Split (2017) Review

“We trust in him. He’ll protect us. Look at what he can do. Let him show the world how powerful we can be.”

   M. Night Shyamalan was the man who once was called the next Steven Spielberg. He had some success early on with ‘The Sixth Sense’, ‘Unbreakable’, and ‘Signs’. Then for the rest of his career some terrible films like: ‘The Lady in the Water’, ‘The Village’, ‘The Last Airbender’, ‘After Earth’, and the killer trees film ‘The Happening’. His previous film ‘The Visit’ received a few positive reviews, which was a first for the director in a very long time. When I first saw the trailer for ‘Split’ I was intrigued and wondered if this was the film that would finally be his first good film since 2002. Then I was happy when I read from multiple reviews that it was Shyamalan’s comeback.  Well to be honest, I was somewhat rather disappointed when viewing the film.
   ‘Split’ is about Kevin who has a dissociative psychological disorder that was caused from a childhood trauma, which resulted in multiple personalities. So far he has 23 different personalities and some of them have committed a crime. Kevin abducted three teenage girls: Claire, Marcia, and the loner Casey. He locks them in a room together telling them that he selected them for the Beast’s arrival. The Beast being Kevin’s soon to be 24th personality. 
  Almost every film, especially horror, exploit something, It’s something one would expect from Hollywood. The main problem I have with this film is how Shyamalan deals with dissociative identity disorder (DID) and childhood abuse. Having a psychology degree and studied DID I was quite troubled with how it was portrayed. It’s hard enough to convince people that DID is a real disorder and now after this film people will assume that those who suffer from DID are violent. Although studies have shown that they are seldom violent and would far more do self-harm than hurt others. ‘Split’ exposes only the most extreme aspects of DID. Feels like Shyamalan is saying, “Oh he has DID that means he’s insane, which is why he does bad stuff”. Stereotyping those who are mentally ill as being dangerous just get’s me fired up. About 80% of films portray mental illness in a negative light. Then there is the way the film portrays childhood abuse. Throughout the film Kevin makes the girls undress and Casey wears the most layers out of the three. As the film progresses, the viewer learns that Casey was molested by her uncle at a very young age. When her father died of a heart attack and is then forced to live with her uncle. While it doesn’t show anything graphic it still makes the viewer quite uncomfortable. A good horror film makes its audience tense and uncomfortable, but ‘Split’ went overboard with making one feel uncomfortable. Then making the childhood abuse a plot point towards the end is just disgusting.
   The only things good about the film are the performances by James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy. McAvoy blew me away when his characterizations of Barry, Patricia, and Hedwig. Barry being a gay dress designer, Patricia a mean nasty woman, and Hedwig a nine year old with a lisp. With his different facial expressions and tone of voice it’ll make you believe that he’s actually all of these characters. The drop dead gorgeous Anya Taylor-Joy’s performance is all in her eyes. She’ll have a good career ahead of her. 
     This may be Shyamalan’s best film in almost fifteen years, but then again that’s not really saying much. I think people will remember this film for it’s final thirty seconds more than anything else. 

2.5 out of 5

Fist Fight (2017) Review

“Teachers can’t fight!”

   When the trailer for Fist Fight came on in the cinema, I recall looking at my friend and shaking my head no. On one hand it looked extremely stupid and on the other it made me laugh thinking of my mother picking a fight with another teacher. The film looked a lot like a poorly done Comedy Central tv movie. I tried going into the movie with an open mind, but right off the bat I couldn’t help but to cringe. A comedy that didn’t once give me a laugh and even some of the worst comedies have managed to make me laugh or smile. Not this film.

  I have never been so bored by a film and I’ve sat through the Transformers films.  It’s a shame Charlie Day, Ice Cube, Christina Hendricks, and Tracy Morgan were involved in such a terrible film. Charlie Day is a comedic genius especially in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Ice Cube is a good musician and has shown acting promise with Boyz N the Hood and Friday. Christina Hendricks was one of the best things about Mad Men. Then there is Tracy Morgan who was so good in 30 Rock and Scare Tactics. It’s just such a shame that they were all in this movie and I was questioning why I was even in the theater myself. The writing felt like a child who is still in kindergarten wrote it. Instead of watching this trash you should watch Three O’ Clock High, which the film is loosely based on.  Just save your money and don’t see the film.

