Split (2016)

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Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) presents a high-concept, low-budget horror-thriller that delivers the goods. James McAvoy stars as a man suffering from multiple personality disorder who kidnaps three young women and holds them hostage. The women, led by Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), try to make a desperate escape before a terrifying new personality emerges. In the meantime, McAvoy’s shrink (Carrie‘s Betty Buckley) catches wind of what might be happening and tries to execute her own rescue mission. After the warm reception of Shyamalan’s previous effort, The Visit, one can only hope that Shyamalan continues working in low-budget horror and moves further and further away from big-budget disasters like The Last Airbender or After Earth. Split, in particular, harkens back to the pervasive dread and level of character empathy we experienced in The Sixth Sense and Signs. And long-time Shyamalan fans will want to stick around to the very end of Split for an ‘expanded universe’ treat.

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