The new horror from M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense") unleashes personal hardships from childhood abuse — a theme strong enough to be relatable with a well-developed plot and high-level performances. The main protagonist, Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy), is kidnapped by a man who appears to have dissociative identity disorder, with 24 personalities living inside him. She is a victim among two others, but they serve as supporting characters shadowing Casey's sophisticated and obscure personality.
James McAvoy plays Kevin, who's mainly presented by the four distinct personalities (Dennis, Patricia, Hedwig and Barry), his dark and decent sides. Hedwig, the personality of a 9-years old, seems to be the one who plays nice with the captives. However, he's somewhat delusional and weak, suppressed by dominant Dennis and Patricia, whose mission is to empower the 24th personality: a mythical beast coming for the girls.
The subplot explaining intricacies and dangers beyond this type of mental illness is led by Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley) who believes Kevin's personalities may differ from each other in a physical way, as people with this disorder may change their physical shape by thoughts. Dr. Karen Fletcher meets Barry every week to discuss his progress through the illness, eager to learn more about other personalities and the distribution of power over Kevin's mind between them. The determination helps her to unveil Kevin's dark side, but puts the doctor in fatal danger.
The most obvious layer of this film, though not as sophisticated as the other two, is still able to entertain and bolster the audience's curiosity, forming anticipation of a big evil coming to get the victims. James McAvoy is astonishingly compelling and natural in his performance, letting the viewers to believe in Kevin's absolute unawareness of his troubled mind. The victims (including the other two girls played by Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula) are compelling, though Casey's reaction is unique as she's able to endure the pressure of looming evil.
Indeed, the underlying layer in this film exposes Casey's troubled childhood filled with intimidating experiences. The film's most moving notion is about an ability to overcome intimidation and speak up to defend oneself. The main question is whether Casey is ready to take a step toward the new future, if she stays alive. Her character is placed in contrast to Kevin's to show two different perspectives of abuse.
The final sequence sheds light on the third layer of the movie, with a big surprise for those who appreciate M N. Shyamalan vision and follow his work. The new horror from the master of unexpected finales is a well-executed movie with rich characters and a master class performance form James McAvoy. Constructed of the three effectively combined layers, the movie provides the audience insight to the life of psychotic kidnapper.
Watch the trailer below:
Reach Staff Reporter Mariia Kovaleva here.
Annenberg Media