Three teenage girls (of course) are kidnapped by a man who is possessed by 23 personalities (James McAvoy). This is a women in distress thriller with a heavy layer of psychological conversation (featuring a wonderful Betty Buckley as his doc). The film promises horrible consequences and has a mild amount of stress in the process. The ominous feeling of dread and mild touches of suspense are typical tropes from writer/director M. Night Shyamalan. Still, the final scenes don’t pay off in tension or shockers. McAvoy does demonstrate his exceptional talent, as he brilliantly inhabits a variety of peculiar characters. The “surprise” at the end isn’t really a twist in the traditional Shyamalan style, but a silly in-joke.
(3 / 5)