M. Night Shyamalan's Glass: The Mastermind's Epic

While it's not necessary to have read my previous posts ("The Eastrail 177 Trilogy Begins" and "Unleashing the Beast") on this trilogy, I do recommend them, as I refer to various themes from them throughout. 

If you still haven't seen Glass, you're missing out.

I get it. You've been hurt before, and you were suitably - understandably - upset over The Last Airbender. Who wouldn't be? And who wants to go back only to be abused over and over again? We save that kind of masochism for Game of Thrones, and Game of Thrones only.

Well, I've taken a break in my GoT binge up to the final season to finish something I started three months ago, something M. Night began two decades ago, and to show you why it's worth watching this film.

I present to you the final chapter of the Eastrail 177 Trilogy reviews.

For the Haters

Let's get this nonsense out of the way, shall we? Because people are still hating on Shyamalan and, while not everything he's done is stellar, the majority of his stuff is still a lot better than most films getting made these days, and he certainly deserves forgiveness more than some other directors out there.

It's time to let it go. Because Glass was remarkable. I still like Unbreakable most of the three, but the final installment was more than satisfying, and that's a lot better than a lot of sequels can say.

The Music

You can't have a discussion of Shyamalan's work without discussing the music. Sadly, this is where Glass dropped the ball for me. I've become a huge James Newton Howard fan, and it's due to his collaborations with M. Night Shyamalan. Unbreakable, The Village, Sixth Sense, The Lady in the Water are all beautiful, and The Village and Unbreakable sit in my top motion picture scores list. Even sitting here, writing this right now, I am listening not to the Glass soundtrack but to Unbreakable, and it is such a perfect blend of melancholy and heroism, as though the finding of one's path is so incredibly painful that we must weep with joy and relief when we find it. So imagine my disappointment when the music was not composed by Howard, even in collaboration with Split's West Dylan Thordson, who did become the composer for Glass.

Thordson did a fine job in Split, and specific aspects of his score definitely work for this film. In particular, I like the brittle strings that feature at various points throughout the film. They act as an aural illustration of the fractured state of Kevin Crumb's mind, but also could be the often fractured state of Elijah's body. Furthermore, they did manage to get some of the Unbreakable themes in there at various points, calling us back to the original movie. I also liked that during the main fight, it was not a sweeping, heroic theme. I found that somewhat refreshing from what we're used to in the blockbuster action comic book genre.

But it never resonated with me the way that Howard's work does. And that's all I can say on that.

...And We're Back

It's been two decades since we last checked in on the characters from Unbreakable. Yes, we get a brief cameo from David Dunn at the end of Split, but really, it's been an age. 

It's revealed that David has quit his stadium security job and, in classic superhero style, obtained a livelihood that is close to his path as a superhero. In this case, he owns a security shop during the day while he moonlights as a superhero dubbed "Overseer" by the press, and keeps his lair in the back of his store. We see him early on taking down two douchebags who hurt people and film it for the internet, while his son Joseph - now a grown man - serves as the "man in the chair."

A Note on Water:

There was an interesting moment here that I'm not sure anyone else caught. When David enters the house of the two douchebags, you hear the water turning off and on a couple of times. It's interesting that he would choose to use his weakness in such a fashion, and it makes me wonder if he's trying to turn it into a kind of avatar. After all, in all instances where we see him commit heroic acts before this point, he has had to overcome water: saving Audrey after the car wreck, fighting the Orange Man after being pushed into the pool...It may have been nothing, a distraction. But Shyamalan is rarely so lazy. In fact, he foreshadows the puddle that will inevitably be David's demise in an earlier part of the movie. Look next time you watch, and you'll see what I mean.

For Kevin Wendell Crumb and his alters, however, it's only been about three weeks since we last saw him. The film actually opens with Patricia, one of Kevin's alters, being her utterly unsettling self (I liked her so much more this time around than before.), as she prepares another sacrifice for The Beast.

