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Unbreakable (Vista Series)

Unbreakable (Vista Series)

List Price: $19.99
Your Price: $14.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Unexpected, intelligent superhero film.
Review: Don't let the previews fool you- "Unbreakable" is a superhero comic book film through and through. However, whereas most films like "Superman" have dopey action scenes and corny dialogue, "Unbreakable" creates carefully paced, thoughtful storyline about a man coming to grips about powers he may or may not have. Think of this as an 'origin tale' of an up and coming super hero. Other reviews may say that the ending ruins the film- it does anything but this...the ending is_dead on_and perfect_for the genre. If you're a comic book fan you'll love "Unbreakable."

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Why Not?
Review: I really enjoyed this film. It's an interesting perspective on the true comic book hero. I think the reason people did not like this film because everyone expected another Sixth Sense, and it's not. The movie gives you an insight on how a real life hero comes to grasps with his powers and his purpose in life. Unbreakable's hero struggles with his true identity much like Superman, Wolverine, or Hulk must have struggled when they first discovered their purpose in their comic book world's. People believe more in ghosts, than comic book heros. If this film would have been presented as a tribute to comic books, maybe people would have enjoyed it more!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Good Idea, Bad Movie
Review: This movie had a good idea for a story, but this movie was slow and boring. I think the whole story could have been told in under an hour. I disliked it so much that I haven't even watched the second disc yet. You can spend your twenty dollars elsewhere on a much more entertaining film.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A nice enough Special Edition
Review: For a movie like this, picture and sound are paramount to enjoying this, and the transfer on this DVD is exceptional. I also enjoyed seeing the deleted scenes, and the little documentaries on the subject matter that makes up "Unbreakable". I have to confess I didn't see this film when it was in theatres, and for the most part, people I talked to who did see it were pretty divided. One of the things that impressed me about "Unbreakable" was that it didn't stay in a conventional genre. It's not really a drama, a thriller, or even a comic-book type film. The performances are solid and the ending (while being somewhat abrupt, and being a major punching bag in the negative reviews of this film) works just fine. It's a flawed, but impressive film nonetheless.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A fantastic movie...for those of us that get it
Review: It has been a long time since I have seen a film use subtle imagery and subtext to build it's story and ultimate climax. The trailer gives nothing away (meaning the true theme of the movie). For some viewers, this will be a very slow and even boring movie at times. But for those of us that are patient and give the film a chance to play-out, we can enjoy what the writer/director has created for us. There is so much imagery that makes his point...the raincoat with cape, the brilliant colors worn by the "villains", the use of a kryptonite-like weakness...even the name of the main character (David Dunn) ...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Very Beautiful Haunting Thriller
Review: Saw UNBREAKABLE three days ago and I'm still thinking about it. It continues to grow on me. I can understand why some people dismiss the film.. it is not for everyone. This is a comic-book movie for people who hate comic-book movies...in other words, UNBREAKABLE stands alone as a totally different super-hero movie that doesn't have neck-breaking actions or goofy skin-tight costumes a la BATMAN, SUPERMAN, and SPAWN. The tone and texture in UNBREAKABLE are unique comparing to other super-hero/comic-book movies...the atmosphere is intense, moody, dark, probing, anxious, just as it did THE SIXTH SENSE. The cast is lovely and incredible...Bruce Willis (I never really liked him before) proved to me that he can give a quietly powerful performance...Pay close attention to his eyes - there is so much in them. Robin Wright Penn plays his wife - a very heartbreaking performance...again there is so much in her face and eyes...UNBREAKABLE is a simply beautiful and profound mediation on the nature of heroism.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A great premise can't save this one...
Review: What a letdown! After the Sixth Sense, I waited with great anticipation for this movie. Unfortunately, Mr. Shyamalan's sophomore effort lacks momentum. The premise is wonderful, Bruce Willis plays the only survivor of a train crash and Samuel L. Jackson plays a fragile comic book collector who believes that not only do superheroes exist but that Willis is one of them. Cool huh? Alas, the story moves so slowly that by the time you get to the "surprise" ending, (you'll see it coming, trust me) you feel totally cheated! Way too much prologue and not nearly enough payoff. Rent this one.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Am I missing something here?
Review: Regardless of how one feels about this movie, I think most would agree that it was totally ridiculous for the filmmaker to slap those 'Where Are They Now' titles onto the last 30 seconds of the film. It was an inexplicably stupid idea - like he ran out of money to properly complete the film.

