Unbreakable (2000)

3 out of 4

Starring: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright Penn, Spencer Treat Clark

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Time: 106 mins

What does one do to follow up a box office hit like The Sixth Sense? That 1999 ghost story scared up almost US$300m in North America and even more elsewhere around the world. Anticipation was, therefore, pretty high for director/writer M. Night Shyamalan's follow-up. Unbreakable is a similar film in many respects: it is set in Philadelphia; it concerns normal, everyday people trying to find the truth behind some spooky, supernatural events; there is a young boy in the middle; and it stars Bruce Willis. But whereas The Sixth Sense had horror elements and that amazing twist at the end, Unbreakable relies more on a sense of mystery to deliver its thrills. Coupled with several good performances and a shocking revelation of its own, Unbreakable is a satisfying examination of one's role in life, and how one finds what that role is.

David Dunn (Bruce Willis) lives in Philadelphia with his estranged wife Audrey (Robin Wright Penn) and son Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark). On a train trip back from New York, the train derails and kills everyone except David. In fact, David doesn't even have a scratch on him. Soon he receives a note from an Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), a comic book enthusiast with a debilitating condition who may know something about why David was left unscathed. While disbelieving of Elijah's theory, David soon learns he may have some special gifts. Son Joseph is a believer, but Audrey thinks Elijah is insane. David is afraid of his powers, but Elijah pushes him on to the simple but awful truth.

Unbreakable is a fairly original story in that it looks at someone with special talents (but doesn't know he has them) and how he gradually comes to realise what his lot in life is. It doesn't have the horror theme that was in The Sixth Sense, but the supernatural overtones and a forlorn score (by James Newton Howard) that is reminiscent of the haunting Michael Nyman music from Gattaca adds to the sense of impending doom and yet hope that pervaded the earlier film. The revelation at the end probably didn't need to be there, but I suppose after The Sixth Sense most people were expecting one. It adds a layer to the story that even though unnecessary is still thought-provoking. Without it, Unbreakable would still have been an intriguing and ultimately satisfying film.

Shyamalan lets the film develop at the same, deliberate pace that was in The Sixth Sense. Both films aren't rollercoaster rides, but more like reflective character pieces where the slowly dawning truths add their own form of suspense. He also frames many scenes as if we, the audience, are voyeurs: we eavesdrop on the conversations from behind fences, train seats and other partitions. Shyamalan's is a spare style, but his intimate knowledge of Philadelphia adds a unique atmosphere.

This is Willis' second film with Shyamalan, and it's possible he is even more restrained than he was in The Sixth Sense. Though not as dominant a personality as in his more action-oriented films (like the Die Hard franchise), it's good to see him tackle more dramatic fare like this (whereas fellow action stars Stallone and Schwarzenegger have struggled). Samuel L. Jackson is again eye-catching, whether walking with a cane or sitting on a wheelchair. His character doesn't have the smooth charm of Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction or the fire of the enraged accused in The Negotiator or A Time to Kill, but Jackson still stamps his formidable skills on Elijah Price. Robin Wright Penn (Forrest Gump) is believable and very good as Willis' wife, while youngster Spencer Treat Clark (recently seen in Gladiator) fills Haley Joel Osment's Oscar-nominated shoes quite well as the son who believes his father is special.

Unbreakable might not reap the box office returns that The Sixth Sense did, but in many ways it is just as interesting, if not more so. While Shyamalan may become pigeon-holed for writing and directing films set in Philadelphia with a supernatural element, as long as he can make them this entertaining and thought-provoking, I'll be happy to say he's earned his keep.

(c) Joe Wong (3 December 2000)