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 Previews
are a great part of the movie watching experience. They’re
like movie appetizers. People turned up at the latest Star Trek
movie just to get a glimpse of the trailer for Star Wars Episode
1. They give you a taste of the movies to come. Sometimes the
preview can be better than the movie itself. Unbreakable can be
disappointing because its preview was misleading. The preview
hinted at a divine purpose for it’s main character, as if
he was saved by divine intervention from the train wreck that
opens the film. That’s not what this movie is about. However,
if you know what to expect, it can enhance your enjoyment of the
film.
It’s
important to know that Unbreakable is essentially a modern comic
book fable. David Dunn (Bruce Willis) survives a huge train wreck
on the way back from New York City. He is the sole survivor and
escapes injury in a crash where everyone else died. A mysterious
note appears on David’s window shield after a memorial service
for all of those who died in the train wreck. The note is from
Elijah Price who has made a career out of his love of comic books,
his one escape in his childhood filled with broken bones from
a bone disorder. Elijah’s life has been filled with curiosity
about whether there could be a person at the other end of the
spectrum. If he could be born so weak, perhaps there could be
a person born with great strength. He has made it his purpose
to search for this person.
Elijah’s
curiosity causes David to question certain aspects of his own
life. Has he ever been sick? Has he ever had an injury in all
of his years of playing football? Under Elijah’s observation,
David comes to realize his innate ability of spotting trouble
as a security guard at Temple’s football field is close to
clairvoyant visions. In chasing down someone from the football
stadium, Elijah finds proof of David’s visions. He narrowly
misses talking to this person as he follows him down into a train
station – a dangerous task for the frail Elijah. M. Night
Shyamalan shows his skill as a director in his ability to create
tension as a character simply descends a flight of stairs.
We find that
David was on that train travelling from New York for a job interview.
He and his wife Audrey (Robin Wright Penn) seem to have given
up on their marriage. Shyamalan is able to show so much with a
gesture or hands letting go, the removal of a ring, talk of a
job in New York. Looking for a job in another city is a first
step towards a divorce. David’s son Joseph (Spencer Treat
Clark) has unwavering faith in his father. After watching his
father bench press he finds that his dad might actually be able
to beat up all of his friends’ dads, as the childhood cliché
goes.
The real story
lies in David’s struggles against real life. It’s his
struggles against himself and his ability to be a father and husband
that make this story interesting and real. David is at a crossroads
in his life. He gave up a football career and finds himself as
a security guard. Robin Wright Penn gives a sympathetic performance
as a woman struggling to hold on to her marriage. While David
seems content to let it go, his reasons for quitting football
are questioned when Audrey reveals to Elijah that she could never
be with someone who spends his life with violence.
The fact that
it’s a comic book can come off as annoying to some viewers
but there are some engaging stories beneath the exterior story.
The suspension of disbelief isn’t too unrealistic. David’s
“powers” are qualified in contrast to Elijah’s
disorder, presenting him as an exceptional human but not superhuman.
The film avoids sexy violence. There weren’t any guns fired
in this movie (although that fact still provides tension in the
film). Ultimately, this movie is an atypical drama about finding
a purpose in life but also about keeping your family and staying
together all within the realm of a mature comic book tale. The
movie is understated, some might find this to be ineffective but
it only takes more involvement on the part of the audience to
care about these characters. The family story is the most engaging
part of the film. The driving force behind David’s discovery
about himself is revealed to little effect but, on the whole,
this is an interesting exploration of a modern hero.
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