I had such a peculiar reaction to this picture that I actually had to go see it again before I could sit down and decide what to report. First of all, I will tell you that I'm going to tap dance around a bit, so I don't give away the bizarre secrets of this film. Second of all, it should be noted that the marketing for Unbreakable is quite misleading. Although I loved the coming attraction trailer, and admired it's mystery, I feel that it misrepresents what the film is really about. The only reason I'm making this point, is so that you'll go into this film with an open mind. Don't go in assuming anything, or you may leave disappointed. Upon my first viewing, I actually laughed and found myself downright aggravated. But after a second viewing, and really taking it in, I'd have to say that, although flawed, this new film from Sixth Sense maker M. Night Shyamalan, is intricate and quite exciting!

Following an interesting statistic and a tragic birth sequence at the film's beginning, we are introduced to a stadium security guard (played beautifully by Bruce Willis), who is making his way home via the train. Tragedy ensues, as the speedy transit system derails. Miraculously, Willis is the sole survivor of the accident. Shorty after the horrible event, Willis begins to bond with a mysterious eccentric (played by Samuel L. Jackson). Through a strange set of circumstances, our hero begins to question his existence, and examine what his purpose is in life.

Shyamalan has done something quite different here. He's fused genres in a way that audiences have never seen. You could call Unbreakable a sort of philosophical superhero picture. He feels no need to subject us to gratuitous explosions or excessive special effects. What's more, Shyamalan evokes genuine curiosity from the audience. Although this film does have a similar tone to Sixth Sense and touches on some of the same subject matter (life, death, a yearning for acceptance etc.), Unbreakable has a completely different flow. The Sixth Sense was sort of a human picture that had the audience caught up in the lives of it's characters, leading to an unexpected finale, that there is no reason to expect. That's why that picture worked so well. Unbreakable by comparison, always gives you the impression that it's leading to some kind of revelation. Eventually it does, and that's where you'll hear a lot of debate about this thriller. Although the ending makes sense (in it's own world), it seems to take away from the real emphasis of the picture. I must admit, with a repeat viewing, I wasn't nearly as put off by it. It should also be noted that Unbreakable is quite grim at times, and paints a rather ugly portrait of the world. Such is life I guess. Everything doesn't always come up roses, and sometimes the world is a rough place.

Shyamalan is proving to be one hell of a director. He draws an incredible performance from the underrated Willis. This is a subtle, restrained turn, and one that will make audiences realize that this guy is capable of good performances. Jackson is all at once, creepy, and incredibly sympathetic.

It is Shyamalan's writing skills that really keep Unbreakable from being everything it wants to be. I really wanted more development between Willis and Robin Wright Penn. Although it could be argued that this is not the focus of the film, it would have made all the difference for me. I could have also done without an embarassingly out of place confrontation sequence between Willis and his son at the breakfast table. Sometimes, it feels as if there are too many things going on in this picture.

For the hardcore film lover, you may notice shades of Hitchcock, Superman, X-Men and The Usual Suspects. There's even a huge plot development reminiscent of Stephen King's The Dead Zone (something that really bothered me.) The whole film is punctuated by a brilliant James Newton Howard score and spectacular cinematography.

As I stated earlier in the review, Unbreakable is a flawed film, but Shyamalan is able to transcend its weaknesses with a mystery and energy that is hard to resist. I always wanted to know where things were going. Like The Sixth Sense, this is a sometimes compelling film that poses many questions about our mortality. Why are we here? What is our purpose in life? Can the good exist without the bad? These are just some of the questions that Unbreakable asks. And in a quite original way, Shyamalan tries to answer them. Unbreakable is an intriguing film, and one worth multiple viewings.