The Horde doesn't know David is searching for them, so when The Beast comes, and David is there to stop him, a battle ensues that results in them both being taken down by the police and sent to Raven Hill Memorial Hospital by Dr. Ellie Staples. We will find out shortly that it is the same hospital where Elijah Price has been since the end of Unbreakable.

Superhero Colors Revisited: White Hat & Black Hat

In a universe that shows reality as dark and lacking in life, how do you reconcile that with the technicolor pages of a comic book world? Color is essential when creating a hero or a villain's costume. What color you wear communicates to the reader what side you are fighting on. This goes back to "white hat" and "black hat" characters, often seen in early westerns. Somehow, we gained the myth that the good guys wore white and the bad guys wore black, though it turns out that trope was rarely so simple even then.

Actually, the convention of white signifying goodness and purity while black signified evil and corruption goes back even further and derives from nature, religion, and social constructs. Bright and primary colors tend to convey coveted ideals like happiness, go-getter attitudes and even patriotism. An example of this is the red and blue uniforms of both Superman and Wonder Woman, meant to invoke principles of truth and justice, American righteousness and agency. Conversely, dark, sickly, and subdued colors are often used to convey darkness, treachery, and corruption, a perfect villain's uniform.

Adding to my list to do a full post on this someday.

It's safe to say that color plays a huge role in our understanding of comic book superheroes. So I am so thrilled to see it done here so well.

While it's not talked about, you can see how Shyamalan has color-coded his superheroes and villains in this washed out universe.

The most obvious is Glass himself who, early on, sets the tone and style in Unbreakable with his eggplant-colored wardrobe and accessories. This dark color not only conveys a sense of foreboding but also reminds one of a bruise, the constant pain Elijah suffers.

Next, we have Dunn, whose security logo and store decor is green to match his hooded "SECURITY" poncho from his stadium days. It's a classic trope from many comic books where a blatant hint about the hero's lair, their name or their wardrobe sits in plain sight and should completely give away their secret identity, leading one to believe that everyone is a moron not to have figured it out by now. It is all these lovely nods to the comic book industry that make me appreciate these films.

We see that Crumb's color is yellow, mostly through the marketing of these movies, but they support it by having him spend the majority of his screen time in a yellow tracksuit and then yellow scrubs. 

Yellow is an interesting choice for this character. By most accounts, it should be a positive, energetic color, full of optimism. Yet there are flavors of yellow that mean sickness, jealousy, and warn caution. Perhaps this is a reference to Crumb's fractured nature, continuously at odds with his alters. Either way, it makes a great contrast against our other two heroes (I said it), and aesthetics matter, people.

It's one of those blatant hints, then, that Dr. Ellie Staples seems to also have a signature color: pink.

Pink is meant to be a pretty, feminine, and calming color, all of which Dr. Ellie puts forth. However, there are many (myself included) who find it to be an insipid hue, evoking a sense of manipulation, illusion, and stereotype. This theory seems proven correct when we see how Ellie brings our three supers to an entirely pink room, a power play asserting her dominance, and proceeds to gaslight them about their powers. They are utterly awash in manipulation.

And that's why we should have known about Ellie to start with. While I love watching this American Horror Story actress work, there is no doubt that something is off and I hate her immediately. When Casey has come to see Kevin, Dennis (another alter) tells her, "the doctor lies," leading us to believe that he sees more than some of the alters do. This would make sense, as Dennis is the vigilant one of the alters, the one who has protected them all from abuse. He would have seen the lies an abuser tells, and he sees it in Ellie.

She certainly earns no points from me by lambasting comic books: "Comic books are not valid history." Maybe not, but they are vital mythos, and in this universe, they are pretty much a blueprint.

One thing for sure is that she's good at sowing doubt. Is Ellie herself a mentalist? Is she describing herself to David when she tells him how it works? Is it this which allows her to find people such as David, Elijah, and Kevin?

