Unbreakable (2000)

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Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

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

Actor Bruce Willis and writer/director M. Night Shyamalan reunite after the surprise success of The Sixth Sense for this supernatural thriller. David Dunne (Willis) is taking a train from New York City back home to Philadelphia after a job interview that didn't go well when his car jumps the tracks and collides with an oncoming engine, with David the only survivor among the 131 passengers on board. Astoundingly, David is not only alive, he hardly seems to have been touched. As David wonders what has happened to him and why he was able to walk away, he encounters a mysterious stranger, Elijah Prince (Samuel L. Jackson), who explains to David that there are a certain number of people who are "unbreakable" -- they have remarkable endurance and courage, a predisposition toward dangerous behavior, and feel invincible but also have strange premonitions of terrible events. Is David "unbreakable"? And if he is, what are the physical and psychological ramifications of this knowledge? Unbreakable also stars Robin Wright-Penn as Audrey, David's wife; the supporting cast includes Spencer Treat Clark and Joey Perillo. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

10 Best Superhero Movies Based ...
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com

hasn't rated it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. [What do you think?]
"Will Smith’s new superhero movie, Hancock, may be receiving terrible reviews, but it’s sure to make a lot of money. It is a Will Smith movie, after all. The fact that it’s an original superhero title (meaning not adapted from a comic book or other source material), however, means that if it is a success, it will be the rare movie of its kind to be such. Superhero movies may be huge right now, but really only the pre-sold properties, those with a build-in audience, make the big bucks. A number of original superhero movies are just as worthy of your attention as the Spider-Mans, the Iron Mans, the Batmans and the X-Mens. Sure, much of the time, non-adapted superheroes are lame, as in the cases of Blankman and My Super Ex-Girlfriend. But just check out any of the following ten titles and see why it sometimes pays off to put your trust in an unfamiliar hero. The Incredibles - This one did it all: won an Oscar; received favorable reviews across the board; did blockbuster business in th ... " [More]

Very little Night music
by usesoap in usesoap Blog

lost interest.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. [What do you think?]
"M. Night Shyamalan, coming back from a critical and commercial pummeling for his fairy tale “Lady in the Water” that was nightmarish for all the wrong reasons, has attempted to trumpet his return to tension in a new film called...hmmm...what was that title again? Perhaps I should look at some of the dialogue to help me remember: “There is an event happening.” “...whenever this is happening.” “Whatever is happening is happening in smaller and smaller populations.” “Why is this happening?” “Nothing's happening yet.” “There's something happening in a few states.” Oh well, maybe it will come to me later. Touting its R rating like a badge, the film promises to be a darker Night than we are accustomed to, but a few bloody deaths aside (most are shot at a distance), the proceedings are structurally similar to his 2002 outing “Signs.” The film begins so promisingly creepy, with peo ... " [More]

The Shyamalan Report Card
by Tenenbaums in Tenenbaums Blog

loved it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"M. Night Shyamalan's career is coming to a halt. But before the film community sends the Philadelphia writer/directer off, let's take a look at his works."The Sixth Sense" is masterful; "Unbreakable" is an underrated comic book gem; "Signs" is frustratingly dumb, then kills any chance of lingering suspense by doing the anti-"Jaws" and showing the wimpy water-allergic aliens; and "The Village" is an intriguing experiment that is far deeper that its apparently simple conclusion.Then there's "Lady in the Water." Possibly attempting to switch up his style or be exceedingly philosophical, Shyamalan's latest released film was critically panned and made little money. Disney, who had financed the director's previous four films, passed on the script, and with good reason. Seeing an opportunity to profit off of Shyamalan's name (perhaps despite the quality of the material), Warner Bros. bankrolled the project and attracted an impressive cast.As with any director of great works, it's clear wh ... " [More]

Shyamalan’s Latest Surprise End ...
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com

hasn't rated it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"I hate twist endings, especially those in the films of M. Night Shyamalan. Maybe it’s because I was told the twist of The Sixth Sense prior to seeing it and haven’t been able to appreciate the filmmaker ever since. It’s not so much that I believe films shouldn’t have twist endings, it’s that I believe films that have twist endings should be enjoyable even when you know the secret (Psycho is still great after a thousand viewings, for example). The only one of Shyamalan’s movies to hold up even with the spoilers revealed is Unbreakable. So, I had no problem reading about the big secret of Shyamalan’s latest, The Happening. An early review of a rough cut of the thriller has shown up on Collider, and in addition to claiming the thing is “a terrible, terrible movie,” and that, “Mark Wahlberg might very well give the worst performance I’ve ever seen in anything,” the critic includes a complete plot synopsis, including the big revelation of what is causing people to suddenly kill themselv ... " [More]

Jumper: World weary
by usesoap in usesoap Blog

lost interest.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"A great marketing tagline for “Jumper” could have been: Jumper: It's “Highlander” for the myspace generation! Both feature leaps through space (and logic), centuries-old rivalries, and an acting vacuum for a lead (Christopher Lambert in 'Highlander,' Hayden Christensen in 'Jumper'), and both are a laughable assault on the intellect (but 'Jumper” lacks that groovin' Queen soundtrack). Jumper may also be notable for no other reason than Samuel L. Jackson managed to wear a more bizarre wig than his Gumby model he sported for “Unbreakable” a few years back. Frosted an unnatural shade of white, he resembles a pissed-off piece of Sno-Caps candy. Perhaps it was the chance to jet to exotic locales on the director's dime that enticed the actor to sign off on this mess, or maybe he was looking for a role that would allow him to slap former co-star Christensen around a bit in retribution for wrecking the last two &ldqu ... " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

is neutral about it.

This follow-up to M. Night Shyamalan's out-of-nowhere breakout smash The Sixth Sense retains that film's deliberate pacing and attention to detail, but has more on its mind. This makes Unbreakable an even more ambitious and intriguing picture, even if the film's resolution leaves the viewer in the lurch by not realizing its full potential. A bold take on the mythology of comic books and realizing one's fate, the film is closest to the spirit of Alfred Hitchcock, who, like Shyamalan, lures viewers in one direction only to draw attention to something completely different when they least expect it. This is one of the film's strongest points: it is genuinely unpredictable and, until its wrap-up, feels as if it was helmed by a true visionary. Bruce Willis is quietly powerful in a rare interior role, fully engaging the viewer with his unshowy, sympathetic portrayal of a conflicted individual. While no Sixth Sense in terms of popularity, Unbreakable was still a box-office champ, despite polarizing much of its core audience. Supposedly, Shyamalan intended this film to be part of a planned trilogy, all of which would further explore Willis' character. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

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