Another inexplicable choice for this set is the inclusion of an excerpt of one of M. Night Shyamalan's 'first' films. He recorded a new introduction to this excerpt in which he says that he looks at this film now and winces at how bad it is, and I thought to myself that he was just being modest or humble about his lowly beginnings.

Then I watched the excerpt and thought to myself, WHY ON EARTH IS THIS INCLUDED? It's just a fuzzy videotaped recording of him (as a teenager) and two teenaged friends goofing around in a choreographed fight scene. No relevance to the film 'Unbreakable' at all, or anything else for that matter. It's the type of thing that most filmmakers would throw in the furnace once they become 'serious auteurs'. It might have some significance to little kids who are influenced to make movies (even though 'Unbreakable' is Rated R) but other that this, it's completely beyond me why he felt this endeavor was worthy of being shared with the world. Maybe he just wanted people to know that he doesn't take himself very seriously.

Disney must have been really hard up for bonus material to fill up that second disc. I doubt I'll ever find a satisfactory explanation as to why they felt this was a worthy supplement to a film that prides itself on being so 'powerful'.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This Movie Will Surprise You!
Review: Unbreakable gives us another strong performance from Bruce Willis. Although almost no critics have mentioned it, Bruce Willis is actually a tremendous actor. You have only to watch Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys for further proof of that. He has cultivated that sort of action star persona that has worked extremely well in the Die Hard movies, but Willis' talents far exceed that of his genre colleges such as Jean-Claude and Arnold. Even the Die Hard movies should be clear indications of what a talent Willis actually is--Die Hard does not follow the conventions of an action movie at all (John McClean seems like more of an everyman than a superhero) yet the film is much more effective than most action films. Similarly, Unbreakable plays with Willis' pseudo-hero, mostly regular guy, reputation. In Unbreakable, Willis' plays an ex-football player who is the only survivor of a disasterous train wreck. Samuel L. Jackson plays the slightly odd comic book collector who tries to convice Willis that he is in fact a superhero. The film is different because of how down-to-earth willis is. Rather than whoop for joy over his new potential powers, he seems awestruck and concerned over the implications this might have on his everyday life. This film takes great efforts to examine the mind of, not only the idealized superheros we've all grown up admiring, but the connections to the real-life people who must have inspired these stories (think of the real life people who must have inspired Beowulf or even King Arthur). One of the interesting ideas is that through the flattering exaguration, the human conflict of these inspiring people is totally lost. The question then is, is their life experience rendered meaningless? Unbreakable is sure to keep you on your toes because it is so much different than any movie that has come before. It doesn't try to hit you over the head with dazzling special effects or exagurated tales of human accomplishment, rather it goes at it from the human emotional side, a track that is often overlooked but equally powerful. It may seem absurd to take comic book heros and examine their problems as though they were real people, but this movie walks the tightrope with a deft step and the results are wonderful. Holding together the entire film is Willis' believeable performance witch is both powerful and heartbreaking. Certainly if this isn't the movie that brings Willis his deserved acolades as an actor the next one he does certainly will.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Patience is a virtue
Review: PATIENCE is needed when viewing Unbreakable. The beauty of DVD is that you can view the movie as many times as you like. Then you can fully appreciate just how good Unbreakable is. In this pop culture every super hero movie dazzles you with special effects and then kills you with a dumb story. It's all show. Not Unbreakable! This movie works on so many levels. It's slow pace builds into monstrous climax. When the main character realizes just who and what he is. The subtelty of the story is what makes the movie so different. It doesn't dazzle you with new technology. Just a good ol' fashioned story telling. Comic book fans, such as I, should rejoice that Hollywood finally got one right. Believe me your patience will pay off.


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