^Pftt. Whatever makes you feel better about yourself.
Now let me unleash my inner Elijah Price. OP: LIES! IF there was ever a point in human history when this film was generally disliked, well... not today. It wasn’t in the last decade, either. In truth, its initial reception was less positive than it is today —that’s something M. Night himself has stated. While the film was well-received by some, its overall reviews were actually more mixed. Don’t forget, it did put off numerous people who were expecting a Sixth Sense type of deal. Instead, audiences were treated to a darker, more dramatic superhero film. As a result, any hatred towards this film manifested itself back when Unbreakable was released. Fact: modern audiences have embraced this film more than ever. If for some pretentious reason you’ll find what I’m about to say hard to believe, the reality is fans of CBM’s (be it Marvel, DC or what have you) have especially become fond of it. I’m aware that those who see no merit in most Marvel live-action adaptions and assume fans of said comic films are all philistines, will find this difficult to accept. Boo you.
Now, while M. Night’s film is devoid of grand effects and big thrills unlike the superhero movies of today (how dare those stay true to the source material!), its allusions to comics & superheroes can positively be fascinating to comic & superhero fans who don’t particularly enjoy slow-paced, character-driven films. Sure, I do not doubt for 1 second this film must be a chore to watch for certain fans of superhero films. Yet, the exact same thing can be said about film fans in general who are unable to see the appeal in Night’s film. Furthermore, not only are “one or two” references to superheroes made in Unbreakable (including Marvel ones), but Dunn’s path of self-discovery essentially mirrors that of any great superhero in comics. With that in mind, is it so hard to believe that this film can resonate with a large number of comic/Marvel movie fans? Yes, we love great stories. And a wide range of them, my friend, are works of art. (Woo! I’m feeling the Mr. Glass in me!)
So, as far as I know hating on this film never become a trend. However, for years it WAS trendy to speak unkindly of M. Night. Even so, along with The Sixth Sense his superhero-inspired classic has become a beloved film. As such, falsely blaming Marvel fans (and DC fans) for this supposed Unbreakable hate is just plain ignorant. What fan of superhero cinema today decides to watch Unbreakable expecting a “traditional” (in quotes cuz the genre has seen its fair share of unique films by now) superhero film anyway? When Unbreakable pops up in superhero movie lists or whatever, it being an unconventional superhero tale with no emphasis on action is something that’s ALWAYS mentioned. So yes, friend, I doubt Marvel fans as a whole (fans of effects-laden superhero films in general) give the nearly twenty-year-old Unbreakable a watch because they were mislead into believing it’s a vibrant and thrilling comic film loaded with effects.
In any case, since I’m defending Marvel cinema from apparently more sophisticated viewers, 2017’s Logan & 2014’s The Winter Soldier are Marvel films, right? (Different studios but you get the picture.) Though the former would be deemed the more artistic property by many, ultimately the two are action-packed films that feel very comic-cy and yet somehow they’re as adult and character-focused as any “grown up” film. And don’t even get me started on the Netflix shows, so get off your high horses people! :} Fans of Split whom never seen an M. Night picture before btw? I’m willing to bet many of them wish to see what goes down in Glass. Why? Because they had their interest piqued in the Unbreakable universe after seeing Split. Needles to say, more than a few decided to watch Unbreakable and ended up appreciating it. So hard to accept alright!
In conclusion, the OP obviously needed to vent on popular movies he dislikes and wanted some pats on the back from viewers who share his smug point of view.
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