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Unbreakable (2 Disc Collectors Edition) [2000]


RRP: £19.99
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

In Unbreakable, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan reunites with Sixth Sense star Bruce Willis, comes up with another story of everyday folk baffled by the supernatural (or at least unknown-to-science) and returns to his home town, presenting Philadelphia as a wintry haunt of the bizarre yet transcendent. This time around, Willis (in earnest, agonised, frankly bald Twelve Monkeys mode) has the paranormal abilities, and a superbly un-typecast Samuel L. Jackson is the investigator who digs into someone else's strange life to prompt startling revelations about his own. David Dunn (Willis), an ex-jock security guard with a failing marriage (to Robin Wright Penn), is the stunned sole survivor of a train derailment. Approached by Elijah Price (Jackson), a dealer in comic book art who suffers from a rare brittle bone syndrome, Dunn comes to wonder whether Price's theory that he has superhuman abilities might not hold water. Dunn's young son Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark) encourages him to test his powers and the primal scene of Superman bouncing a bullet off his chest is rewritten as an amazing kitchen confrontation when Joseph pulls the family gun on Dad in a desperate attempt to convince him that he really is unbreakable (surely, "Invulnerable" would have been a more apt title). Half-convinced he is the real-world equivalent of a superhero, Dunn commences a never-ending battle against crime but learns a hard lesson about balancing forces in the universe.

Throughout, the film refers to comic-book imagery--with Dunn's security guard slicker coming to look like a cape, and Price's gallery taking on elements of a Batcave-like lair--while the lectures on artwork and symbolism feed back into the plot. The last act offers a terrific suspense-thriller scene, which (like the similar family-saving at the end of The Sixth Sense) is a self-contained sub-plot that slingshots a twist ending that may have been obvious all along. Some viewers might find the stately solemnity with which Shyamalan approaches a subject usually treated with colourful silliness offputting, but Unbreakable wins points for not playing safe and proves that both Willis and Jackson, too often cast in lazy blockbusters, have the acting chops to enter the heart of darkness. --Kim Newman

Editorial
DVD Description

DVD Special Features:

Fully produced additional scenes not seen in theatres introduced by M. Night Shyamalan
Behind the scenes, featuring Bruce Willis
Comic books and superheroes--exclusive feature with Samuel L. Jackson
The train station sequence: multi-angle featurette
An excerpt from an early film of M. Night Shyamalan
Two collectable Alex Ross illustrations
Languages: Dolby Digital 5.1 English, French, Italian
Subtitles: English, English for the hearing impaired, French, Italian
Widescreen 2.35:1

Editorial
Special Features

Please delete reference to:

2 Collectable Alex Ross Illustrations

Editorial
Synopsis

UNBREAKABLE stars Bruce Willis as David Dunne, a Philadelphia security guard and the sole survivor of a disasterous train wreck. Not only is David still alive after the crash--he's completely unharmed. After this miraculous incident, he's contacted by the mysterious Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), a dealer of comic book art who seems to have the opposite physicality--his bones tend to snap like twigs. As Elijah attempts to help the reluctant hero realize his superhuman potential, David tries to make amends with his estranged wife (Robin Wright Penn) and son (Spencer Treat Clark).
Following the runaway success of THE SIXTH SENSE, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan once again teams up with Willis for another bleak supernatural tale with a surprising finale. Although Willis and Jackson are excellent in their roles, the highlights of the film are Eduardo Serra's cinematography and Shyamalan's direction, which are eerily atmospheric and inventive--in certain sequences, for example, entire scenes are shot as reflections on glass. UNBREAKABLE is a superhero film at heart, but Shyamalan's somber aesthetic transforms it into something far more intriguing.
Editorial
From the Back Cover

Bruce Willis (The Sixth Sense, Armageddon) and Samuel L.Jackson (Deep Blue Sea, Pulp Fiction) star in a mind-shattering suspense-filled thriller that stays with you long after the end of this riveting supernatural film. When David Dunn (Willis) emerges from a horrific train crash as the sole survivor--and without a single scratch on him--he meets a mysterious stranger, Elijah Price (Jackson), who will change David's life forever. Interrupting his life at odd moments, it's Elijah's presence and probing that force David to confront his destiny on a journey of self-discovery that will absolutely stun you with its power.

A stealth hero movie
Review date: 2008-06-21 Rating: 10 out of 10

The title is a term me and my friend use for this film. Stealth because it isn't overly obviouse like having Bruce Willis flying around in a cape and smashing down machines, but with the many different hints all the way through the film. If your someone who actually watches films (Unlike the few review writing retards) then it will be very enjoyable.

It kinda reminds me of the series Heroes, but since it's a stealth film from where I remember there isn't that much in the way of exciting. It's just like the 6th sense. Instead of exciting you with explosions and things, it excites you with trying to make you think about what's going on and ect.

I highly reccomend buying this film, but if you're unsure then rent it and I promise you will not be dissapointed.

I personally cannot remember much of the film that wouldn't be spoilers, but I definantly remember that your attention gets drawn in as soon as you find out about Bruce having survived a train wreck that everyone died on and leaving without even a scratch of bruise to show for it.

