Why ‘Unbreakable’ is the best superhero movie of the 21st century

Superhero movies have spent a quarter-century avenging, multiversing, and dispensing justice. But M. Night Shyamalan’s 2000 masterpiece Unbreakable set the standard from the very beginning. Here’s why we think it's especially super.


The story is small but its stakes are huge. Saving the world is lame. Saving your family hits harder.

Very little CGI. Real humans interacting in real spaces? Now that’s super. 

It creates its own superhero. That’s right, you’re free from the expectation of having to read 40 comics just to keep up with the plot.

Bruce Willis and Sam MFing Jackson. Movies were alive when these names were on a poster together. 

No quips, portals, or aliens. Sorry, sky-beam fans.

A singular artist at his peak. Love him or hate him, Shyamalan makes his own cinematic universes.

Working class hero. No nanotech here—all David Dunn uses for his vigilantism is a poncho and a light touch.

Monologuing but good. I don’t want to hear another master evil plan, just Elijah Price lecturing about vintage art.

The hero doesn’t destroy an entire city. Just some drywall that’s easily patched up.

But what about The Dark Knight? Sorry, only space for one eternally great James Newton Howard score.

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