Product reviewsUnbreakable (Blu-ray Disc, 2008)

A good superhero film set in a the real world

Unbreakable opens with a scene that takes place in America every day, and it quickly tells us some pertinent information about the man who the audience immediately recognizes will be the film's focal character due to the fact he's being portrayed by Bruce Willis. However, these revelations are far from flattering. David Dunn is a passenger returning home via train and writer/director M. Night Shyamalan wastes no time letting the audience know that David is a man past his prime with an unstable marriage and very little excitement in his life. It's what happens over the next (a shocking and fatally devastating train derailment crash) that gives the film's first indication how far from from ordinary David truly is as an individual. Like the audience to that point, David never suspected that he had any special abilities or the potential to be anything truly remarkable.

Unbreakable is different. More often than not, in hero pictures, we see dramatic events take place in a person's life to make him or her special, but in this film, the hero is already special, yet it takes events to help him accept a heroic destiny that seems so unlikely in the mind of the character. In fact, it could be stated in retrospect that said hero is not even the primary protagonist of Unbreakable. Someone ELSE wants David Dunn to be a superhero. Along with Willis, Samuel L. Jackson leads a cast that turn in a deft performance in making a superhero-dom seem like the something that could happen to the guy next door.

Possibly the most glaring cinematographical technique set employed by Unbreakable is used to keep the viewer slightly off-balance and not quite certain of what's going on or what's coming next; in other words, the director injects us right into the middle of uncertainty of David Dunn's fast-moving development, so that we have a clue what it'd feel like to have forces beyond our control push us toward a purpose that we never saw in our futures. The film also lacks of an emotional center. During the plot there is no more than one moment where all the main characters are happy at the same time. In addition, as a viewer, I found that my natural inclination to pick which characters I liked or disliked and related well to or did not relate well to change at various junctures. Be warned, because of its subtleties, Unbreakable is a movie best appreciated with more than one screening.

The first group of folks to which I'd recommend this film and the ones who liked the Sixth Sense (despite the lack of seeing dead people in Unbreakable). Next, pretty much everyone else. Thanks for reading, enjoy, and God bless.Read full review...

A must see on many levels.

No spoilers for those who haven't seen Unbreakable, Split or Glass...

I had never seen Unbreakable before a few weeks ago. I wanted to see it and Split, before seeing Glass. I needed the background context before seeing Glass. I wanted to understand the stark difference between what critics and "regular viewers" have said about Glass.

Much to my surprise... I was so engaged by Unbreakable that after the end of the movie, I was left feeling that this is one of the best and unique movies I have seen in years.

The 2 hour 20ish minute run time melted away. The pacing of these movies is justified, because the viewer needs time to have time to comprehend the various plot direction potentials that make for a good thriller. The same can be said for Split and Glass.

Keep in mind that Unbreakable was made before Marvel and other comic based movies of today had been made. Each of those have have the advantage of the ever growing power of CGI, and the fast pacing of the modern world and its gadgets. I can see why younger, less well grounded critics would be impatient. Too bad.

Unbreakable relies on good old fashion cinematography, story setting and telling, as well as great casting, acting and editing. I felt that those well done elements made the movie all the more interesting, compelling and impactful. Not just relying on CGI to cover over deficiancies.

Seeing it in Blu-ray, rather than DVD, was definitely the right choice. There are subtleties in lighting and the sound track that really bring this type of story telling to life. I am very happy I was able to find a new Blu-ray still available. I am surprised that more of them have not been made. This is a must see for lovers of cinema, not just specific to one's favorite genre.

Get Unbreakable in Blu-ray if you can, and definitely view it and Split immediately before seeing Glass. If you have fresh memories of both the precursors, you will have a much better context with which to see and judge Glass. You'll have a much better understanding of the events near the end of Glass, and the depth of layering of those events. There are elements of both precursors that are necessary to that understanding.

This is truly a great trilogy, even though or especially because Unbreakable was made 17 or so years before the last two movies in the trilogy were made. A brilliantly made movie (Unbreakable). See the "Unbreakable" deleted scenes to get an even better grounding before seeing Glass. It gives the viewer needed background before seeing Glass. I think that this is why the critics did not appreciate Glass, while viewers did.

Get Unbreakable in Blu-ray, and see it in a good HT theater, capable of the best black levels you can. It brings out the cinematic brilliance even more.

A must see on many levels.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: laserblujunkie

good movie

"This blu-ray does unbreakable justice. It has great picture and audio quality and has all of the special features that came with the 2 disc DVD in 2004. This movie is one of M. Nights best, in my opinion. It seems like he had 2 or 3 good ones, and then some straight awful ones.

I greatly enjoyed this movie as it made it seem possible, if not realistic to have a real life super hero and super villain. I would highly recommend picking this one up."Read full review...

Amazing!

The only thing wrong was that the case had a small crack on it. Other than that, it was in perfect condition! It came right on time!

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: lyricalpoetryvoice

WHY BLU-RAY?

If there were ever a method to truly appreciate the gift of sight and sound that we were blessed with, then the Blu-ray method had definately come in full circle with what we should expect in our own personal time and home. This is definately the way home entertainment should hold it's standards, anything less would be unacceptable to the artists that commit their life and time to film. The same must be said for those that appreciate the art of film.Read full review...

Unbreakable

Loved Series Split, Unbrakable and Glass

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: blowitoutahere

Unbreakable... Just the BluRay Disc

This is a good movie. I really enjoyed Samuel L Jackson's performance in this film and well as Bruce Willis'. I really like super hero films and this is a little twist your average super hero flick.

Great

Great!!

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: dkny75

A really great movie that I have viewed over and over

I love all of m night's movies but this is up there............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Read full review...

One of the Best Ever

This is one of the best superhero movies out there bar none. Add in the awesome combination of Shyamalan, Willis and Jackson and you are sure to have a winner. It doesn't get much better than this with HD visuals and HD Sound. I highly recommend this movie.Read full review...