Unbreakable, Split, Glass- The Eastrail 177 Trilogy

[thecolorsblend]

I missed all of these movies in theaters for various reasons and ended up catching them on home video.

I spent this week watching the entire trilogy and I must say that I rather enjoy these films. They're dense, character-driven, performance-driven and script-driven. I understand that Night has been polarizing, especially for the last decade and a half or so. I'm not one to defend most of his work. But I've always found merit in Unbreakable. And, now, Split and Glass as well.

I can understand disliking these films. They're not for everybody. But I'm at a point where anything comic book-related that doesn't depend on these huge multi-million dollar CG effects mega setpieces is automatically interesting to me.

Obviously these characters are stand-ins for more famous characters. David is a Superman figure, Elijah is a Lex figure and I think The Horde is meant to be a Doomsday figure. The layers of all these characters, their twists and turns all make for fascinating cinema, imo.

Not to spoil anything just yet but the climax of Glass in particular subverts audience expectations in what I think is an interesting way. So often, people talk about "subverting expectations" as though it's a positive thing, ipso facto. But Night does it in a clever way here that wraps up the story cleanly while also implying the creation of a totally new paradigm.

No, I wouldn't have made those creative decisions. But I'm kind of glad that he did.

And seriously, James McAvoy gives what I can only describe as bravura performances in Split and Glass.

In this world of comic book movies awash in hundred million dollar marketing budgets and flashy CGI, it's kind of a relief to find a few comic book movies with low budgets that depend entirely on performance and writing to make their point.

[The Dark Knight]

I actually started a review/analysis of Glass at the time it was released. But never got around to properly finishing it. Because of that, and provided you've started this new thread, I've decided to post it all here. It's better than leaving it unused. It's full of spoilers, of course.

GLASS SHATTERS EXPECTATIONS

Glass is a small scale depiction of superheroes without the fairy-tale sheen they usually have. The Eastrail 177 trilogy isn't about big fight scenes and explosions. It's a psychologically based thriller that honors but goes against comic book tropes.

We were introduced to protagonist David Dunn in 2000's 'Unbreakable', and he returns once again in Glass. David is a part time vigilante in a rain jacket, which provides real world simplicity while still giving him iconography and a nickname – The Overseer. David's dense bones make him virtually invulnerable, but susceptible to drowning. He doesn't fly. He doesn't drive a fancy car. He doesn't webswing. He simply goes for walks, and if he doesn't notice a crime to stop today, there's always tomorrow.

He's navigating a world where a police presence means something. Yes, he is strong, but he still must exercise caution. He has a son and a life of his own to lead. The film makes a point that comic books are an elevated form of what exists in reality, albeit hidden from the public's knowledge. David is a prime example of that. He can knock down reinforced doors, but it's still going to take a concerted effort.

During one of his walks, David comes across Kevin Wendell Crumb, a man with 23 distinct personalities. One of these personalities, The Beast, has kidnapped young women and held them in a warehouse. After saving the young women and physically battling The Beast, the pair are eventually arrested and taken away to a mental institution. The institution takes on the role of a real world Arkham Asylum.

As it turns out, David and Kevin are put under the same roof as mental genius Elijah Glass. Elijah has been incarcerated for 19 years following the events of Unbreakable, and for those 19 years he has been in a vegetative state, staring blankly, seemingly having given up on life. When Elijah realizes David and Kevin are in his presence, he begins to find renewed purpose, just like The Joker in The Dark Knight Returns.

The superhumans are told by psychologist Dr Ellie Staple their powers are non-existent and they instead suffer from delusions. The drama is not about whether they really have superpowers - we already know they do, even if that belief can be shaken by the Staple's arguments somewhat. The drama is whether the superhumans can be convinced to give up on themselves. It is about self-belief in the face of a system that wants to keep you down. Just as dirty cops can convince innocent people to plead guilty to crimes they did not commit via deception, sleep deprivation and fear.

Instead of making normal people into 'special' people, ala Syndrome from The Incredibles, the plan in Glass is to convince special people they are normal. The end result is the same: no more superheroes. The message therefore is don't stop believing.

David and Kevin do have their confidence in the abilities shaken, but not Elijah. Working within the restrictions of a CCTV laden facility, Elijah stages a breakout with The Beast by his side. We are told his plan is to stage a fight at Philadelphia's tallest building with camera crews documenting a fight between The Beast and David, who will be lured out by the threat of property damage. Through the intercom into his cell, Elijah makes David believe once again, advising him to knock down his door and stop their mayhem.

