I was thrilled to have seen “Split” with the husband, mostly because “Identity” (2003) is one of our favorite movies. The two films share the same themes of “Dissociative Identity Disorder” (or “Multiple Personality Syndrome”) and fortunately that is where the similarity begins and ends.
In “Identity” the audience sees what goes on in the mind of a person with multiple personality disorder, different actors portray the various personalities of a serial killer. While in M. Night Shyamalan’s “Split” we see Kevin portrayed by the talented James McAvoy in an impressive one man show of a highly functioning person with Dissociative Identity Disorder who has 23 personalities living inside of him. His performance was incredible and note-worthy and should not be missed, especially if you are a fan.
Trouble brews when a 24th personality, unlike any other is slowly clawing its way to the surface. As a result, three girls are abducted by one of McAvoy’s personalities and are kept in an enclosed room, for what reason is yet to be known.
Among the abducted girls is the social outcast (pity invite) yet observant Casey (upcoming actress Anya Taylor-Joy) who sees through their captor.
Yet not even Casey’s quick wit nor Kevin’s psychiatrist Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley) could stop the 24th personality or “the beast” from revealing himself.
7/10 -In what is more psycho-thriller-fiction than anything else, M. Night Shyamalan gets his game back with an entertaining and daring film.
I received a message from one of my movie loving friends, asking me what I thought of the film, given that it has received criticism for its “stigmatization of mental illness and dissociative identity disorder” and I thought that this was strange since M.Night Shyamalan creates such a fictitious plot that (as I said) is more Psycho-Thriller-Fiction really. Would definitely need more to convince me on the biological aspects of the film. If anything, the film just shows the continued support needed, both in research and for the car of individuals with (this) mental illness.
Amidst the heart racing, edge of your seat thriller is a realization that there is a real “beast” out there and it is those that dare to take advantage of the innocence of children, sometimes they are strangers, sometimes they are family but yes, they are out there and that is a frightening reality, not just something that you see in movies.