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Official trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's 'Split'

'Split' Official Trailer

Fan Contributor Nick Nunziata reviews M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller, Split. Starring James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy the film tells the story of the abduction of three young women by a man with multiple personalities. Showcasing the filmmaker's skill at drawing attention as well as a magnificent leading performance, the film looks to further establish Shayamalan's brand. The film also features an unexpected bonus that will please fans in a really special way.M. Night Shyamalan is back with another bite-sized thriller on the heels of his surprisingly effective The Visit. This time in Split, the auteur tackles the idea of dissociative identity disorder and its ability to make a kidnapping that much more terrifying by way of the multiple personalities interacting with the captives. A trio of teenagers is abducted by a man and put into a subterranean cell with no motive and soon realize that the man who took them is only the tip of the iceberg. Twenty-four distinct personalities live inside him and when each one "steps into the light" a different set of possibilities open up.Almost a year has passed since 10 Cloverfield Lane showed us one way of looking at a capture scenario and luckily Shyamalan has taken a different tack than that terrific film. Split is a thriller but one that plays with a very specific set of rules that may cause audiences to be skeptical, but which makes perfect sense once the final reveal is delivered. The high concept requires the viewer to accept that someone with this condition would be able to juggle those varying personalities but also take on different physical manifestations based upon whom was in the spotlight at a given time.It creates many complexeties for chills and even a few laughs but most importantly it gives James McAvoy a place to really deliver a performance, or rather series of performances, that elevate the material to a much higher level. Normally M. Night Shyamalan is the star of his films, but this is a McAvoy vehicle through and through. The actor immerses himself in a role that allows for so many accents, nuances, and physicalities that it helps smooth over some of the rough spots in the story.There's a ton of exposition here, primarily by way of Betty Buckley's Dr. Fletcher. McAvoy's Kevin is her patient and she's the audience's conduit into his world. While it helps to have a handful of scenes away from the grimy dungeon where the girls are being kept, these scenes seem to serve more as filler than propulsion. It does allow the film's star to shine, but it also takes a lot of the mystique away from his condition. It also allows the director to shoehorn in his customary cameo.Where the film is most effective is when the girls are interacting with their captor. There's a fun sense of uncertainty to it all, as if there's no net. Kevin or one of his many personalities are a delicious wild card and as he alludes to a final personality known as "The Beast" it gets even more intruiging.The end result is a fun diversion of a film that justifies its existence in its final moments. As is the case with many of the director's films there is a twist and for once it's the kind of twist that is more of a gift than anything else, especially to fans of the filmmaker's earlier work. Where the film fails is in fully escalating the tension to a level that makes it a must-see. While it's obvious that Anya Taylor-Joy of The Witch and Morgan fame is the main character, the other two captives are one-dimensional and and afterthought. Joy is quite good here, though saddled with a sexual abuse backstory that fills the margins with unresolved darkness. The flashbacks to the character's past certainly inform her state of mind but it never delivers closure.The film is worth a look for McAvoy's great work, some nice moments of terror, and the context Split takes within Shyamalan's universe. Something tells me this movie will have newfound value in the not too distant future. 

What is 'Split'?

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Presented by HBO Go| The trailer for HBO's The Last of Us series looks every bit as dark and unforgiving – yet captivating – as the award-winning PlayStation game from which the show is adapted.

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SPOILER WARNING! DO NOT read this article if you havent seen Split! M. Night Shyamalan has been talking about the surprise at the end of his new film Split, where David Dunn  Bruce Williss Unbreakable character  is revealed. And it turns out that James McAvoys Split character was actually supposed to appear in that film! Speaking in the above video, Shyamalan explains: This character was from Unbreakable, but I pulled him out of the script. I had a difficult time trying to get the balance right between the three characters  Elijah, David Dunn and him. In the original Unbreakable, he was the antagonist, and they were going to meet. And I couldnt get it right. This is so provocative that he was pulling from this movie that I wanted to make  a very quiet, origin story. Then I got this idea to do a movie as a psychological thriller, then at the end, you realise you were watching an origin story, and everything goes click. Shyamalan goes onto reveal that he struggled with the Willis reveal before settling on the diner scene, and also explains where he is at with the Split/Unbreakable sequel. Which we reckon he should call Unsplittable. Split is currently in cinemas.

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While the mental divisions of those with dissociative identity disorder have long fascinated and eluded science, it is believed that some can also manifest unique physical attributes for each personality, a cognitive and physiological prism within a single being.Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley), there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch), Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within himas well as everyone around himas the walls between his compartments shatter apart.

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Assassins Creed Origins takes players further back in time than any other installment in the franchise. Set in ancient Egypt, it traces new protagonist Bayeks journey during the rise of Cleopatra and the birth of the Assassin Brotherhood.Certain elements, such as underwater environments and synchronizing viewpoints, make a welcome return, while the combat system has been completely overhauled.In Assassins Creed Origins, Bayeks abilities are split between three Master trees: Hunter, Seer, and Warrior.The Hunter tree is for those who prefer to strike from a distance utilizing archery. This enables him to equip a second bow and do things such as re-using arrows stuck in his shield. Perhaps one of the flashier abilities has Bayek slow-motion aiming his bow while in mid-air.Senu, Bayeks eagle, is also integral to this skillset. She has the ability to tag enemies and viewpoints, serving as the games familiar Eagle Vision. She can harass enemies by stunning them both in and out of combat, and Bayek can also see through her eyes.The Seer tree is for those who prefer the art of stealth and tricks. A trademark ability is Smoke Screen, allowing Bayek to stun nearby opponents and break line of sight. The Seer has the ability to hold his breath longer, make time advance quicker, and also utilizes Sleep Darts. Fire bombs, Poison Darts, and Flesh Decay round out his tricks.Warriors are for those who prefer using brute force to get the job done. This relies on the Adrenaline Bar to unlock abilities specific to each weapon class. Many of these talents focus on increasing overall damage output while allowing a secondary melee weapon to be equipped and enabling Bayek to Parry and attack while in the air. Due to such close-proximity fighting, health regen is included in this set. Discover these and many more of Bayeks talents when Assassins Creed Origins comes out for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 27.

Jan 17, 2019

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