Glass (Review)
Glass Proves to Be a Worthy Final Chapter, but it’s Hardly Unbreakable.
Glass is a movie I’ve been looking forward to ever since Split seems to signify a return to form for director M. Night Shyamalan. I’ve waited with eager anticipation in what I was sure would be one of the best new movies to hit theaters in January in years. The big question though is if Glass was able to live up to my expectation? The short answer is yes and no.
Glass reunites Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson as they return to their roles made famous in Unbreakable while bringing James McAvoy into the fold in order for them to wage a battle worthy of comic book legend. The previous two films perfectly set up the pieces and this film picks up perfectly where the others left off. Willis is back as the reluctant hero, David Dunn, who finds himself locked up in an asylum after a confrontation with McAvoy’s The Beast. There he’s reunited with Jackson’s Mr. Glass as a therapist (played by American Horror Story’s Sarah Paulson) attempts to “cure them of their grand delusions.” Those familiar with the previous films know that while some of these characters might not be mentally stable, they are far from delusional.
Shyamalan is well known for his “twists” that he puts in all his film and to date, Glass probably has the most of all of them. While you might be inclined to groan, remember that this is the final chapter in what is essentially a very unique set of “comic book” movies. Because of that the twists actually work perfectly. Take a look at most of the Marvel or DC movies that have hit theaters in recent memories and you’ll realize that “twists” are a staple of the genre. Someone always betrays someone or the villain’s plan is always so much more than the heroes ever expected. Glass gets that and because it deconstructs the tropes we’re all so familiar with the twists and turns fit smoothly into the overall plot making the film all the more engrossing, especially given the strong visual storytelling that Shyamalan utilizes throughout it.
While Glass might not be based on an actual comic book series, it definitely captures the spirit of them. The shots in the film are carefully framed in order to give them the look of panels in a comic. Cinematographer Mike Gioulakis ensures that just by glancing at the screen, you can pick up everything you need to know about what’s happening without any additional context. This is enhanced by the strong use of color seen throughout Glass. Each of the three protagonists gets their own unique color with characters important to them wearing the same color. David and his son are both seen wearing green more often than not, while The Beast and one of his survivors (Anya Taylor-Joy) are seen in yellow, while Mr. Glass and his mother (Charlayne Woodard) wear purple. It might sound a little too obvious, but it’s never too blatant to be glaring. Instead, it just goes to show what care was taken with the details in order to tell this tale.
As good as it is to see Jackson with Willis again on screen, it’s McAvoy who steals the show in this film. While David Dunn and Mr. Glass stand clearly on either side of the line of good vs evil, McAvoy’s character settles more into a gray area. His character is afflicted by 24 personalities that are constantly at war within him and this gives McAvoy plenty of opportunities to showcase his acting skills as he cycles through identities. More than this though, his character is a tragic one at heart. He’s born of pain and suffering, which makes it hard to tell if he’s truly a villain or just a misguided soul. Of all the characters in Glass, his is the one that is the most fascinating and complex, and it gives the film much more substance than either David or Mr. Glass ever could on their own.
Glass’s biggest fault is that it’s anti-climactic. We live in a time with summer blockbusters filled with superheroes with extraordinary powers flying around amidst explosions. These are not the heroes we get in this film. They are largely based in reality and because of that, the “epic” battles between them don’t hold a candle to what audiences might be used to. Of course, the film more than makes up for that with the performances and dialogue that they all share. However, if you’re expecting anything like Aquaman or Avengers: Infinity War, then you’ll be sorely disappointed. Beyond that though, Glass proves to be a fitting ending of a trilogy 19 years in the making and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
