M. Night Shyamalan has returned to greatness with his latest creation, Split. Starring James McAvoy as a man with 23 distinct personalities. He is an unstable individual who kidnaps three girls. I’ve never heard of a premise like this. It is a welcome distinction among all the Hollywood sequels and remakes. Split can be categorized in the mystery genre because you’re gonna be on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

This movie was damn good. It comes out the gate swinging within the first 10 minutes. There is also an additional narrative woven into the character arc of Cassie, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. If you don’t know who she is I suggest you go see The Witch (2015). She is a talented young actress who can really carry a film if directed properly. Now back to James McAvoy, who plays our main antagonist, Kevin. This guy is bat shit crazy.

Although the film doesn’t juggle all 23 of his personalities, it introduces us to half a dozen of them. McAvoy really went all in with this role. Each time he was on-screen as a different person, I believed him. His face expressions, voice, body language, wardrobe, and overall demeanor was entirely independent. I never felt like I was watching the same thing twice. Like Jim Carrey, he has complete control over the muscles in his face which created some intense expressions.

Watching this movie made me feel unsettled at times. It was rated PG-13 but should have been rated-R. There were children in the theater watching this and I couldn’t help but judge their parents. THIS IS NOT a movie for kids. So please don’t expose them to the mature topics this movie explores. There are some serious subject matters involved as well as a twist at the end for anyone 25 years or older. If you’re a nerd, you’ll appreciate it. I’ve talked enough, Split deserves a solid 8 out of 10. Go treat yourself and see this movie!