On Split

It is not untrue to say that Split is the best M. Night Shyamalan since The Sixth Sense (1999), although his vineyard is not full of rich pickings. Despite this, Split is a thoroughly entertaining and oddly thought provoking film. The idea is good and McAvoy is gripping in the lead roles. The scenes between him and Betty Buckley as his therapist are always fascinating. But, the issue with Split and the issue with all of Shyamalan's films is a complete lack of challenge to his audience. A film about a man with multiple and dangerous personalities that involves kidnapped girls should be creepy, scary and challenging. This is not. In Shyamalan's hands it is reduced to its basic oppositions. Sane versus insane; he lays it all out clearly, with well written metaphors to explain complex psychological problems. It is as if Disney made thrillers. We are given everything. No need to think and when the final scene is revealed (mistakingly referred to as a twist) we realise why. This is a fantastical world, a superhero world and superhero worlds take scary, complex real world issues and make them palatable for mainstream audiences.