James McAvoy Shocks Audiences with ‘Split’

Grab some tickets and see ‘Split’ before it leaves theaters! Photo Credit / Lauren Shook Grab some tickets and see ‘Split’ before it leaves theaters! Photo Credit / Lauren Shook
Grab some tickets and see ‘Split’ before it leaves theaters! Photo Credit / Lauren Shook
Grab some tickets and see ‘Split’ before it leaves theaters!
Photo Credit / Lauren Shook

By Lauren Shook
A&E Editor

SPOILER ALERT!

If you have any interest in psychology and enjoy watching horror movies from time to time, then look no further.

“Split,” a thriller/horror movie about a man with 23 personalities, is both unique and intriguing.

This movie’s appeal is in the development of the main characters. While the plot is also more than enough to keep you captivated, each main character helps
to further develop and complement the unraveling events.

The most intriguing character is without a doubt Kevin Wendell Crumb.

Played by the actor James McAvoy, Crumb is diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, and is said to exhibit 23 different personalities.

Each of these personalities have different desires and even biological makeups and ailments.

For example, one personality has diabetes and requires regular insulin shots. However, other personalities do not have diabetes and do not require the
shots, suffering no negative health related symptoms.

The main personalities that Crumb expresses in the movie are Dennis, Patricia, Hedwig, Barry and “The Beast.”

Barry is an aspiring fashion designer who is known to keep the other personalities in check. He has a charismatic and smooth-talking personality.

Hedwig is a little boy who always wears a yellow jacket. He has a sense of right and wrong, but also showcases insecurities about being tricked and lied to.

Dennis is the personality who kidnaps the girls. He shows traits of OCD and plots with Patricia about arrangements for the coming of “The Beast.”

Patricia appears to be the ring-leader of the kidnapping. She is authoritative and can be motherly one second and violent the next.

“The Beast” is the scariest personality of all. Its existence is initially said to be a myth.

“The Horde” is a phrase used to address all the personalities as one entity.

McAvoy’s work in playing all of these separate characters, occasionally even in the same scene, is extremely impressive. His commitment and development of
each character and their specific ticks and triggers emphasizes his talent and devotion to acting.

Claire and Marcia are two teens who were out for a birthday party. They’re young, pretty and have experienced little trouble in their lives.

However, this changes when Claire’s father is knocked unconscious and the girls are taken hostage.

Claire takes a dominant role in the early efforts to plot their escape. Marcia quickly follows along, but these brazen acts only lead to harsh punishment
and isolation.

Casey is the third girl to be kidnapped. It is merely a fluke that her ride got a flat tire and she was in the same car as the other two girls.

Although upon our first introduction to Casey she appears distant and uncaring, she inevitably turns out to be the survivor.

Through a series of flashbacks to Casey’s childhood, the audience learns that her father passed away when she was young, forcing her to reside with her
abusive uncle.

Casey takes a more calculated approach and attempts to get close to Hedwig in hopes that he will help her escape.

Dr. Karen Fletcher, Kevin’s psychologist, plays an important role in the movie as well. As someone who is attempting to bring light to this controversial
disorder, she gets caught up with a patient that leads to her demise.

She is able to identify each of Kevin’s 23 personalities by the specific characteristics that manifest during their meetings.

She is aware that something is not right when he emails for unscheduled emergency meetings several days in a row.

At the end of the movie, Bruce Willis makes an appearance. He states that he has heard of a story like this before: Mr. Glass.

For those who do not know who Mr. Glass is, check out “Unbreakable,” released in 2000.

Some fans believe that “Split” was a sequel to “Unbreakable.” The twist ending has many wondering if there will be a follow-up in the future.

If you have not yet seen the movie, I would absolutely recommend catching it while it is still in theaters.

It will keep you captivated from start to finish.

Email Lauren at:
lshook2@live.esu.edu