Elijah, The Beast and David all convene outside the institution, where a fight ensues between David and The Beast. Law enforcement arrives and puts an end to their brawl. What happens next is what some viewers find to be a deal breaker, but for me, it's what makes the movie.

All three main characters are killed.

David is drowned and Elijah's weak body is broken by an enraged Beast, who discovers Elijah was responsible for the Eastrail 177 crash, which his father died on. Kevin is shot by a sniper.

Killing all three characters was bold, and further grounded the trilogy in reality. We learn that these characters were not 'special', per se. They were just three people who we followed for three films. Other superhumans (I'm guessing a large number) have already been killed by a secret society to hide them from the public, just like they all eventually were.

We had the luxury of getting to know David. We didn't have to luxury of meeting other heroes for a specific reason – they have already been dispatched, or were convinced to give up on themselves via brainwashing.

Their deaths feel underplayed at first, but then you begin to realize how raw and truthful that is. Even the most powerful or important men or women, good or bad, fade off into oblivion unceremoniously. Ordell in Jackie Brown is a good example. Death isn't glamourous. All that you are turns off in an instant, and usually when you least expect it. If you feel melancholy about this – good. That's the point.

We discover the mental institutions' many cameras filmed the battle between David and The Beast, turning an apparent negative into a bonus for Elijah. He was smart to stage the fight outside the facility, and not the skyscraper as we were led to believe, because they likely wouldn't have made the skyscraper, and as it turned out, they didn't.

Those longing for an inner city throwdown with explosions need to watch the countless other superhero films that already present that trope. This trilogy aims for something a little different. The CCTV footage is uploaded onto the internet for all to see.

Before his death, Elijah's mother asks her son if their story is a limited edition. Elijah tells his mother it's actually an origin story, suggesting there is more to come despite their deaths. Their lives aren't the origin story, their lives are part of a journey that equal an origin story for all superheroes. It's the origin story of a world possibly becoming aware of superhumans.

When people watch the CCTV footage, will people believe their eyes? Or will they dismiss it all as a hoax? That's the question we're left with. Will an equilibrium remain despite the machinations of Elijah, or will it be shattered?

Unbreakable, Split and Glass combine to create an unexpected but refreshing trilogy. Don't fall for the negative reviews. Keep an open mind, and be willing to embrace uncomfortable concepts.

[The Joker]

Nice review, TDK.

Yeah, Unbreakable has been a favorite ever since I first watched it back in, I think, 2001. I picked up on DVD as one of those "blind purchases" not knowing if I would like it or not, as I really didn't know a whole lot about it to be perfectly honest, but found the movie itself enjoyable, and not anything I would have expected to extend any further. Especially per M. Night's comments thru the years.

It's funny, but a buddy of mine who went and watched Split in the theaters, who also told me the spoiler indicating Unbreakable was connected with Split, had never actually seen Unbreakable besides a few scenes here and there on TV. For me, I had seen Unbreakable several times, but had not seen Split. A week or so prior to Glass coming out in the theaters, we set it up to where we watched Unbreakable and Split back to back. So to be caught up on the story going into Glass. Which was great for me, considering I enjoyed Split much more so than I had originally anticipated.

With Glass, M. Night effectively goes back full circle with Unbreakable in providing comic book influenced elements into the story, while like Unbreakable, subverting expectations in refraining from going all out with a superhero vs supervillain CGI slug fest spectacle that Night could have easily converted into, since audiences are now trained to expect these days, but wisely chose to go with a more subdued route. I agree that the Unbreakable/Split/Glass series of films is a nice change of pace from the typical output we're accustomed to, and that's enough to make 'em noteworthy.

[thecolorsblend]

Those longing for an inner city throwdown with explosions need to watch the countless other superhero films that already present that trope. This trilogy aims for something a little different.

I predicted some of where things were going before the characters guessed what Mr. Glass was up to. But not long before. I really thought that Night was going there with a big spectacular showdown.

Tbh, I would've been receptive to that too. But it's better that Night was more honest with the material by avoiding the obvious tropes and shooting for a more cerebral climax that honors what these movies have always been. Night never took the easy way out with these films and I respect him for that.

Before his death, Elijah's mother asks her son if their story is a limited edition. Elijah tells his mother it's actually an origin story, suggesting there is more to come despite their deaths. Their lives aren't the origin story, their lives are part of a journey that equal an origin story for all superheroes. It's the origin story of a world possibly becoming aware of superhumans.

