M. Night Shyamalan directs Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and Robin Wright in this drama where the lone survivor of a train wreck begins to reevaluate himself.

The gold standard Shyamalan. Very slow burn but the character study is richer than the twisty reveal at the end. The family in crisis scenes feel pitch perfect rather than an emotionally exploitative ruse. Surely you know by now it is about superheroes, right? What makes this interrogation of the comic book trope all the more fascinating was it came out just as the Marvel / DC blockbuster was in its infancy. In 2000, Hollywood hadn’t figured the formula out for the adaptations. Yet. This feels like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance of the now prominent genre. Only it arrived at the premature end of the cycle. Willis is excellent, using the same tricks Gilliam forced upon him for 12 Monkeys. Dampen down the charm, ban the smirk, you aren’t the coolest guy in the room. He is pretty spellbinding as the humbled, shambling hulk. But it is Jackson’s film all the way. His Mr Glass is driven, measured and hypnotic. You care about him so much from start to end. The set piece where he seeks the truth by recklessly following a dangerous man down some steep stairs is small but has my heart in my throat every viewing. A movie that rewards patience.

9

Perfect Double Bill: The Village (2004)