Nov. 19, 2002 - 5:59 pm
and here we begin with Robin Wright Penn week. i saw an ad for one of her films on the beginning previews when i was watching the movies i had checked out last week and i thought, hey, she's a really good actress and i should watch some of her movies, so i rented four of them.
this was the M. Night Shyamalan film that came between The Sixth Sense (1999) and Signs (2002). i think it probably got a little less attention than those two films, but is just as good. i was just thinking about it and i don't think i will ever miss one of this director's films. i mean if he creates a film, it's going to be good. there's just no question in my mind. sure they each have some tiny flaws, but overall they're amazing stories told in an extraordinary manner.
Unbreakable is about comic books and heroes. well, sort of. it starts out with a man who is in a horrible train wreck. he's the only survivor. and then a stranger begins following him and asking him questions about his past and his physical abilities. the stranger tries to convince him that he might in fact have some sort of special powers. eventually his inquiries start to become more convincing.
almost all great directors are also great students of film history. and they therefore often enjoy making references to great films that have influenced them and their works. this movie does this quite often. i love the references to 12 Monkeys (1995), which is one of my favorite films. and then of course there's always those great Dr. Strangelove (1964) references.
as far as Robin Wright's role in this, she played beautifully as the emotionally distraught, but very caring wife in this film. her near-despair state helped majorly to set the tone of uneasiness in Bruce Willis' character's life, both at home and otherwise. i wouldn't have thought of them as an on-screen couple before this film, but it worked perfectly.
i also have to mention that i'm still amazed that the cinematography of this film did not receive any sort of nomination or commendation or anything. there are some very innovative shots in this, especially with all of the comic book framing references. i also thought i saw some Hitchcock type shots in here. especially when the son Joseph is laying upside down on the couch. reminds me a lot of Notorious (1946).