Glass

It is hard to believe it has been 19 years since “Unbreakable” arrived in cinemas as the film seemed to setup a sequel but it did not look like it would come to fruition. That all changed in 2016 when “Split” arrived and shocked audiences with a late reveal that showed a connection to the film. Writer/Director M. Night Shyamalan has wasted no time in bringing the new film to fans with the arrival of “GLASS”. The film picks up soon after the events of “Split” as The Horde embodied by 23 personalities in the form of Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) continues to kidnap young girls to serve to his highly dangerous 24th personality The Beast.

Security expert David Dunn (Bruce Willis) along with the help of his son attempts to locate the Horde as a new group of girls has gone missing. In time David locates The Beast and the two clash; but end up captured by authorities and sent to a facility for evaluation.

Their captive Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson) believes their special abilities are in their minds and that they really do not have the special abilities they believe they do. Each of them have a special cell designed to restrain them as David is under threat of being doused with water while Kevin has a series of strobes which will halt him and trigger a new personality.

Added to the mix is Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), who has been at the facility under heavy sedation after the events of “Unbreakable”.

As the therapy unfolds it becomes clear that an elaborate game of cat and mouse is underway between Price and her charges as each seems to have their own agenda. This all builds to a very unusual final act which left me pondering if I enjoyed the final result or was disappointed with it.

The film seems to slowly be building to a big finale but yet it is far more restrained than one would expect. The film has a constant theme of Super Heroes and their traditional stories and roles as well as that of their Super Villains.

One expects a massive...

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You all know how anxious I was about this movie. I’m a huge fan of Shyamalan, and I know how hard it is to try to defend a director who made The Last Airbender. Every time I offer undeniable proof of masterful filmmaking, I get overwhelmed with questions about his absurd twists and his cringe-worthy dialogues. Shyamalan is a bit like Kevin, he also has different personalities, depending on the films he releases. On one side, he is a phenomenal filmmaker who knows his craft better than anyone and who once was nicknamed “the second Spielberg”. A screenwriter who delivers mind-blowing plot twists and extremely captivating dialogue scenes. On the other side, there’s a guy who ruins entire movies with frustrating twists that no one asked for and with arguably horrible decisions regarding his characters. So, to each side does Shyamalan tends to in Glass?

The first act is seamless. I love how David is introduced 19 years later and how his life is now. Kevin continues to abduct impure teenage girls, and after a few minutes in, we get the first confrontation between our hero and villain. I wasn't expecting an action-heavy film, and I'm glad it isn't because it would ruin the tone of the other movies. This was never intended to be a massive finale with epic CGI fights, like a Marvel or DC installment. If you're one of those people who expected Glass to be an Infinity War-ish film, I don't even know why are you reading this because you have no idea what this trilogy is about.

Sarah Paulson portrays Dr. Ellie Staple, and she is responsible for treating people who think they are superheroes. So, the second act revolves around a fascinatingly engaging yet overlong narrative which leaves the main characters (and the audience) doubting if everything they did was a product of their supposedly damaged minds. There is so much to love and hate throughout this act. The interactions between these characters a...

It's a very good movie

Wow! It was just...wow! M. Night Shyamalan finally made a worthwhile film, especially in a trilogy.

I love these characters. I love the cast. I did not love the ending but... Eh, can't have everything. James McAvoy is so damn awesome with the multiple personalities his character has. And to me, this is one of Samuel L Jackson's best roles. Bruce Willis always delivers his bad ass persona in a way relateable by all who watch his films.

Glass (2019) is an interesting conclusion to M. Night Shyamalan’s unconventional superhero trilogy, but I’ll admit, it didn’t quite hit the same sweet spot as Unbreakable or Split. While it ties the threads of these worlds together, the magic felt a little dimmer this time around. That said, there are some genuinely impressive moments that make it worth the watch.

James McAvoy is the real MVP here. Once again, his performance as Kevin Wendell Crumb (and his many personalities) is mind-blowing. You can tell he’s putting his all into each character shift, especially when The Beast takes over. And Anya Taylor-Joy? She brought a depth and warmth to Casey Cooke that made her scenes stand out. Honestly, I was always drawn in when she was on screen. She gave the movie a kind of emotional grounding that it really needed.

The story tries to pull off something bold by questioning the idea of superheroes altogether, with Sarah Paulson’s Dr. Ellie Staple pushing the idea of whether their abilities are real or not. It’s a neat concept, but the execution felt a little clunky. The pacing dragged in parts, and some of the twists didn’t pack the punch I hoped for. After Split, where Shyamalan kept me on the edge of my seat, I expected a bit more intensity and polish.

Cinematically, though, it’s still solid. Shyamalan has an eye for atmosphere, and the way he uses confined spaces to create tension is clever. The score worked well too, understated but effective.

Glass might not be a masterpiece, but it still delivers enough to be part of the conversation. Plus, seeing these characters together is reason enough to give it a shot.