Film Review: "Glass" (2019).

"The World of Superheroes will be Shattered" in Glass. This superhero thriller film written, produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It is the sequel to Unbreakable (2000) and Split (2016), cumulatively forming the Eastrail 177 Trilogy. The film finds David Dunn pursuing Kevin Wendell Crumb’s superhuman figure of The Beast in a series of escalating encounters, while the shadowy presence of Elijah Price emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men.

After the middling commercial success of Unbreakable, Touchstone Pictures, the studio owned by The Walt Disney Company, decided not to move forward with a sequel. In the original script for Unbreakable, Kevin was included as an emerging villain for David to face against, but Shyamalan removed the character due to balancing issues. Thus Shyamalan set out to write Split, which would focus solely on Kevin. Shyamalan realized that he had the opportunity to create a trilogy, and establish Split as a film within the Unbreakable narrative. This resulted in securing the rights to use Willis' Unbreakable character from Disney in the ending, with the promise of including Disney within the production and distribution of the third film alongside Universal Pictures should it be made. After the release and success of Split, in mid April 2017, the film was announced by Shyamalan entitled Glass with a January 18 2019 release date. Universal would distribute the film in the United States and Disney would distribute the film internationally through its Buena Vista International label. According to Shyamalan, the film would be "the first truly grounded comic book movie." Shyamalan drew inspiration from the following comic books: Saga, Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire, Sand Castle, Paper Girls, Daytripper, and Last Look. In early October 2017, principal photography commenced, and lasted 39 days throughout Philadelphia. Locations included Allentown State Hospital and the Bryn Mawr College Athletic Centre. It was revealed that the original cut of the film ran nearly three and a half hours long. It was also revealed that the film would incorporate unseen footage from Unbreakable, as well as James Newton Howard's Unbreakable theme.

The film stars Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Spencer Treat Clark, Charlayne Woodard (whom reprise their Unbreakable roles), James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy (whom reprise their Split roles), and Sarah Paulson. Willis gave his best performance after years. After years of brainless action roles, for Willis, and years of playing crucial, but nonetheless, supporting roles, for Jackson, both men shine in their respective roles when they were given the spotlight. Though under-utilized, both Willis and Jackson gave their best performances. McAvoy gives another tour-de-force performance as he gets to further explore his character(s). Like Willis and Jackson, Clark, Woodard, Taylor-Joy, and Paulson gave spectacular performances even though they were under-utilized.

With a risky ending, Glass is not a masterpiece like Unbreakable. However, it is a quietly suspenseful film that intrigues and engages, taking the audience through unpredictable twists and turns along the way.

Simon says Glass receives:

Also, see my review for Split.