Film Review: “Split”

In M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie, “Split”, a man is plagued with 23 different personalities. Each is fighting for what they refer to as “the light,” meaning control of Kevin’s body, with a 24th personality ready to emerge.

The story begins with a fun-filled birthday party ending in tragedy. Three girls are abducted as they are trying to leave. They awake in a jail-like room, panicking and planning an escape. While two girls, Claire and Marcia, are all ready to blitz attack their abductor, the last girl, Casey, accepts their fate.

After their second encounter with the abductor, named Dennis, they peer through the keyhole in the door and see someone in women's clothes. They call out to her. The girls back

away from the door to allow her to walk in, only to realize it is their abductor dressed as a woman, who identifies as Patricia.

The wheels slowly start to turn, and they end up meeting another personality, Hedwig. They realize they are dealing with something they don’t truly know anything about. Each of these personalities continues to bring up what is to come: The Beast.

While this is going on, Casey, has flashbacks to when she was a child. As the flashbacks progress slowly, the audience realizes why this girl can accept a fate such as death that easily. She is taken back to a time where her father teaches her to hunt, and her uncle teaches her a very different lesson.

Each time Dennis goes to visit, he takes a piece of their clothing. When one girl, Claire, tries to escape, he nearly strips her down and separates her from the others.

Marcia is the second to try to escape, and Dennis forces her to do the same: strip down and stay separate from the others. He attempts to strip down Casey, but she has too many layers.

During the time he is holding the girls, three of Kevin’s personalities, Dennis, Patricia, and Hedwig, have taken almost total control. At night, a couple of others try to take control and email the doctor that has helped Kevin and the personalities cope.

When the doctor receives a multitude of emails asking for help, she gets help and finds the girls, but ends up getting caught. Nothing can save them now from the Beast.

Released on Jan. 20, “Split” is amazing people everywhere. Starring James McAvoy (“X-Men: Apocalypse”) and Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Witch”), This movie is currently running as the highest grossing film in the U.S., and has captured a wide audience. It is a fast paced, mind-boggling, thriller that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

With minimal jump scares, viewers will still be shaken down to their very bones. This is certainly a must-see movie. 

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