GLASS
US, 2019, 129 minutes, Colour.
James Mc Avoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor- Joy, Spencer Treat Clark, Charlayne Woodard, Luke Kirby.
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
It is almost 2 decades ago that Indian-born, Philadelphia citizen, M. Night Shyamalan, broke through with an enormous hit, critical and box office success, The Sixth Sense, 1999 with his quotable line, “I see dead people�. He followed it with a thriller, Unbreakable, with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. Although he directed, wrote and produced, quite a number of films over the 20 years, he never had quite the same critical appreciation until 2018 with Split.
Split was a winner, a portrait of a man with 24 different personalities. James Mc Avoy gave a tour-to force performance bringing these characters alive, the haughty Patricia, young Dennis, the timid Kevin, and in a rage bursting out as the Beast, a tribute to the Hulk. So, what better than to have a sequel to Split?
And the answer is, introduce James Mc Avoy again and the many personalities, but, as the end of Split suggested, go back to Unbreakable, reintroduce Samuel L. Jackson as the literally brittle character, Elijah Price, Mr Glass, with his fragile bones, tended by his mother, sitting in his chair, masterminding the plots of comic thrillers. And, reintroduce David, Bruce Willis’s character, the security guard who alone survived a devastating train crash, who seemed to be imbued with powers of knowledge, superhuman.
And, not only reintroduce them and link them but also invent an ingenious plot device which brings the three of them together through the train crash, and an explanation of why the young Kevin became the 24 characters. But, one has to wait until the end for this explanation – well worth waiting for.
For security reasons, three central characters find themselves interned in a mental institution. Their progress is supervised by visiting psychologist, Sarah Paulson, who has three days to make a report on them, her main aim seeming to be to “normalise them�. As if this could possibly happen!
Each of the characters has a special person in the outside world and the psychologist summons them to help her, Anya Taylor- Joy as Casey, one of the schoolgirls previously held hostage by Patricia, the Beast and co, Elijah’s mother (Charlayne Woodard reprising her earlier role) and David’s son, Joseph (played in 2000 by the young Spencer Treat Clark and the adult actor now reprising his role).
Audience suspicions might be somewhat aroused by the assured manner of the psychologist and the question of to whom she is responsible.
In the meantime, everything builds up to quite a climax, the three involved in an elaborate escape from the institution, masterminded again by Elijah, his playing on the multiple fears of the personalities, his hostility towards David, established long since.
So, the screenplay is psychologically interesting. It also has touches of horror. It also builds up to a violently confrontative ending. But, there is a postscript, with the three contacts sitting in Philadelphia railway station and all the passers-by suddenly looking at their smart phones. We know what they are looking at, but will there be consequences?
And we have plenty of time to contemplate these questions during the striking final credits, a series of cascading glass shards showing us the characters, their interactions, reinforcing our puzzles.
1. The title? Elijah as Mr Glass? Unbreakable? The shards and their pictures during the final credits?
2. The plot connecting with Split? With Unbreakable? The ingenious links between the three films, the central characters, the disastrous train crash in Unbreakable?
3. Philadelphia, the vistas of the city, the streets and buildings, warehouses, homes, the institution, the cells, corridors, offices, the basement? The forecourt for the finale? The musical score?
4. The film as a sequel to Split? 24 personalities? James Mc Avoy and his skill in portraying each of the characters? Voice, body language, clothing? The introduction, the captured schoolgirls, Patricia and her haughty manner? Their later being freed? The transitions to other characters, to the boy and his skating? The emergence of the Beast? The emergence of Kevin, his having to be protected? The other manifestations? The boy walking the street, passing David, touching him, David and his awareness and the information?
5. David, Bruce Willis, the story from the past, the train and the crash, his survival, his powers, knowledge? The scene with his family, wife, Joseph as a little boy? Joseph growing up, David and his walks, his hood and choose one? His being an avenger? The opening assault, the two running off, David violently confronting them, their punishment? In the shop, Joseph and the work, the customers? The cameo with the director?
6. Elijah, his past, his brittle bones, his focus on comics and stories, mastermind? His being cared for by his mother? His being in the asylum? Her visits? His madness, his rudeness? The flashbacks and the reminder of what Elijah was like? His role in the train crash?
7. The three taken into the institution, each in their cells, isolated, glimpsing each other? The consequences?
8. The authorities, the psychologist, her manner, her role, treatment of the three, the report of the deadline for her report? Her wanting to normalise the three? The range of interviews, talking with them? Her enlisting the help of Joseph, of Casey, of the mother? Her explanations to them? Their willingness to collaborate?
9. Casey, her story, captured, the treatment from the various personalities, her hesitation, her decision to help? Her concern about Kevin, wanting to protect him?
10. The Beast, reminiscent of the Hulk, power, strength, the muscles? The threats, protecting Kevin? The sense of menace to opponents?
11. Each of the characters talking about the other, knowledge or not, the criticisms of the personalities, of Patricia’s dominance? Their concern about Kevin?
12. David, wanting to do good, his being interrogated?
13. The revelation about Elijah, in the institution, his power and determination, the psychologist? The comics and his being the mastermind?
14. The group, the psychologist addressing them, secret group, the tattoo on their wrists, the plan, the range of personnel, the meetings?
15. The ethos of comics, the conventions, the psychologist and her visit to the store, the impact of the comics, the characters, the superheroes? The psychologist wanting to normalise everyone?
16. Kevin and his father, his concern about identity deficit, influence of the mother, the absent father, his being on the train, killed in the crash, Elijah responsible? The impact on Kevin over the years and the multiple personalities?
17. The connection between the three, the plan, to get out? The Beast, Kevin, the range of other personalities? The disguises and wheeling Elijah through the hospital? Elijah and his manipulation? David and his participation? The going to the basement, Elijah working the computers – filming everything, the audience seeing the installation of all the cameras?
The later use, the weapons against the institution?
18. The plan, a suicide plan by Elijah, David and the danger of water,Jjoseph watching, the fight, David in the water, the tank bursting? The Beast, the confrontation is, the vehicle? Elijah observing?
19. The psychologist, her fears, watching, the range of confrontations? Casey and her concern for Kevin? Joseph for his father? His mother and caring for Elijah?
20. The group of three sitting in the railway station, waiting, people beginning to look at their phones, the video of all that had happened in the expose of the group?
21. The end of the series? The beginning of something new?
