M. Night Shyamalan is one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, but the fact that his best movie is also one of his lesser-known projects is symbolic of his entire trajectory as both an industry powerhouse and an underrated creator. We’re talking, of course, about Unbreakable, the thriller which completely subverts the superhero genre.
Coming off a hit as massive as The Sixth Sense, chances were Unbreakable was not what audiences thought Shyamalan would follow the mystery drama with, but the risk eventually paid off. To The Hollywood Reporter, the director described the Bruce Willis-led film as “polarizing,” a word which would eventually define his career.
“What the polarization actually is is an unexpected story compared to what the audience was expecting: ‘I think it’s this, but it’s really that,'” Shyamalan said, as he recognized the massive impact a good (or bad) marketing strategy can have on a film’s rollout. In a pre-MCU world, the director wanted Unbreakable to be marketed as a comic-book film, but was told by Disney, of all people, that the label would alienate producers. It was promoted as another spooky thriller like The Sixth Sense, instead.
Unbreakable would eventually gain cult status, even if it still flies largely under the radar today. In the story-world, comic books exist much like they do in our own, but a collector called Elijah, played by Samuel L. Jackson, is convinced they were documenting real events. He tracks down Willis’ David Dunn, the sole survivor of a train crash, making him aware of his powers.
“Ultimately, Unbreakable was very soon given a second chance, which was wonderful. But it’s a very dry, somber movie. It’s not a yuck fest, but I was in that darker place,” Shyamalan concluded.
The film’s sequels, 2016’s Split and 2019’s Glass were not as brilliant, although the former very much holds up as a psychological horror, largely credited with introducing Anya Taylor-Joy to audiences around the world.
Shyamalan will never draw a consensus, but Unbreakable, despite being a sleeper hit, is the closest he has even been to it. The director’s new film Knock at the Cabin premieres Feb. 3, 2023.
