Unbreakable (2000)

Believe it or not, I was completely unaware of the existence of Unbreakable until a couple of weeks ago when it came up in a conversation about Glass and me not being interested in seeing it. I wasn't that interested in seeing Unbreakable either, to be honest, but then I saw it on Netflix and decided to give it a chance. 

The story follows David Dunn (Bruce Willis), a security guard who not only is the sole survivor of a horrific train crash that killed 131 people but also got away without a single scratch on him. As David starts to wonder what has happened to him and why he was able to walk away like that, he is approached by Elijah Prince (Samuel L. Jackson), a mysterious stranger who has a very far fetched theory about it, that David is unbreakable.

The plot is pretty far fetched —it's a superhero movie, afterall— and has the potential to be very cheesy, but M. Night Shyamalan knows what he's doing and delivers an incredibly compelling and gripping origin story that gets you hooked right from the start —it is very fascinating to see David discovering his abilities and each revelation to him feels like a revelation to us as well—and keeps you glued to the screen until the end with its amazing twist that will leave you speechless even if you saw it coming —like I did.

The characters, while they could have used more development, specifically David's wife (Robin Wright) and son (Spencer Treat Clark) who are really, really shallow, are likeable and feel realistic and therefore we care about them and connect with them.

And the acting isn't bad either. Bruce Willis is believable as the average father and pessimistic security guard who is struggling to find his place in the world. He yet again plays the hero but this time around he is a more grounded, human man. Samuel L. Jackson does a wonderful job as Elijah, a passionate comic book art dealer. He plays a bit of an unusual character as Elijah is very polite in opposition to the loud and cursing characters he usually plays; that's why his performance sticks with you.

Buena Vista Pictures

What makes Unbreakable better than most comic book/superhero origin movies is that, instead of relying on action like these movies usually do, it relies on the interactions between the characters, and on the suspense and tension delivered through the mystery that unfolds as the plot moves forward. Yes, it is slower than your average comic book/superhero flick, but it is also a more fascinating and rewarding experience.