Highly anticipated flick features strong acting, plot, but lacks exciting ending

Highly anticipated flick features strong acting, plot, but lacks exciting ending

Photo credit: Once Upon A Twilight

By Bella Lawson, Staff Reporter

Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, a severe condition in which two or more distinct identities or personality states remain present and may alternately take control of an individual. These different identities may have different mental ages, mental states and even physical differences.  These 22 other identities compelled him to follow and abduct three teenage girls: Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy), Clare (Haley Lu Richardson), and Marcia (Jessica Sula). The girls have to escape before a new, terrifying 24th personality emerged.

McAvoy convincingly played the numerous roles and personalities trapped inside Kevin, whether it was a man, woman or 9 year-old boy. Having been familiar with the Sula who previously acted in “Recovery Road” and Richardson, the main actress in “Edge of Seventeen,” in both of which the girls play teenage girls dealing with everyday problems, this movie was much to take on and they rose to the occasion.

Though their execution of the roles was satisfactory, Taylor-Joy’s acting was impeccable. Her reactions and overall theatricals were so believable and seemed very real, as though she had lived through and experienced them first hand.

Throughout the movie there are many references to Casey’s past and how the events have shaped her and help her decide how to handle each personality residing in Kevin. These flashbacks are planted into the current scenes but are very obviously depicted as her past. They fit with the movie plot very well and gave a more well-rounded view of Casey’s character as a whole.

Split” is a job well done. The actors were very good at making their parts believable, although the plot could have had a more intense or exciting ending, and there were certain parts that played into the role of Kevin’s DID which the director could have done more with and acknowledged more throughout.

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