Split

I finally did it, I finally watched Split.  After so many years of hearing good things about, mainly due to James McAvoy's performance, I popped into my favourite shop, CEX, picked it up and put it on the shelf for a few months... not a very happy ending.  Until I had a friend round and they decided on it - it was a pretty good choice of theirs.  "Three girls are kidnapped by a man with a diagnosed 23 distinct personalities. They must try to escape before the apparent emergence of a frightful new 24th."

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I loved the story idea of this, I really liked it, the whole thing of him being different people and especially as one is meant to be evil but really really unknown.  I had heard some hype about it but I tend to not like lots of hype around a movie as it can let it down - this one I tried to ignore the hype and I feel it did help. 
I wasn't blown away by Split, but I did enjoy it, I wouldn't shout about it from the rooftop, which I feel some did when it came out - whether that was in favour of the film is another thing - but I just said to my dad that I had watched it and that it was good, and that shows something...right? 

I wouldn't really say this gets to any form of horror genre until the end, where the last personality is revealed, the rest is probably more of a thriller and so not really that scary.  Tense, but not really on the edge of your seat, more of an impending doom if you ask me.  Girls locked away, not knowing what personality is going to come through the door next, and more importantly, not knowing if it will be a nice one or not... 
It does get a little bit more tense when the girls try and escape, but again, I didn't really find it that tense, more just that feeling that you know something bad is coming.  Like with the old lady therapist in it, you are pretty sure, going by horror cliches, it isn't going to end too pretty with her, mainly because she is friendly to James McAvoys character and you know he's not going to be nice to her...  That wasn't a spoiler by the way... 

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Best thing about this film? James McAvoy and his acting ability.  He blows it out of the park with this film, each personality is different and you know when he is doing different ones, and the last evil one is so damn great.  Of course, I would love the last scary, monster like one...  That's when you do sit forward and do sit a little on the edge of your seat, he is kind of creepy at the end...  I wouldn't want to bump into him in a dark alleyway, let's say that. 
I liked Split overall, it was a clever idea and very well done.  I wouldn't watch it in a hurry again, but I would give it another watch.  I salute you to who ever came up with the idea and made it so well, especially casting James McAvoy... well done!  

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