“Good cannot exist without evil and evil cannot exist without good…”
-M. Night Shyamalan describing the films use of superhero archetypes.
After 15 years, M. Night Shyamalan’s film Unbreakable stays as a cult classic in regards to its symbolism and modern take on heroes and villains. Coming out in 2000 before the super-hero cinematic universe exploded as a franchise spectacle, Unbreakable delved into a world that was still considered an underground medium in regards to the comic book world. Also, one needs to realize that while coming out PRE-September 11th, 2001, the United States did not face a terrorized attack to this magnitude that required the security coping mechanism of comic book themed heroes as it does now. Regardless, Unbreakable brought us the focal point of what it means to be vulnerable in a world that needs larger than life figures.
Now, after 15 years, I think it is safe to give away the depiction of what these characters represent. What is important is how the characters are depicted in a realistic setting as their true nature manifests from archetypes depictions. Bruce Willis plays David Dunn, a security guard separated from his wife Audrey and estranged from his son Joseph. The viewer sees David as a mundane man, with “something” missing inside, a form without purpose if you will. This gives us the mild mannered reporter image that is classic of Clark Kent before he becomes superman. Essentially David is a good man with flaws like anybody else, but the missing piece to what he is has him left as a broken man who merely wonders from day to day. The irony here is when David survives a train crash that leaves him alive without a scratch (hence the films title “Unbreakable”) while 131 die, the scenario still has him as a tortured soul looking to rekindle his relationship with his family. We know that David was a former high school football player that gave up his passion to be with his wife, but there’s more to why this man is so closed and unfixed for a person that his virtually “unbreakable.” Perhaps even ones interior can be broken at times.
On the flip side to this yin/yang metaphor, we have Elijah Price. A man played by Samuel L. Jackson who was born with type one osteogenesis imperfecta, where his bones are virtually weak and easily “breakable.” Unlike the football playing David, Price had the unfortunate burden of spending countless visits in the hospital as a child. Even given the name by neighborhood bullies and children “Mr. Glass”, Elijah’s mother in fact encouraged him to keep his chin high no matter what. Introducing him to his first comic book, Elijah spent a good portion of his life dealing with medical treatments while reading countless panels of exaggerated characters. Becoming obsessed, Price developed an intelligent and charismatic brain. A man who became so frail, was now on a crusade to figure out that if people like him could be born with such a frailty, then wasn’t there somebody else on the opposite end of that spectrum that was beyond the mere mortal flaws we live everyday? The irony hear shows us that a person such as price can live life to the fullest, while David expresses a form of depression within his unbreakable state. Elijah at this point truly believes that our world is a vessel where a select few have the super-human ability to be more than what the average eye can see. That comic books may just be a form of colorful, and flashy panels of eye candy that depict stylized entertainment, but maybe thay truly express an exaggerated expression of communication that clue us in on something more that is out there. As he mentions, “cave men drew on walls” or ancient Egyptians have hieroglyphics, maybe comic books serve as conduits for generations of surreal phenomena that impacted society from time to time.
Jackson steals the show, when we see him running an art gallery. He discusses a large sketch of a conflict between hero and villain. Price explains the classic brawl of the square jawed hero, and the shifty eyed monster as they lock in conflict. The misconception is that the main villain is the brute, but the actuality is that the true villain is the one orchestrating their master plans from behind the scenes . Elijah is a man who believes that these rare beings exist within the mind frame of our world. As he would say “It’s hard for many people to believe that there are extraordinary things inside themselves, as well as others. I hope you can keep an open mind…..” At this point, Elijah meets David and tries to convince him that he can help him bring out that hidden potential, which may subside Davids sense of “sadness.” While David is reluctant, he gives into Elijah, hoping there is a sense of salvaging a missing piece to his soul.
When evaluating this film, one can see the clues from a comic book themed stand point. David Dunn’s first and last name start with the same letter and similar sound such as the like of Bruce Banner, Matt Murdock, or Peter Parker. His security poncho is reminiscent of a cape, and he has that one Achilles heal like every other hero. In this case, water being that one weakness. Yet, what makes this movie in itself so unique and special? From the Yin/Yang perspective, something cannot exist without its mirror image. In order for something to exist as a whole, it must have its other half in order to come into being. Now comes the twist when the villain of the story comes into fruition. David saves to girls from a maniac who kills their parents. Through his struggle, he feels complete and connects with his family after discovering his true sense of purpose. Yet, in comic book folklore, why does the super-hero come into fruition in the first place? After all we already have police, fire-fighters, and doctors as heroes, so why the urge for harnessing something greater than our selves. Enter Elijah Price’s true motives. We find out that he indeed is the master mind behind the terrorist attack on the 131 passengers, which brings it back to his discussion on the real villain working behind the scenes with a higher state of intellect. Perhaps Price’s psych snapped with his vulnerability to his brittle body. A man who can be so obsessed with finding a higher power to human evolution, that like a true villain he justifies his evil doings for a higher cause in finding David Dunn as the phenomenon he was looking for. The paradox is uncanny, by which a man searches for good through evil acts that are beyond redemption. This classic yet unexpected plot twist has us understand the way in which the hero (David) is content with a simple and humble life of self sacrifice, while the villain (Elijah) craves a higher form of power that puts innocents in jeopardy. This iterates the way in which David was looking to subdue his sadness while Elijah had something missing of his own. Price explains “You know what the scariest thing is? To not know your place in this world. To not know why you’re here… That’s… That’s just an awful feeling.” As much as what Price did was inexcusable, I think we all have the dormant emotion that leaves us yearning for something greater than ourselves. A unique spark that helps us to cope with the fear of the unknown, and serving a world through God like acts. Its not the invincible act we require, but more of the journey itself in accomplishing something useful with our achievements as a super-being. Thus, Elijah Price reveals this segment of coming full circle with who we are in a world of hidden potential by expressing to David in the end…..”In a comic, you know how you can tell who the arch-villain’s going to be? He’s the exact opposite of the hero. And most times they’re friends, like you and me! I should’ve known way back when… You know why, David? Because of the kids. They called me Mr Glass.”
Once again, there is no giving Price the benefit of the doubt for his acts, but it’s the fascination with David and how he sheds a beacon of hope for that divine intervention we ll wish was summoned from time to time. Therefore, the movie itself cannot be seen as just a “super-hero” movie in this case. Instead, the super-hero genre is basically a tool that is utilized with our fascination in finding our true nature through the motivations we set for ourselves. Regardless if it is through the path of good or evil, it is the realization that the world is beyond sketched panels, and as super-natural the comic book medium may be, it is our heroes journey that gives life to those stories in the first place. As Joseph Campbell tells us at the end of the outline to a heroes journey, “The hero returns home or continues the journey, bearing some element of the treasure that has the power to transform the world as the hero has been transformed.” In the end, it’s the aftermath of the hero and villain hatching out of their cocoons and what becomes of their choices through the archetypes they shall become. Unbreakable in this case has us dwelling on which road to take, which harnesses the true value of the comic book fandom.
As I finish up this article, I read a news report about 3 American tourists in France who averted a massacre aboard a train by stopping a terrorist from killing innocents. One of the men expresses “Either you sit down and you die or you get up and you die. It was really nothing more than that.”…..Perhaps our true potentials do come out in the best of us.
By: Adam Vega
