New horror film is full of twists and turns

Native Philadelphian director M. Night Shyamalan returns to the big screen with the psychological thriller “Split.” The movie tells the story of three teenage girls who are abducted by a man named Kevin, who is suffering from dissociative identity disorder (DID), which causes a person to display two or more distinct personalities. The film shows the girls’ capture and subsequent battle to survive in the clutches of this mentally ill man.

Congruent to the main plot is a subplot about Kevin’s therapist who has devoted her life to studying DID and proving its existence. She begins to suspect Kevin’s identity is something sinister, and the second half of the movie is a heart-pounding race to see if the therapist can save the girls or if they can escape before Kevin’s identities release an entity within him named “The Beast.”

Overall, “Split” was an entertaining film held up by the amazing performances of the leads. Anya Taylor-Joy plays Casey, the protagonist. Taylor-Joy conveys the mystery behind this character and slowly opens up throughout the movie as the audience is given more information about her past. She plays her character as distant, relatable, and likeable to the audience.

The driving force of the movie was James McAvoy as Kevin. McAvoy masterfully portrays many different personalities that really become their own characters within the film. His ability to change his voice and facial expressions adds to the belief that there are many different personalities living inside Kevin. McAvoy switches from slightly goofier personas to sinister ones with ease, which only adds to the audience’s fear of him. Many of the best scenes are led by McAvoy convincingly portraying conversations between the personalities within Kevin, and it would not be surprising if McAvoy’s performance lands him some nominations next year.

The negative moments in the film were the times when it came off as too goofy. The first half of the film had many comedic moments that took away from the intensity of the plot. Scenes of teenage girls being kidnapped and locked away were punctuated with some jokes and lighthearted humor. It sometimes took me out of the very atmosphere it was trying to create. The humor also juxtaposed the extreme darkness of the final scenes.

The supporting cast was hit-or-miss and at times were a detriment to the film. The performances of other two teenage girls, played by Jessica Sula and Haley Lu Richardson, occasionally came off as over-the-top. At their best they didn’t add anything memorable to the film. It was a film about Kevin and Casey and its best moments were when it focused on them.

“Split” was a tension-filled thriller that kept me engrossed for the entirety of its running time. Despite its flaws, it’s definitely worth a watch if only for McAvoy’s performance alone. If you are looking for a film to entertain and thrill you this weekend, “Split” won’t disappoint.