0 out of 5

LOGAN (2017) Review

THERE ARE MAJOR SPOILERS

“This is what life looks like: people who love each other… a home. You should take a moment, feel it. You still have time.”

   I’ve only given two Marvel films perfect scores: ‘X-Men 2’ and ‘Spiderman 2’. After the multiple X-men films hardly any came close to the flawlessness of X2. Days of Future Past was the closest, but was barely as perfect. After viewing 2009’s dreadful X Men Origins I would have never thought that a Wolverine film could make me tear up. Then the ‘Logan’ trailer came one day and we knew it was going to be an emotionally heavy film, but nothing truly prepared me for the beautiful sendoff of ‘Logan’. Even though I knew we’d say goodbye to two iconic X-Men characters that we’ve seen on the screen for almost two decades. Professor Xavier and Wolverine have always had the father and son relationship and the core of ‘Logan’ is about family. Jackman and Stewart gave some of their best performances in this film.

  Logan isn’t really a typical superhero film… it’s more drama than action. From the very first scene Logan tells you it’s not your typical X-Men film. Logan wakes up in the back of his car to the realization that he’s being robbed. Logan is old and worn-down. He even struggles to take them out. When he was in his prime he would have taken them all out in under a minute, but he is beaten up in the process almost like he wants to feel the pain. The viewer learns that Logan is a driver in order to make enough money to pay for Xavier’s medication and to get a boat to leave with Xavier. Xavier, who is now 90, is becoming senile and has seizures that cause psychic outbursts. Logan keeps Xavier in an abandoned warehouse in Mexico with Caliban who is also one of the last mutants left.

   Soon Donald, who is a mercenary, comes to Logan looking for someone of great importance to him. Logan tells him to go and Donald threatens him with knowing Xavier is still alive. Later, a mysterious easily angered girl named Laura crosses paths with Logan. She even has the same abilities as Logan himself. Once she’s there Donald and his group of mercenaries invades Logan’s hideout. After barely escaping Logan is tasked with transporting Laura to a safe haven and keeping a close eye on Xavier while still being pursued by Donald.

    I love how ‘Logan’ tackles the issue of how almost all of the mutants are gone now. Logan has been hiding the reason from ever increasing confused Xavier. Fleeing from Vegas after Xavier has an intense seizure, showing what his decreasing mind is capable of, they stay with a family on their farm. He suddenly remembers everything asking whom he thinks is Logan, “I don’t deserve it, do I? I did something unspeakable. I remembered what happened in Westchester. This in not the first time that I’ve hurt people. Until today, I didn’t know. You didn’t tell me, so we kept on running away from it. I think I finally understand you.” He remembers that his outburst was the reason for the death of several, if not almost all the X-Men, what is even more heartbreaking is that he’s confessing this to Logan’s clone who then murders him. It’s ironic, Xavier brought together so many mutants together in order to protect them and in the end he’s the one that has destroyed them.

    From the first moment that Laura appears on the screen the viewer just knows that she’s the daughter of Logan. ‘Logan’ is at its core about family. Logan walks in on Laura and Xavier watching the film ‘Shane’. Where Shane says, “A man has to be what he is, Joey. Can’t break the mould. I tried it and it didn’t work for me.” This is how Logan is through most of the film. “I suck at this,” he tells Laura. He tries to do his best in his own unique way. Laura and Logan are so much alike that they butt heads a lot. For example, their argument in the car Laura stole. She wants to go to Eden, but he doesn’t want to go. She starts get hot tempered. Logan being stubborn and tired then Laura being stubborn and angry. At the end, Logan discovers what a child’s love is. Logan places his hand on Laura finally taking a moment to feel what it is to love and be loved. “This is what it is,” he says when he finally realizes it. She simply replies, “daddy.” I promise your eyes will get watery.

   This is the Wolverine film that fans have been asking for. The previous X-Men films made Logan and Xavier to be clever, humorous, and overall fairly put together. It’s not like it in ‘Logan’. They are worn out from their many adventures. They are both physically and emotionally tired. Dafne Keen was absolutely fantastic as Laura. Lastly, hats off to director James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma). I actually believe it has a good chance for an Oscar nomination. Yes, that’s how good it is.

5 out of 5