But Dennis isn't the only one who isn't falling for her crap. Glass may look broken when we first see him, but we are all of us deceived. As she sows doubt in the others, Glass grows stronger. He listens, and he sees her. He knows that if they are trying this hard, then he must have hit upon something.

It looks like his time has come.

Meeting the Beast

One of the best scenes is when Elijah breaks into Kevin's room to meet him and size up his alters. While we know that Glass is using Kevin for his plan to work, we can't help but feel he does so with regret, because he likes and respects Kevin and the alters. Two exchanges, in particular, are some of my favorite of the entire movie:

Glass: Ma'am, I'm here to see if the tales of the extraordinary being are real. The half-man, half-creature.
Patricia: Patricia. But I appreciate your manners.

She likes Glass immediately.

Hedwig: What's your superpower? Your mind? [Glass nods] What's mine?
Glass: You're nine forever, right? [Hedwig nods] That's incredible, you can see the world the way it really is...always.

And so Elijah wins over the Horde.

It is when he meets The Beast, however, that we are clued in that Elijah's intent, if not his methods, are pure. The Beast emerges, and the real test begins. First, the spiritual:

The Beast: You believe?
Glass: Yes, I do. It's what I've believed my whole life.

Then the worthiness:

The Beast: Why are you in this chair, child?
Glass: My bones break easily. I was born this way. I've had 94 breaks in my life. I've known only pain.
The Beast: Rejoice. You have suffered and are now pure.
Glass: I assume you were sent to be an avenging angel. How much do you want to avenge us?

For Elijah to meet The Beast is a sign, a proof of what he's always known. He receives this confirmation when he reads Crumb's file and discovers that his father was on the Eastrail 177. Everything has clicked into place. It is cataclysmic in meaning.

"That sounds like the bad guys teaming up."

"The Collection of Main Characters"

Glass springs The Beast and himself (now resplendent in his signature purple) from the main building and The Beast immediately begins wreaking havoc. There's a great moment when Glass turns to see the Three Advocates (as I like to call them) come out of the building and smiles, a manic bulge to his eyes. Their presence is perfect, after all. The story of the heroes would be nothing without their supporting cast. Joseph, the faithful son, who believes without a doubt in his father and his abilities. Mrs. Price, Elijah's steadfast and patient mother, encouraging him to survive and thrive by any means necessary. And Casey, the damaged girl, whose trauma saved her from and connected her to Kevin and the alters.

All three converge at the same time as Ellie, creating a lovely tableau. These sidekicks, however, are not without power.

Though shaken by Ellie's attempts to make him doubt everything, Joseph goes to the comic book store seeking answers and proof, seeking truth. And where does he find it? Not in the Heroes section, but among the Villains, a nod to the true hero of this story. Joseph remains loyal, though, a believer 'til the end.

It's good to find Casey finding some peace and happiness with her new foster family, though you know it's unlikely she'll ever feel normal. I suspect that Casey may actually have powers - it's hinted, both by Ellie ("loving physical affection is like something supernatural") and by multiple times she touches Kevin, grounding him somehow. It even seems like she weakens The Beast's powers when they touch. And, in the end, she is the witness to Kevin, as his alters say goodbye:

Patricia: Did you see them? Never let them tell you I doubted it.

Kevin: I'm gonna hold the light until the very end.

Questions Answered

When you have an origin story that does not provide a continuation for 20 years, you have plenty of time to think up fan theories on things that may be. Of course, we always wondered what happens to David and his family, and we get that answer now. Likewise, the most prominent fan theory - that Crumb's father was killed in the same train wreck that failed to harm David and was orchestrated by Elijah - was emphatically confirmed. I also had one of my questions answered: that Kevin's DID was not a result of losing his father and being stuck with his mother. She was already abusive and causing his DID. In the flashback of the train, we see the elder Crumb reading a brochure about DID before the train departs the station. This verifies suspicions that the many voices David hears in the train station scene in Unbreakable as a mother and son walk by him were indeed Kevin Crumb and his mother, Penelope.

