Glass
4/5
Written and Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Rated: Pg-13
David Dunn was an unsuspecting security guard, until he discovered he was unbreakable. Kevin Wendell Crumb's mind features 23 personalities and one beast that made them split. Elijah Price was a broken man without a purpose, until he saw his life through a clearer looking glass. A hero, a monster and a mastermind: these are the urban legends of Philadelphia that appear to be lifted straight from a comic book. Despite their uncanny natures, they live in a real world bound by the rules all humans must live by. Of course, how can they be comic book characters and be real people? They can't be, can they? Are these super-humans among us?
Glass is writer and director M. Night Shyamalan's conclusion to his unexpected comic book trilogy. Since 2016 when Shyamalan announced he was making this film, fans have been anxiously awaiting this story's debut. In Glass nearly all of Shyamalan's personas from Unbreakable and Split return. Bruce Willis is David Dunn and he makes the most of his heroic character, despite his limited screentime. James McAvoy is the Horde, a human comprised of 23 identities including the calculating Patricia, the unsteady Barry, the nine year old Hedwig and the indomitable Beast. McAvoy holds most of the camera's attention and he plays it up, seamlessly moving from one personality to the next while differentiating them. Topping them all is Samuel L. Jackson once again donning his purple attire and wheelchair as Mr. Glass. Jackson remains on the sidelines, but captivates audiences through his facial ticks and mesmerizing eyes. Jackson might play his character as a washed up nobody, but it is clear Mr. Glass is the center of this story.
More intriguing than these characters is how these characters are brought together. Shyamalan builds this introspective story one event at a time with each conversation adding a new layer to the film. As these layers increase, the film's characters converge. These characters also represent different archetypes from comic book lore, and it is entertaining seeing who from Shyamalan's films has become a sidekick, a henchman or a love interest. The screenplay plays with comic book lingo and tropes in a way that fans can appreciate. Newcomers may not fully understand Glass' narrative, because most of this film's story elements and plot points are only established in Shyamalan's previous films. Glass can be entertaining, but it's story will sound like jargon to any audience member who does not competently understand these characters' backstories.
Audiences who were invested in Glass' predecessors will likely find enjoyment in this film. Glass not only references these previous films through its screenplay but also through the film's direction. Certain scenes are accented by musical themes from the previous films. Shyamalan also uses shots and camera angles from the previous films, as visual cues to hearken back to the previous films. Glass blends these familiar shots together with its own storytelling perspective. This film's first half is shot in a generic style mimicking most MARVEL films, while its second half breaks through these visual conventions. This allows Glass' cinematography to illustrate the story through its visual style and tone, which heightens this film's climax.
Shyamalan's films are most infamous for their surprise endings. Glass features a surprise ending. It is excellently telegraphed through visual cues scattered throughout the film and dialogue interactions that at their time in the film seem unimpressive. Once this film's big twist ending occurs, audiences will likely recall this film's earlier moments and how they were subtly propelling the story to its conclusion. This does not mean audiences will want to watch Glass again, as its ending is incredibly polarizing. Some may think it is a cop-out, while others may congratulate it. Either way, this film's ending is memorable and will leave audiences in awe of Shyamalan's latest film.
Verdict: Uniting Unbreakable and Split, Glass offers an entertaining and introspective experience brought to life by great characters, an engaging screenplay and thought provoking direction.
