Chris: I’m Christopher Misch of Next Projection and he’s Chadd Roman of the University of Western Ontario. The very first film we are going to look at is M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable. Now before Shyamalan came out with two atrocious films, he actually put together four really good ones. Yes, that’s right I’m including The Village in there as well, but that’s for another day and another film discussion. Coming off the critical and commercial success of The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan’s Unbreakable is a modern day comic book fable starring Hollywood icon Bruce Willis as David Dunn, a security guard who miraculously survives a horrific train reck.
Chris: But, not only does he survive; he is in fact the only survivor. This prompts a deranged comic book enthusiast and sufferer of an extremely rare bone disease, played by Samuel L. Jackson, to confront Dunn about the possibility that he may be a real life superhero. Chad, I know like me this wasn’t your first time viewing the film, so what did you think about it this time around?
Chadd: You know, Chris, when I watch the atrocities that are Lady in the Water and The Happening, I can’t help but ask myself: what on earth has happened to M. Night Shyamalan? Clearly this guy has talent and is capable of making a great film as he showed us on more than one occasion. Unbreakable is one of those films. Simply M. Night at his best. Great performances, great direction; and a wonderfully creative and original story to boot. This one is easy for me, Chris; it’s a definite “SEE IT”.
Chris: Yeah, I say “SEE IT” as well and even if you’ve already seen it, I say watch it again as it’s really a film that definitely holds up on a second and a third viewing. It’s funny to think of those who have only seen M. Night’s last two films and to hear us praising the man for his technique as a filmmaker, but it’s true. With what he did with The Sixth Sense, with Signs, to a lesser degree with The Village, and here with Unbreakable it is impressive. I think what sets these four films apart from his previous two is this eerie uncomfortable mood that allows for his characteristic surprise endings to unfold; well that and a number of other things. And what separates Unbreakable from all his other work is its look. Chadd, I just love the look of this film. From the underlying blue and grey colour pallet to the orange highlighting of the janitor’s jumpsuit, the overall visuals of this film just work.
Chadd: I’m glad that you brought up the effectiveness of the visuals in this; more specifically, the evil and twisted Janitor’s orange jump suit. I think it’s the scene in which David Dunn confronts the evil Janitor that really shows us Shyamalan’s artistic prowess. You mentioned the use of an underlying greyish/blue color theme; the usage of these colors is really emphasized in this sequence. Ultimately what the viewer is left with is a live-action comic. The lack of dialogue in the sequence almost leaves the audience to narrate it for themselves, which might parallel the impact of visuals in comic books. M. Night really plays on that; in effect, he builds up the suspense of the eerie scene. When Dunn finally combats the “villain” the audience is exposed to classic comic book-esque visuals: A caped-crusader battling a giant orange monster (the orange jumpsuit really stands out here because of the underlying blues and greys); even the actions of the two actors are exaggerated to give it a more dramatic and expressive feel. This sequence is just one of the many examples of how Shyamalan uses visuals very effectively throughout Unbreakable and I think that this sequence alone is worth watching the film for. If you take nothing else from Unbreakable, at least try to understand what M. Night was trying to do with his choice of color and visuals: present the creative tale of a “real-life” superhero using colors and images inherent in graphic novels.
Chris: And in doing he has produced one of the more realistic comic book films out there because obviously if a super hero did somehow exist he or she most likely wouldn’t be wearing a spiderman or batman outfit; they would be ordinary individuals wearing, in this case, nothing more than a simple rain coat. Chadd, and you’re so right about that scene between Dunn and the sadistic janitor. It’s so intense yet remains artistically driven and everything is tightly brought together just perfectly by James Newton Howard’s moving musical score. Now before this segment ends we have to talk about Bruce Willis. Often the man gets typecasted in these nothing police officer roles, but here he give his richest and most complex performance as man struggling to come to terms with the unbelievable. And it is this performance that elevates Unbreakable to one of the most complete and thoroughly rewarding comic book films of the decade.
Chris & Chadd At The Movies 