Glass has polarized viewers, so I saw it again. My conclusion? I think those who didn’t like it either went in with the wrong mindset or simply didn’t “get” what writer-director M. N. Shyamalan was trying to do.
Three weeks after Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy) escaped from Kevin Wendell Crumb/“The Horde” (James McAvoy), David Dunn (Bruce Willis) tracks him down… only to be captured by authorities. Sent to a mental institution along with Kevin and Elijah Price “Mr. Glass” (Samuel L. Jackson), the three are subjected to therapy by Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson) who attempts to prove their supernatural abilities are only in their minds.
As soon as David is taken prisoner, Dr. Staple asks “If superbeings walking among us, why haven’t we seen any?” Elijah may claim their appearances have been documented through myths and comic books but we’ve established he’s an insane mass-murderer. At first, Glass orbits this growing uncertainty within the characters as Dr. Staple examines her patients. It’s the next logical chapter in this story, bringing us back to David’s apprehension when Elijah first approached him.
The second half is when all pretensions are dropped. Everyone’s underestimated Elijah and he makes his move. You think this is the trademark Shyamalan twist. Actually, it comes later (and then again). You can talk about what this film is but more important is what it isn’t. This isn’t The Avengers, or Justice League. It isn’t even like the first Iron Man or Batman Begins which were grounded in reality. This series has never been about buildings falling over and the fate of mankind. Instead, it’s about the original question; “if there are superbeings walking among us, why haven’t we seen any”? The answer is so comic book-like it makes you wonder which came first, the pages or the reality. The three-leaf clover tattoo of the secret society repressing superbeings tells volumes about them. A three-leaf clover is ordinary. A tattoo of one is a permanent commitment to the ordinary.
The appearance of the society begins as all three extraordinary beings are killed. You’re saddened by the loss of the heroic David who sacrificed everything to be a hero. The death of Kevin and “The Horde” upsets you too. It isn’t only one person being murdered, it’s 23. Even Elijah’s last breath creates a lump in your throat. He might’ve been evil, but he was right. It makes the final twist oh so satisfying.
The villains absolutely steal the show in Glass. McAvoy and Jackson are particularly good as they reprise their roles. The tone is unexpected and obviously, some have found it jarring. This is precisely why I liked it. This isn’t like any other superhero movie and is all the better for it. (Theatrical version on the big screen, February 5, 2019)