'Split' A Review

Split is a supernatural thriller about teenagers who are abducted in a mall parking lot and come to locked in a cellar. It becomes clear relatively quickly that Claire(Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia(Jessica Sula) were the original targets and the third captive Casey(Anya Taylor-Joy) was taken more because of circumstance. Casey is more reserved and calculating, seemingly more capable of dealing with the current terrifying situation. Their captor Kevin(James McAvoy) has dissociative identity disorder with 23 separate personalities, two of which have gone rogue to perpetrate the kidnapping with unclear but nefarious intention.

Taylor-Joy gives a great performance in her follow up to this past winter's The Witch. She provides depth, confidence, and convey's an authenticity that is vital in a film that could easily veer off into camp or cliche without her as the cornerstone. McAvoy gives an equally dynamic performance but has a bit more freedom given he plays multiple characters, he has the opportunity to go a bit more wild which he takes full advantage of. He imbues each persona with nuance and subtlety making each of them distinctive and different. His turn is mesmerizing in its range but he maintains commitment with each identity so it never becomes a gimmick.

Although mostly entertaining there is one glaring issue with the narrative that brings the film down. Taylor-Joy's character Casey is given a somewhat vague and completely unnecessary series of flashbacks that imply she has been physically and/or sexually abused by a relative. As the film goes on it seems the purpose of this is only to service the clean resolution of the plot not in any way to give the character depth. On top of this series of flashback being offensive and contrived it is not needed. Taylor-Joy's performance is dynamic enough to infer all the information and back story required for the film's conclusion.

An enjoyable if somewhat flawed return to form for M. Night Shyamalan.

Rent It.