Jen Hearts Unbreakable [Movies I Heart Series]
A few weeks ago I happened to see The Happening, a new film by M. Night Shyamalan. You know him, the guy who directed the Sixth Sense. I’m a big fan of his work and I think what he does is creative, different and stylish. I like his ideas for stories even though sometime his execution isn’t so great. I really disliked The Happening but have enjoyed all of his films up until this point. Yes, even Lady in the Water.
It was after seeing The Happening that I decided to revisit my favorite of his creations, Unbreakable. Some of you might wonder why I don’t count The Sixth Sense or Signs as #1, but I can’t explain it entirely myself. There is just something about Unbreakable that pulls me in every time. It reaches me in a way not many films can. From the first time I saw it, I was hooked on everything from the music to each and every uttered word.
Unbreakable stars Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson as two men searching for meaning in their lives. The story begins with several facts about comic books printed on the screen and then shows the journey of the two main characters, culminating in a somewhat surprising, though not twist, ending. David Dunn (Willis) is a quiet, troubled man who is filled with sadness. He has no real reason for this feeling. Elijah Price (Jackson) is a strange, crippled man with seemingly crazy ideas about David. They meet because of a tragedy that opens the door for both to discover who they really are.
The dreary blue and grey world of Unbreakable was created by Cinematographer Eduardo Serra and is vastly different from Serra’s other work such as What Dreams May Come, a vivid color-filled dreamscape. The visuals however tie in well with Shyamalan’s slow and sad tone while music from M.N.S regular James Newton Howard weaves both together. Everything they’ve created seems so hopeless, so confusing and so dreary that it connects you to those times you’ve wanted to give up on yourself. Yet as the violins rise in muted triumph, so shall your heart as David realizes his destiny.
Something must be said for Samuel L. Jackson, usually known for a hard-nosed bully or criminal with an over-the-top loud voice. In Unbreakable, he works well under direction and creates what is in my humble yet honest opinion, one of the screen’s most heartbreaking characters. Truly stepping out of his comfort zone, he’s able to capture you as this tragic and lonely figure. Bruce Willis is also completely competent as the humble and complacent “average guy” David Dunn. Supports from Robin Wright Penn and Spencer Treat Clark are just what they should be.
All told, Unbreakable is a really great story that has an excellent pace and an exciting build up. It’s a beautiful film, yet with a heart of darkness. This is not a favorite for the average film-goer and some critics seemed confused by it when it was released. However, I think anyone who really can get lost in an imaginative and well told story will enjoy this film almost as much as I do. Just sit back and let the story take you.
Unbreakable: 4/5 Stars
For more from Jen, check out her blog at http://www.jenreviewsmovies.com and if you have anything you’d like her to talk about here, email: info@jenreviewsmovies.com. She’ll respond when she gets back from fighting crime.
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