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Reviews


Good
Review date: 2007-11-17 Rating: 8 out of 10

I liked this film although it was a bit dragged out i enjoyed most of it.
I heard someone say this had a better twist than the
sixth sense which is not true you can hardly call the ending a twist because it is
quite obvious what is going to happen.
I would recommend people to rent this first because it might not be your sort of film

A surprisingly good film, With a terrible ending
Review date: 2007-11-10 Rating: 8 out of 10

if you dont read the cringworthy, and seriously pathetic text at the end of the film, this works really well and is definately more interesting (and less annoying) than the sixth sense. The dark ending had to be ruined by this all too familiar tendancy to not allow the bad guys to get away with it. It makes the original blade runner look almost acceptable. I would really love to see some american cinema with balls.
that aside its well worth watching, particularly if you like comic mythology.

A SUBTLE TALE OF MEN BECOMING WHAT THEY WERE DESTINED TO BE
Review date: 2007-08-19 Rating: 8 out of 10

After the phenomenal success of The Sixth Sense, everyone was curious to see what director M. Night Shyamalan had in store for us next. The result was Unbreakable, the most original idea for a (major spoilers ahead!) comic book/superhero movie I have ever encountered to date. Even seven years into the future, the final play of this film manages to send these small shivers of joy down my spine.

Dealing yet again with humans with supernatural talents, Shyamalan takes his time building his characters (as usual) and slowly introduces us into their downbeat world. Bruce Willis is David Dunn, your everyday Joe who miraculously survives a horrific train crash. Dunn holds a secret: this isn't the first time he walks away unharmed from a near-death situation. Shortly after his media-frenzy survival, he encounters his counterpart, Elijah Price (the fabulous Samuel Jackson, in one of his best roles ever). Price suffers from a rare medical condition which basically comes down to him having extremely fragile bones, which tend to break ever-so-easily. The two men then have numerous encounters which have drastic affects on their lives, but I'd rather not spoil the fun for those of you who intend to see the film.

I think what really got me hooked up on this film was the final twist, which was on par with that of Shyamalan's initial attempt (if not better); and the dreamy, subtle atmosphere which sucked you me for the mere sake of curiosity. Bottom line, Unbreakable is a tale of men becoming what they were meant to be; one that leaves you pondering whether your destiny is a matter of free will - or something you can never escape no matter how hard you try.

For Real Comic Book Fans
Review date: 2007-07-16 Rating: 8 out of 10

Unbreakable is about the mythology behind comic book superheroes and the purposes that each of us have in life. The film opens with the birth of a baby boy with all four of his limbs broken. He is Elijah Price, who is played by Samuel L. Jackson, and he has type I OI or brittle bone disease. As his life goes on, he gets the nickname of "Mr. Glass" as up the point of present time in Unbreakable, Elijah had broken bones in his body 57 times. Elijah is motivated early on to socialize in some capacity by his mother and his primary interest becomes comic books. As he gets older he soon begins to question what the reason is for his own existence and comes to the conclusion that if people like him exist with his weakness, then surely there must be someone on the other end of the spectrum with massive strengths. Elijah believes there is nothing scarier than to live life without knowing your purpose and he makes the assertion that there are in fact real-life superheroes.

Bruce Willis plays David Dunn, a security officer, who, unlike Elijah, is trying to find his own purpose in life. He gave up his football career for his wife but now his marriage is falling apart. David survives a train wreck that kills 131 people, and he is the only survivor. He was completely unharmed. Elijah believes David to be a real superhero and gradually confronts David with his theory. David's son Joseph believes Elijah and assists David in finding out more about his potential powers. Just to add, I'm of the opinion that it is an absolute pleasure to watch Willis and Jackson act in pretty much anything.

As with any M. Night Shyamalan film, giving too much away is hugely detrimental to the experience and please know that this film is entirely worth going into with no more information then I have already provided. What Shyamalan has done here in retrospect, while considering the recent onslaught of big-budget comic book movies, is create a completely unconventional yet convincing adaptation of comic book heroes' origins. At the same time Unbreakable celebrates the mythology behind these fictional characters. It takes a profound imagination to come up with a screenplay that gives this concept the treatment that Shyamalan has. It is the kind of concept that might have taken almost a lifetime of brainstorming.

A friend of mine once said that the Sixth Sense was a gigantic and nearly perfect movie for absolutely everyone, while as a comic book fan Unbreakable was tailored made perfectly for him. Though I'm half the comic book fan he is, I concur with that assessment enough to confidently invoke it hear. If you truly love comic books, Unbreakable is your film. If you are not a lover of comic books, then try to walk into this film expecting little action and you shouldn't be disappointed.

It can be argued that Shyamalan has lost his way in recent years, although he does retain his technical prowess even now. Nevertheless, Unbreakable is still a joy to watch and is a shining example of Shyamalan during his most inspired and generative phase.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Bruce Willis
Charlayne Woodard
Spencer Treat Clark
Samuel L. Jackson
Robin Wright

Creators:
Bruce Willis (Primary Contributor)
Samuel L. Jackson (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Touchstone Home Video
Manufacturer: Touchstone Home Video
EAN: 5017188883054
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2001-10-29
Number of discs: 2
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 102 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2000-11-22
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Dubbed)
Language: Italian (Dubbed)

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