Being a man who possesses twenty- four personalities, Kevin (James McAvoy) struggles within the confines of himself. Being unable to express who he truly is, he hides behind multiple personas that fight to take control.
James McAvoy’s acting is superb, with the ability to change his personality in the blink of an eye. Adjusted behind stellar lighting and atmosphere, it almost appears McAvoy is actually transforming into another person entirely.
With so many varied lifestyles, it becomes easier to understand and even sympathize with Kevin. Never in any movie have I ever been so frustrated, sympathetic, and skeptikal of a character as I have been with Kevin.
Tight corridors and isolated rooms are the primary make-up of Kevin’s “retreat”, though there are a few instances that take place outside, to keep the environment from getting too repetitive. And although the layout of the building is relatively small, each room feels unique and varied enough so there is no feeling of overutilization.
As far as the main plot goes, three teenage girls are kidnapped by one of Kevin’s personalities after a birthday party and taken to an undisclosed location, where they are held captive. Though each character is mildly interesting, it becomes clear later on that the spotlight is on one girl in particular, Casey Cooke (played by Anya Taylor-Joy). This is fine, except when taking into consideration that the other two girls are there more for show than anything.
Although I did enjoy the movie thoroughly, the ending was a bit too unrealistic for my taste. Much like 10 Cloverfield Ln., the movie could be considered almost believable, if not for a plot twist resulting in a complete change in the story. That’s not to say the movie is ruined, but it had the potential to be much greater with an ending that could uphold it as “realistic”.
I give Split 3 out of 5 stars.