For me, however, the biggest reveal was in the deleted scenes. There we settle a suspicion I've had about Elijah's mother for a while now.

In the deleted scene, which is a continuation of a scene in which she tries to get Elijah to rally, Mrs. Price seems to give permission to him to escape and do what he wants to enact his next plan. It is more than the comforting of a mother. She seems to be purposely telling him to start some shit. That validates the idea for me that she knew about Elijah's plans for destruction in Unbreakable. After all, the plans were sitting out in his back office. How could she have missed them?

I think Elijah is not the only Mastermind in the family. After all, it was his mother who concocted a method to get him out of the house and moving on with life. She understands the mythos, plots, and symbolism of comic books, as well as her son, does. Is it such a stretch, then, to imagine that she knew all along, and more, condoned - if not outright encouraged - what her son did? Could she have been desperate enough to encourage her son's murderous intents, if it only meant he would leave the house? Perhaps the stress of caring for a chronically ill child on her own (as there is never a mention of his father; he may as well have been born in a manger instead of the dressing room of a department store) crossed some wires and drove her to participate? If that's true, it's a testament to what love will do, for better or worse. Or maybe she's just bent.

In the end, she is his mother, through and through, loving and proud.

Glass: I wasn't a mistake, Mama. 

Mrs. Price: No, you were spectacular.

Mr. Glass: The Mastermind, The Believer

Samuel L. Jackson has two superhero movies coming out this year. How this actor has managed to add his own brand of gravitas (let's face it; he simply kicks ass) to an entire genre is one of the things that makes Glass so enjoyable.

Make no mistake: Mr. Glass is the one we've come to see. And he doesn't disappoint.

The thing is, there are two parts to Elijah: the Mastermind and the Believer, but they are so fundamentally entwined, you can't tell at any given moment which one you're seeing.

"He's too smart. That's why he's the mastermind. He'll never tell you his real plan. He sets everybody up. Gets them looking in one direction. [...] There's always a real plan."

Whether he's dragging David, kicking and screaming, into his destiny ("A lot of people are going to die, Overseer, if you don't get through that door.") or spurring on The Beast ("You're fighting for the broken; you've found your purpose!"), there's always a sense that he's just making sure everything falls out the way he wants it to.

He certainly plays Ellie. He has duped everyone so well, it doesn't even occur to her that she's giving him vital info, telling him how to beat her cameras, when his procedure will happen...why don't you just hand him the keys to a helicopter and a mansion on a private island, Ellie?

When the extent of Glass's plan comes to light, Ellie is devastated, her world torn down. "Elijah, what have you done?" she whispers. I can't help but be taken back to that moment at the end of Unbreakable when David asks Elijah the same thing.

But, however manipulative he may seem, however much havoc he wreaks in pursuit of his goals, he does have a nobler purpose at heart. He wants the world to know who they all are: Overseer, The Beast, Mr. Glass. He wants people to know what they're capable of, what everyone is capable of.

Ultimately, he still believes in heroes, and by being the ultimate supervillain, Glass becomes the hero in this universe.

Sacrifice: The Tragedy of the Hero

I learned with Shakespeare that a tragedy means everyone dies on stage at the end and, this, my friends, is a tragedy. I was not expecting that. I don't know what I was expecting, but not that all three main characters would die.

David Dunn's life is...tragic... He's sacrificed and lost so much: his football career, his wife, a normal life, his freedom and, finally, his life. His fatal flaw (and every hero has one) is that he lacks belief in himself and his abilities. He has it proven to him time and again, and yet he does not believe.

When Dunn knocks down the door and looks at the camera like, "yeah, I did that," he is finally proving it to himself. He goes to retrieve his poncho (because a superhero needs their uniform) and joins the fray. It is at this moment when he embraces his true potential, when he fully commits to his identity and purpose, that he dies....making him a perfect tragic hero.

