WARNING SPOILERS

Split begins with an ordinary day, just as many suspense films do. A girl is having a birthday party, taking perfectly filtered photos for Instagram, laughing with her friends and, predictably, gossiping about the odd girl out. And then, Shyamalan presents every parent’s worst fear: a sudden kidnapping on an otherwise ordinary day. In this simple beginning, Shyamalan lays the foundation for a distinctly un-ordinary storyline.

When the camera pans slowly towards the kidnapper, introducing James McAvoy for the first time, I was struck, not by McAvoy, but by the expressive silent eyes of Anya-Taylor Joy as Casey. With a wide, doe-like expression Joy conveyed such pure innocence in that moment. And yet, beneath this guise of innocence, is a clear and deep pain. It is this pain that is is the heart of Shyamalan’s Split. Even as I found myself rapt at the seamless transitions of McAvoy from one personality to another, all the suspense-filled moments lacked the weight found in the beautiful, tragic character of Casey Cooke. Each flashback chipped away at the strong and aware exterior that Cooke wore in her time locked in Kevin’s basement. Each heartbreaking detail of her story found a way to make Shyamalan’s terrifying plot carry a depth that is not often seen in thrillers. McAvoy’s 23 personality epic performance may have been the star of Split, but Joy’s Casey Cooke made the storyline worthwhile.

It would be false, however, to say that Split‘s psychological terrors were lacking. In fact, Split now safely ranks among my favorite suspense films of all time. With its painfully slow build to a climax and a fearless use of silence, Split kept me on the edge of my seat, peaking through my fingers as I watched the scenes unfold. For those who said that Shyamalan had created his last great film with 2004’s The Village, Split’s release was clearly a reminder of their inaccuracy. Perhaps my favorite element of the film was the wonderful moments when Shyamalan used no sound at all. In today’s world of constant stimulation, it is rare to find a director willing to plunge the theater into utter silence for the sake of cinema. But, Shyamalan is never one to go with the status quo. And when the only sound is the desperate scrape of a hanger against the latch of a locked door, there is nothing scarier.

And, no Shyamalan movie would be complete without his prolific end of the movie twist and Split is no exception.  Is the ending what I wanted? Maybe not. But the subtle tie in to Unbreakable in the final shots of the movie was enough to pull me over the edge and declare Split one of Shyamalan’s greats.