Film Preview: Split (2017)

Page Revisions:

(July 31, 2016) Original
(October 30, 2016) New Trailer (#2)
(January 15, 2017) New Posters (#2-#4)

Release Date:

January 20, 2017

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “Kevin, a man with at least 23 different personalities, is compelled to abduct three teenage girls. As they are held captive, a final personality – “The Beast” – begins to materialize.”

Poster Rating: F / C- / B / B

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Review: (#1) Adding texture to the title and background does not make a placeholder poster effective or attractive.

(#2) It works as a motif based on the subject, but it’s also overly simplistic in its execution making it look a bit cheap. (#3) Were there a bit more detail, this would be a fantastic design. It has mood and symbolism, two things that great poster designs should exploit. (#4) This fascinating design looks at the internal struggles of our hero. It works on several levels, though, like the prior design, the background isn’t impressive.

Trailer Rating: B / C

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Review: (#1) M. Night Shyamalan may have taken the criticism he’s received for the better part of two decades and come up with a more interesting film. The concept is fascinating even if there are some vague similarities structurally to 10 Cloverfield Lane.

(#2) This trailer does little to change up the film’s dynamic. It sets the film up to create the possibility of a Shyamalanian twist, which might not be the best idea considering the bulk of his filmography. That the mystery in the first trailer is undermined by the conversation snippets between psychologists doesn’t give much hope.