M Night Shish Kebab might have been the laughing stock of movie critics for the past few years, but he is certainly making a comeback. His last film, The Visit was a solid return to form, but it’s his next film, Split that is really reminding us that for all of the director’s slow pacing and reliance on twists, he also knows how to build tension and frighten us properly.
The first trailer did a solid job in providing the plot for the film, while leading us on to the fact that there is so much more going on. This second trailer builds on that and makes us perhaps even more creeped out by the lead character Kevin, played by James McAvoy. Who also plays 22 other versions of Kevin – or something like that.
Split centers on Kevin, a man with split personality disorder who kidnaps three teenage girls. Keeping them prisoner in a basement, the girls try desperately to work around his condition in order to find a way out before he uses them in a mysterious ritual. As time goes by, it becomes increasingly clear that Kevin is harboring a truly terrifying personality within him known simply as “The Beast” that’s unlike anything anyone has ever seen.
What stands out to me with this second trailer is just how good the acting and performances appear to be. Shyamalan has been accused recently of not bringing out the best performances in his cast, but if this trailer is anything to go by, they are all putting in some truly terrifying performances here. The movie has already been shown to some reviewers and the majority are saying that this is perhaps the directors best work since Signs. Let’s hope this is the case.
The world needs a director of Shyamalan’s ilk to be on his top form again. During the days of The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs he showed the ability to mesmerize and draw in audiences, while also terrifying them all at the same time. If he get even close to those heights again, I think we will be in for a good entertaining ride.
Split is due to enter US theatres on January 20, 2017.
Last Updated: October 31, 2016
