of the puzzle into proper order as the story unfolds. It's a mystery that refuses to let you off the hook, and demands that you think about what is actually going on without respite. To say that this is thought provoking material would be an understatement; it's an intricate story, the plot of which is complemented by equally complex characters who are detailed and extremely well written and developed. As he did in "The Sixth Sense," Bruce Willis proves once again that there is so more to him as an actor than being just an action hero. His portrayal of David Dunn, a man facing a transitional period in his life, is played with a staid countenance that successfully reflects the inner turmoil of the character. You know from the outset that there is something going on beneath the surface; something unsettling for which Dunn is seeking resolution. When he becomes the only survivor of a train wreck, it adds to the irresolution in his life as he is suddenly confronted with new issues that take him into still deeper, uncharted waters. Willis gives a performance that is understated with nuance and depth, and gives Dunn a sense of controlled distress with which the audience can readily identify; that unknown, intangible something that one can feel, yet which remains elusive and unnamed. It's a powerful statement that illustrates the thin line between reality and the surreal. Samuel L. Jackson gives a strong performance as well, as Elijah Price, victim of a congenital disease that renders his existence fragile in the extreme. It's a sympathetic character that somehow refutes sympathy; and Jackson has a presence that makes Elijah real and believable, which is pivotal, as his infirmity is integral to the plot, as is the fact that he and Dunn represent opposite ends of the vast spectrum of life. Effective in a lesser, yet still significant role, is Robin Wright Penn (Audrey Dunn), who fleshes out the disarray of a wife dealing with the emotional absence of her husband. The supporting cast includes Spencer Treat Clark (Joseph Dunn), Charlayne Woodard (Elijah's Mother) and, in a cameo, M. Night Shyamalan (Stadium Drug Dealer). With "Unbreakable," Shyamalan has taken up the gauntlet and emerged victorious, with an intelligent, entertaining film so profound that it will no doubt become one of the most under-appreciated films of all time. There is simply a depth to it that will soar beyond the grasp of the casual viewer; few films have such substance and vision. Like a Monet, this is art that is both impressionistic and invaluable; a true original in every aspect, and a testimony to the talents of M. Night Shyamalan.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: M.NIGHT TOPS HIMSELF
Review: Although I feel that "Unbreakable" is not a movie that would appeal to a mass audience, I do feel that it can only be fully appreciated if viewed in the right context. Shyamalan very skillfully borrowed simple storytelling techniques found in comic books, and transported them to the big screen. The premise is brilliant -- comic books are a modern form of pictoral history and mythology, the heroes of which are exaggerated representations of real people. This is what ties the whole movie together, and makes "Unbreakable" successful not as a "comic-book movie" but as a serious drama(I can't reveal much more without spoiling the movie). M. Night uses a very deliberate pace, carefully invented characters and relationsips, as well as several still shots and excellent visuals (such as the pool cover scene or the poncho), to allow the viewer to feel that he or she is actually watching a comic book. If the movie if not viewed in this context, than it all seems slow and boring, and the subtle brilliance of the dialogue (especially the last line) will be sorely overlooked.


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