Glass [SPOILERS]

Went to see Glass last night. I’m a fan of most but not quite all of M Night Shyamalan‘s films. Of the ones leading up to this one, Unbreakable is IMHO a true classic and Split (if you ignore the issues it has depicting real life mental health conditions) is a good film with a strong performance from McAvoy.

So what about Glass?

Well I’d read reviews that claimed it was more of a Split sequel than an Unbreakable sequel but for me it seemed reasonably well balanced between the two. The first 1/3rd is a great film that manages to meet all of the expectations I had for it.

It changes track when we hit Raven Hill Memorial Hospital. While the change of pace hurts the film the narrative was still strong enough to carry me with it.

But then the last section starts back on track (the breakout) . . . but the first of the twists is quite extreme - Glass, Dunn, Crumb are killed and the psychiatrist (Paulson’s character) is revealed as part of a secret society with a mission to murder superheroes because it isn’t fair on the rest of us (and no one should have so much power). The second twist, feels much more in keeping with the character of Mr Glass.

So what do I think? Overall I’m disappointed, and if I’m brutally honest with myself I think it’s mainly just due to the ignoble end of David Dunn. Other than that I think it is another challenging film from a director who was never going to please everybody. All of the actors gave strong performances ... but, as I said, overall I can’t help but be disappointed.

Worse still I think it may well cast a shadow over my enjoyment of the previous films (which I would contrast with how the Star Wars prequels didn’t do that for my enjoyment of the original trilogy).

That said, maybe time will give me more perspective on this and after another viewing my option may change...

The death of Dunn did hurt, yes. He just didn't deserve that. I can see how that ending particularly uts a shadow (as you put) on Unbreakable.

I think the biggest weakness might be that I don't think Glass' plan would have worked out so well - sure, you can upload all those videos to the internet for everyone to see - but would people really believe it so quickly? It would still be easily shown as hoax.

But I still found the movie very good and entertaining. I loved how they played with the idea that maybe all these abilities are just imagined. You kinda know that this can't be it, but you still feel some doubt (maybe the filmmaker is crazy and that's what he really means), and you wonder what the agenda of the Doctor is. Or is she just delusional herself?

It makes me wonder if David's death was Night trying to make a point within his "realistic" portrayal of superheroes - that is, what's more mundane than being drowned in a puddle (as opposed to dying in a blaze of glory as would be the case in a standard superhero film).

There are bits of the film that fall apart on close scrutiny - not least of which is why after so many years David starts to disbelieve his own abilities - while the doctor's rationale for Kevin was at least more plausible.

I think the doctor's agenda was nothing more complex than convincing them that they aren't extraordinary - which links to the statement in Unbreakable by Glass that people find it hard to believe that they are extraordinary.

I was sadly disappointed.

Right from the get go it was predictable.

The obvious zoom from the pot hole made me know this was going to be used. sigh.

The marksman with an obvious "organization tattoo" made me understand the whole thing. Sigh what a waste.

Now all I can wonder is if it will be Unbreakable's son trying to directly expose this "shamrock society" with finding new people with powers. Sigh....

Not happy with it. Not at all.

megamania said:

Now all I can wonder is if it will be Unbreakable's son trying to directly expose this "shamrock society" with finding new people with powers. Sigh....

Click to expand...

Well he’s said this is the last one and I can well believe it. The obvious foreshadowing didn’t take me out of the film half as much as some of the clunky dialogue - I’m sure there was a direct Star Wars reference along the lines of whenever one of the good superheroes emerges it causes an evil superhero to come forward . . . Which kind of makes no sense as it was David Dunn vs Kevin and Glass ... (Unless Casey was supposed to have some kind of empathy power but there was no clear evidence that it was superhuman and ... she lived!)

I was totally disappointed with the Glass... The Unbreakable was so interesting and that movie is not worth watching it...