Running at 129 minutes, American psychological thriller Glass is the final installment of the Unbreakable trilogy, coming from writer-producer-director M. Night Shyamalan. Preceded by Split (2016) and Unbreakable (2000), the film stars James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Anya Taylor-Joy and Sarah Paulson.
Does a superhuman really exist? That’s the essential question being asked in Glass and if he does, what is the evidence, so desired in a world that is driven by documentation dossiers. Three arch enemies, one mental institution and a determined psychiatrist lay bare for Shyamalan a canvas picturesque enough to create a gripping-thriller, both entertaining and seductive.
Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), specializing in delusion of grandeur, treats patients who are otherwise convinced that they are superhuman beings. Housed in the Raven Hill Memorial Mental Institution is David Dunn/ the Overseer, (Bruce Willis) a superhuman vigilant; Elijah Price/ Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson) and Kevin Wendell Crumb/ the Horde (James McAvoy).
David, the sole survivor of a train bombing sixteen years ago, planned and executed by Glass is hurled against Kevin, who gives way to the most-feared of all his twenty-four multiple personalities – the beast. Whilst Sarah is convinced that none of these super powers exist and it is her duty, within three days, to bring to light the truth of these mentally-affected patients, she brings three of them together. Along with this uncalled for step, she also seeks the assistance of Elijah’s mother, Joseph (David’s son) and Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy) to prove her point that these men suffer from grandeur of delusion.
What follows is a thrilling, well-planned ploy to escape Raven Hill, master-minded by Glass and executed by Kevin, appended by the subsequent prevention of the same by David. In successive sequences, ‘the beast’ is unleashed, wreaking havoc at Raven Hill.
Of course in true Shyamalan style, he leaves us to sit-up wondering, how did he manage the vital twist at the end? Is Dr. Paulson what we perceive her as, or is she more than meets the eye? What happen to the trio finally – each one meeting his fatal destiny?
Glass at times is overwhelming, at times coy but at its best seductive, drawing us into the nail-biting drama and packs a punch at the happy-memorial-to-celebrate ending.
4.5/5