When people watch the CCTV footage, will people believe their eyes? Or will they dismiss it all as a hoax? That's the question we're left with. Will an equilibrium remain despite the machinations of Elijah, or will it be shattered?

I appreciate how Night raises but doesn't answer these questions. It leaves fodder for the individual to make his own interpretations.

I also admire Night's ambition in spending three movies telling this story, only to sign off a somewhat ambiguous cliffhanger. Night has said he's open to making more movies in this universe if he gets an idea to do so. But honestly, I'm fine with what we have. I don't really need the story to continue from here. I think answering those questions in-universe would take away from the thinking that the end of Glass expects the viewer to do himself.

Unbreakable, Split and Glass combine to create an unexpected but refreshing trilogy. Don't fall for the negative reviews. Keep an open mind, and be willing to embrace uncomfortable concepts.

Agreed.

To make a comparison, I have long been highly protective of Batman Returns, as you know. I enjoy Burton's vision and ambition with that movie inasmuch as he intentionally broke away from a successful formula from B89 in order to make something more original and from-the-heart. I now put the Eastrail 177 trilogy in that same essential category of brave artistic endeavors which aren't necessarily for everybody but which certain kinds of people can find a lot of value in.

I also admire the pure, undiluted courage of making Split as a stealth sequel to Unbreakable and somehow maintaining full secrecy about that until the movie came out. I never heard the spoiler about Split's connection to Unbreakable until after the movie had been released. I understand where a lot of Night's work is off-putting for a lot of people. But I have no word of criticism whatsoever about Eastrail 177. They're fine just as they are.

[Silver Nemesis]

I really want to see Split and Glass, but I 'm afraid I haven't gotten round to watching either of them yet. So I'll have to come back to this thread at a later time. For now I'll just say that I like Unbreakable a lot. I caught it on TV about two or three weeks ago and it holds up extremely well. It's a genuinely unique take on the superhero formula. And it has that same metafictional self-awareness that characterised the Scream movies, where the protagonists exemplify the conventions of the genre while simultaneously deconstructing them. It's a solid script that's well executed. I'm glad Shyamalan was able to complete his trilogy and I look forward to seeing the other two thirds of it.

On a more general note, I've always quite liked M. Night Shyamalan and have never really understood the intense hostility his work has attracted over the years. Admittedly I haven't seen most of his more maligned films. I've never seen Lady in the Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender, Devil or some of the others. They might well be awful. I wouldn't know. I have however seen The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs and The Village, all of which I enjoyed. The Village isn't as strong as those other three, but it's still an engaging and atmospheric chiller. I also happened to catch After Earth on television a few weeks ago and I didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as its reputation led me to expect. At worst I'd say it was dull and forgettable. But it certainly wasn't one of the worst films ever made, which is what some critics would have us believe.

Perhaps if I saw more of his films I'd have a better understanding of the hate. But based on what I have seen, I enjoy his movies. They usually have a nice low-key atmosphere that allows the characters and plot room to breathe without drowning them in special effects and set pieces. There's a Hitchcockian precision to his camera work that offers a pleasing counterpoint to all the lazy shaky-cam photography that's been so prevalent over the past decade. From what I've seen, he doesn't overuse CG effects or flood his movies with gratuitous sex and violence. But yeah, maybe I need to watch some of his weaker films to get a more balanced perspective on his filmography as a whole.

It's nice to see some of his more recent films getting positive notices though. I know Glass has received a mixed response, but The Visit and Split both got good reviews. Hopefully this marks a turning point in his career where his reputation improves.

[thecolorsblend]

I really want to see Split and Glass, but I 'm afraid I haven't gotten round to watching either of them yet. So I'll have to come back to this thread at a later time. For now I'll just say that I like Unbreakable a lot. I caught it on TV about two or three weeks ago and it holds up extremely well. It's a genuinely unique take on the superhero formula. And it has that same metafictional self-awareness that characterised the Scream movies, where the protagonists exemplify the conventions of the genre while simultaneously deconstructing them. It's a solid script that's well executed. I'm glad Shyamalan was able to complete his trilogy and I look forward to seeing the other two thirds of it.

