Split (2016)
James McAvoy takes the crown for multiple-personalities.
Presentation:
McAvoy does the impossible and gives us several distinct personalities on screen. This is no simple feat and is commendable how he is able to juxtapose the differences so suddenly. There are some traces of a similarly dark personality in all of his performances to don’t fully immerse the audience to his transformation. But considering this is a Shyamalan flick, it’s impressive nonetheless. It’s darker than Unbreakable, which is revealed to be the prequel to this movie at the end, which is actually a shocking turn when the film was released in 2016. You can’t say Shyamalan isn’t at least trying to innovate the suspense genre. The visuals are also a notable upgrade from his other films with modern cameras and lighting, but even if the presentation is better, the script is dumbed down.
Conclusion:
Sure, the multiple personalities aren’t as legendary as Robin Williams, Daniel Day Lewis or Phillip Seymour Hoffman, but those actors never had to portray different personalities in one movie. If you wanted to see a force of nature in acting, James McAvoy does deliver an entertaining performance. Anya Taylor Joy is also very personable and I believe it's this role that introduced her to western audiences. In conclusion, there are some great bits of entertainment in this film, whether you can enjoy the overall experience depends on which personality you’re feeling for that day.
Recommendations
Saving the princess is always a feel-good fairy tale.