Split

Not since I saw William Shatner play Captain Kirk possessed by Dr. Janet Lester, a woman, have I seen any actor able to use facial tics and slight vocal lilting to change personalities so fluidly and with ease. James McAvoy is Kevin, a security guard besieged by dissociative identity disorder whose 23 personalities abduct three young women in anticipation of the arrival of their 24th personality, a particularly destructive, dark entity. Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s twisted thriller is not what its trailer has led you to believe, and when you see Casey (Anna Taylor Joy)’s face in the police car, the dichotomous film title reveals that “split” references former and future life choices. Brilliant filmmaking, and hey, see it before it’s ruined for you with a climactic closing line that will spin your head around!

[PG-13]