Unbreakable (2000)
Its tempting to include several blank pages between the previous entry on the list and this one just to illustrate the gap in quality. Here we finally get out of the realm of the horrendously bad and debatably mediocre into films that are worth watching. Films with original ideas, captivating stories and characters, and strong direction. Shyamalans second major film, Unbreakable, admittedly caters to a smaller audience than his other tentpoles. This much is evident when the film opens with a brief history of comic books. The story, about a Philadelphia man who escapes a horrible train crash as a lone, unharmed survivor, dives deep into the need for a belief in heroes and myths to get us through our lives. Unbreakable is filmed with an appropriately dark tone, giving it a grit and grime that make its events just a touch more believable. A quiet performance from Bruce Willis as the seemingly indestructible man and a wild turn by Samuel L. Jackson as the one determined to help him realize his destiny make up the center of the movie, while a failing marriage and a poor relationship between Willis and his son fill in the background. Unbreakable either is or isnt your cup of tea. It doesnt deal in suspense or horror as many of Shyamalans other films do; rather, it takes an interesting idea and runs with it, going about as far as it can before ending. It may not be a franchise film or part of a larger mythology, but Unbreakable is certainly one of the most unique and interesting superhero origin stories ever told.