Split
Third film in Shyamalan's Unbreakable trilogy but works as standalone thriller
The brief
Shyamalan's creepiest thriller in years rides entirely on James McAvoy's unhinged performance as he cycles through multiple personalities with genuinely unsettling commitment. The claustrophobic basement setting cranks up the tension while Anya Taylor-Joy matches McAvoy's intensity as the resourceful final girl who refuses to be a victim. It builds to classic Shyamalan weirdness that either works for you or doesn't, but the journey there is legitimately scary in a way his recent films haven't been. Perfect for anyone who misses when horror movies were about deranged humans instead of supernatural nonsense, or if you want to see McAvoy go completely unrestrained.
The verdict
If you crave genuinely unsettling psychological horror driven by powerhouse acting and can handle classic Shyamalan's trademark bizarre twists, this is a legitimately scary return to form that will stick with you. If you prefer straightforward narratives or get frustrated by directors who swing for weird philosophical fences in their third acts, you'll likely find the ending either ridiculous or pretentious.
Watch with
- 👤 Solo viewing for maximum psychological impact
- 👥 Horror fans who appreciate character-driven scares
- ⚠️ Skip if you're sensitive to mental health themes
Heads up
- Kidnapping and captivity of teenage girls (frequent)
- Dissociative identity disorder as horror element (extreme)
- Moderate violence and threatening behavior (moderate)
- Brief references to childhood sexual abuse (implied)
Credits
- Director
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Cast
- Anya Taylor-Joy, James McAvoy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, Betty Buckley, Izzie Coffey, Brad William Henke
Official synopsis
Though Kevin has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher, there remains one still
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Perfect Blue (1998)
Both explore fractured identity and psychological horror through multiple personalities.
Total runtime: 1h 57m + 1h 22m = 3h 19m