On a more general note, I've always quite liked M. Night Shyamalan and have never really understood the intense hostility his work has attracted over the years. Admittedly I haven't seen most of his more maligned films. I've never seen Lady in the Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender, Devil or some of the others. They might well be awful. I wouldn't know. I have however seen The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs and The Village, all of which I enjoyed. The Village isn't as strong as those other three, but it's still an engaging and atmospheric chiller. I also happened to catch After Earth on television a few weeks ago and I didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as its reputation led me to expect. At worst I'd say it was dull and forgettable. But it certainly wasn't one of the worst films ever made, which is what some critics would have us believe.

Perhaps if I saw more of his films I'd have a better understanding of the hate. But based on what I have seen, I enjoy his movies. They usually have a nice low-key atmosphere that allows the characters and plot room to breathe without drowning them in special effects and set pieces. There's a Hitchcockian precision to his camera work that offers a pleasing counterpoint to all the lazy shaky-cam photography that's been so prevalent over the past decade. From what I've seen, he doesn't overuse CG effects or flood his movies with gratuitous sex and violence. But yeah, maybe I need to watch some of his weaker films to get a more balanced perspective on his filmography as a whole.

It's nice to see some of his more recent films getting positive notices though. I know Glass has received a mixed response, but The Visit and Split both got good reviews. Hopefully this marks a turning point in his career where his reputation improves.

I like his work from The Sixth Sense going straight on through to The Village. In particular, I never understood why The Village got all but burned in effigy. As you say, it's got a sort of menacing, chilling atmosphere to it. There are two (arguably three) major twists with The Village and I guessed the major twist about 15 minutes before credits rolled.

If you enjoyed that first bunch of movies, I can't imagine you being disappointed with Split and Glass. I'm especially interested in your thoughts on Split since that one is teeming with vision and ambition. The score by West Dylan Thordson is amazingly powerful. I could gush about Split all day long but I don't want to ruin the subtleties and nuances of the film for you. It has a lot more going for it than just the reveal that it's a sequel to Unbreakable. I'll simply say that Split is probably the most interesting of the bunch.

And that's saying something.

[thecolorsblend]

The guy from Cinema Wins has finally finished up the whole trilogy. Needless to say, he enjoys the whole trilogy. Well, he's a bit more reluctant about Glass. And I can kind of understand but whatever.

All three videos are definitely worth checking out.

[thecolorsblend]

It looks like Eastrail 177 has joined the ranks of films I rewatch annually. Just finished up this year's rewatch and I really dig the trilogy.

There are some creative decisions with Glass that I struggle with, even now. I think everybody was expecting another mystery/thriller movie. What we got instead was a jailbreak movie. It ends the way it ends and endings are hard. But still...

Anyway, it has a definitive (tho not totally satisfying) ending. And in today's world, that's worth a lot.

[The Dark Knight]

I was thinking about this trilogy recently and subsequently visited the Wikipedia listing for Glass. Under the possible sequel heading it reads: "M. Night Shyamalan has been asked numerous times if there would be any sequel for Glass. On January 8, 2019, he officially confirmed that no sequels are currently planned, adding that he has no interest building a cinematic universe."

Very good news. Eastrail does no require expansion. It's perfect as is. We do not need to see how society reacts to the CCTV footage Elijah leaked. In fact, not knowing is the whole point of the ending. It's up to our own interpretation. The trilogy is about three characters, which the individual films are named after, and they all meet their maker.

Extremely underrated movies and the real deal when it comes to superhero realism.

[thecolorsblend]

I was thinking about this trilogy recently and subsequently visited the Wikipedia listing for Glass. Under the possible sequel heading it reads: "M. Night Shyamalan has been asked numerous times if there would be any sequel for Glass. On January 8, 2019, he officially confirmed that no sequels are currently planned, adding that he has no interest building a cinematic universe."

Very good news. Eastrail does no require expansion. It's perfect as is. We do not need to see how society reacts to the CCTV footage Elijah leaked. In fact, not knowing is the whole point of the ending. It's up to our own interpretation. The trilogy is about three characters, which the individual films are named after, and they all meet their maker.

Extremely underrated movies and the real deal when it comes to superhero realism.

I'm with you. I don't need a sequel. I have enough reluctances with Glass as it is.

I rather enjoy the fact that, in a sense, there isn't a sequel story for David after Unbreakable. Unbreakable starts his story, Glass ends it. And Glass isn't even rly his story anyway. He's in it but doesn't dominate it. That works for me in burgeoning anti-sequel preferences.

Plus, Split is just such an amazing film. Can't get enough of it.

I love this trilogy.