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| Courtesy of Universal |
So, imagine my glee when Split was successful enough that Shyamalan announced he would bring all of his characters together with Glass, the final installment in his unexpected trilogy. Sadly, after a promising start, that pleasure curdled into disappointment over the course of two hours.
Because of an unfortunate combination of sky-high expectations, a restricted budget, limited actor availability and an exposition-heavy, anticlimactic finale, Glass turns out to be yet another of Shyamalan’s vanity projects that squanders a compelling premise and nearly two decades of audience goodwill.
The story kicks off well enough, instantly grabbing viewers’ attention by establishing that three weeks have passed since Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), who hosts dozens of split personalities collectively known as The Horde, escaped custody. In that time, David Dunn (Willis), the hero of Unbreakable who was last seen in a brief cameo at the end of Split that connected the two films, has been utilizing his superpowers to track him down.
When the two finally meet, a brief fight ends with both being captured and locked in the same psychiatric facility that houses Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), aka Mr. Glass – the supervillain who mentored Dunn all those years ago. They are all under the care of Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), who specializes in treating mentally ill people who believe they’re superheroes. She’s so good that Crumb and Dunn actually start to believe her, which could throw a wrench into Price’s new scheme.
Fittingly enough for the capper of a trilogy, Glass plays out in thirds. The first section is devoted to catching viewers up and moving characters into place for the main plot to unfold. This is by far the most entertaining portion, although Jackson is nowhere to be seen. Viewers are reminded of McAvoy’s incredible talent, playing a host of different people – often in the same scene. He’s so good that he even gets Willis to stop sleepwalking for the first time since Moonrise Kingdom and Looper back in 2012.
The actor is also quite strong in his brief scenes with Spencer Treat Clark, the same actor who played his son in Unbreakable and returns here as his dad’s sidekick. Sadly, Willis’ charisma disappears in the second portion, which halts the action in favor of a chamber piece that almost never leaves the mental institution. While these scenes are certainly intriguing, it’s frustrating to see Paulson become the primary focus at the expense of characters we’ve been waiting years to reunite with. Although this is purely speculation on my part, it might have something to do with Willis and Jackson’s limited availability.
The third section is where everything falls apart precisely when it should be leading to a cathartic payoff. I can’t get into specifics because of spoilers, but it’s one of the most anticlimactic bait-and-switches in recent memory. The big showdown literally takes place in a parking lot, which highlights the film’s small budget and ends with a resolution that promises to disappoint viewers if not make them downright mad.
Well, I suppose there’s also a chance it could put viewers to sleep thanks to all the characters delivering a never-ending stream of unnecessary exposition. Shyamalan has a history of falling in love with his own words, and that’s on full display here. He breaks the cardinal rule of filmmaking, choosing to tell instead of show.
I can’t recommend Glass in good conscience (especially if you haven’t seen Unbreakable or Split), but I know completists are going to see it regardless. For those people, I offer this advice: go in with basement level expectations, focus on McAvoy’s outstanding work and savor the rare moments when Willis and Jackson remind you of better days.
Glass is rated PG-13 for violence including some bloody images, thematic elements, and language.
Grade: C-
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