This story is riddled with tragedy: Joseph has lost both parents and is alone, Kevin takes the light just in time to die and, of course, we lose Mr. Glass himself.

But a tragedy is ultimately hopeful. Those Shakespearean plays often ended with the survivors of the catastrophe or madman beginning a new future, not merely picking up the pieces but forging a new world from the ashes of the old. When the Three Advocates release Elijah's footage from the asylum to the general public, they are taking on this role in Glass's stead. He is not really gone.

It's not a swansong; it's a phoenix story.

What Happens When the Personal Becomes Global

When Unbreakable ends, we are treated to an ecstatic Elijah. He has found his place in this world, his purpose. "Now that we know who you are, I know who I am. I'm not a mistake!" he proclaims, and we could assume this was all he really cared about. It would have been easy to leave it at that. He is the polar opposite to the hero he just created...a villain. But that is not enough for Mr. Glass. Give a guy an inch...

Elijah understands that a personal awakening is useless unless it changes our course as human beings. Discovering your personal gift and purpose is selfish unless you better the world. So, while he was content at the end of Unbreakable, having found himself by simply finding David, it was never going to be the end.

Finding meaning through symbolism and mythos is what comic books are for, and why they are so crucial to an adolescent's development. They dare them at the most critical point in their human growth - the passage from childhood to adulthood - to find their purpose, their gift, to dream, and to share it with the world. It is my hope for all people to find the extraordinary in themselves. That is what we are all here for. To share our gifts.

Subverting Expectations: Closing the Comic Book Renaissance

When Unbreakable came out 20 years ago, no one had seen anything like it. Years before everything became meta, M. Night Shyamalan gave us layer upon layer of comic book symbolism and meaning and turned it to look in upon itself. His trademark twist made us root for the villain (though we didn't know it at the time) and opened us up to a whole new level of comic book mythos storytelling. And in so doing, he helped kick off the comic book movie renaissance.

This is no small thing. Glass is not wrong when he refers to the tales of superheroes in comic books as being a modern mythos. Human beings need meaning. It is a fundamental aspect of our species. Somewhere between awareness of our mortality and its relation to the passage of time, we learned to tell stories. These stories gave us meaning, gave us hope, our greatest gift. To do justice to a genre that the Hollywood machine has picked over and watered down in its 100+ years is the highest compliment I can pay to a filmmaker. Regardless of what else M. Night Shyamalan has done in his career, he did this right.

This year, as we wind down 10+ years of Marvel Cinematic Universe with Endgame to top off the Infinity Gauntlet Saga, Glass also closes its universe. These universes are nothing alike. The MCU is bright, colorful, action-packed; The Eastrail 177 Trilogy is intense but subdued, ponderous. Yet they both have something in common. They both understand an essential aspect of the superhero genre: the sacrifice. Marvel touched on it a bit in Civil War and Infinity War, but with all the glitz and glamour of these films' production, it is easy to gloss over their message on the way to the finale where everyone is saved and alive. In Glass, the sacrifice is the finale, it is the big save. Here, with Glass, the sacrifice is the story. It was always going to end this way; Mr. Glass makes sure of that.

Regardless of what happens next, we are at the end of an era. I truly believe that. The Comic Book Renaissance of the last 20 years is over. Yet, what have we begun with the previous two decades? It will be interesting to see what will be for comic book movies on the big screen in the years to come. As always, you'll find me there, center seat, popcorn and notebook in hand.

"It was an origin story the whole time."
~ Mr. Glass

---

Title: Glass
Based on: Unbreakable/Split; The Eastrail 177 Trilogy
Released: January 18, 2019
Genre: Superhero Thriller
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
Music: West Dylan Thordson
Actors/Actresses: Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Sarah Paulson, Charlayne Woodard, Spencer Treat Clark, Anya Taylor-Joy