Film Review: Split

Split follows the story of Kevin (played by James McAvoy), who has 23 different personalities, all with different physical appearances. He opens up and entrusts each personality with his therapist, Dr. Fletcher who is keen to unravel the mysteries of dissociative identity disorder (D.I.D).

At the beginning of the film we meet Kevin, who has kidnapped three girls after a birthday party, by getting in their car and knocking them out with a spray. The girls wake up in inside a room without windows and only two beds and a bathroom. One of Kevin's personalities 'Dennis' comes into the room and tries to take one of the girls away but she fights back and he lets her back into the room. We then meet the therapist Dr. Fletcher, and as she is watching a news report of the three missing school she gets an email from 'Barry' (another personality) who says he needs to see her urgently.

As the film turns back to the girls they are trying to come up with a way to get out of the room. Through the keyhole they see a woman, and they can hear her conversation with another man so they try to get her attention by calling through the door for help. The door opens to see 'Patricia' another one of Kevin's personalities standing there who tells the girls that Dennis knows he cannot touch them. The girls later catch Dennis describing them as 'sacred food' and that the beast is waiting for them.

Later on, to the girls' surprise again they meet another one of Kevin's identities called 'Hedwig' who actually has the mannerisms of a nine year old boy. One of the girls, Casey, thinks she can try to befriend Hedwig and get him to show them the way out. And after a series of events , the girls end up being split int separate holding rooms. And at this point, Dr. Fletcher has become increasingly aware and concerned about Kevin's split personalities taking control of his mind and also wants to hear more about 'the beast' which could be a 24th identity he has yet to reveal. So, she goes to visit Kevin at his home. Before leaving she finds one of the girls locked in a room and becomes terrified of what Kevin has become - he stops Dr. Fletcher from leaving.

The conclusion of the film shows Kevin revealing 'the beast' as his 24th identity and how the last girl, Casey, fights for her survival. Some very tense and thrilling scenes are about to unfold...

Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed this film as it kept me on my toes through thrilling suspense and some jumpy scenes. I've tried not to add too many spoilers into my review, but they are many more surprises that await if you watch the film for yourself. Also, if you're a fan of M. Night Shyamalan's films such as Signs and The Village, then this film is perfect for you! Either way, I recommend watching this and seeing what you think.

Have you seen Split yet?