David Dunn (Willis) is taking a train from New York City back home to Philadelphia after a job interview that didn't go well when his car jumps the tracks and collides with an oncoming engine, with David the only survivor among the 131 passengers on board. Astoundingly, David is not only alive, he hardly seems to have been touched. As David wonders what has happened to him and why he was able to walk away, he encounters a mysterious stranger, Elijah Prince (Samuel L. Jackson), who explains to David that there are a certain number of people who are "unbreakable" -- they have remarkable endurance and courage, a predisposition toward dangerous behavior, and feel invincible but also have strange premonitions of terrible events. Is David "unbreakable"? And if he is, what are the physical and psychological ramifications of this knowledge?
Feature film debut of Laura Regan as a young Audrey. Regan recalls walking into the audition room not knowing who M. Night Shyamalan was, despite the poster for The Sixth Sense (1999) being right outside the office. She said that had she known who he was, she probably would have gotten too nervous and bombed the audition. See more »
Goofs
Mr. Glass describes his disorder (osteogenesis imperfecta). He describes the disorder as having 4 types each increasing in severity. At the time this movie was made only 4 types were identified. There are currently 8 types of the disorder identified as well as several subtypes. See more »
Quotes
David Dunn:
I wanted to ask you a question. It's gonna sound a little strange, just think about it for a second, okay?
Audrey Dunn:
Okay.
David Dunn:
When's the last time I was sick? Do you remember?
Audrey Dunn:
Um, I don't know. It's been a while.
David Dunn:
I haven't been sick this year, I know that.
Audrey Dunn:
Okay.
David Dunn:
Do you remember me getting sick?
Audrey Dunn:
Um... not a specific day. What - what's this about?
David Dunn:
Audrey, do you remember me ever getting sick? In the three years we lived in this house? In the old apartment? Before Joseph was born? Before we ever got married?
Audrey Dunn:
I - I ...
[...] See more »
Crazy Credits
As the movie starts, the FBI warning shatters like a window breaking. See more »
Alternate Versions
Several deleted scenes are included in the DVD: They include:
Audrey and Joseph sitting in the hospital waiting room, awaiting information about if David survived. She tries to cheer him up by buying him all the sugary foods and drink he usually can't have.
A scene showing TV footage of the wreck, while through the cracked open door we see someone in the shower. The scene cuts into the shower and we see David crying.
Elijah at age 7 goes to the fair and gets on a spinning teacup ride. He uses two stuffed animals to hold himself in place, and wraps his jacket along the lap bar. Eventully, the animals and jacket fall off the ride as his mother watches in horror. He then goes swinging from side to side breaking his bones.
After the wake, David sees a priest about his survival. The priest sets his priesthood aside to tell David that it was nothing but luck, and how he had a nephew on that train that died. He also tells of other tragedies he had, and that if David was looking for some kind of miracle answer, he won't find it from him.
Audrey calls David pretending it's their first meeting and asks him to dinner. They go out and talk, when one of Audrey's friends comes in and says how David is cute and what kind of lawyer he is. The friend realizes that shouldn't have been said, and leaves while David becomes a bit upset.
David checking on Joseph to make sure he is sleeping okay.
Elijah is taken away by doctors after talking to Audrey.
David goes to the locker room at the stadium to lift more weights and lifts around 500 pounds. When he gets up, he sees the entire football team watching in awe.
M. Night Shyamalan seems to be proving himself quite the auteur. Unbreakable was the cinematic experience I had hoped it would be, especially after The Sixth Sense. A quiet sense of wonder permeated each and every scene, accomplished with some of the finest cinematography I've seen in the last couple of years. Director of Photography Eduardo Serra's execution is subtle, understated and absolutely beautiful.
Cinematography legend Greg Toland of Citizen Kane and The Grapes of Wrath fame would be proud of what this film accomplished artistically. I also couldn't help but notice all the long camera takes this film had, reminding me of a few Woody Allen films that let the actors act without the intrusion of the film making process, i.e.; getting a scene covered from multiple and sometimes meaningless camera angles just so the director and editor have something to work with in post production. The characters seem at times to be acting for the benefit of the others on screen rather than "us", the audience, lending a quality of voyeurism to quite a few scenes. The directors intent is quite clear to anyone wishing to delve a little bit deeper into the story and characters while appreciating how such a vision came to breath on film.
With regards to the story, Mr. Shyamalan and his crew have constructed something so rich in visual texture while managing to keep the story subdued and character development full of deep-seated anticipation. Every plot point came perfectly without any extra connotations that usually creep into a story such as this (super heroes?). Without any melodrama both Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson give very authentic performances that help the film keep its "Any Town USA" and "Average Joe Six-pack" feel very much alive.
By virtue of ingenuity and most likely a meticulous preproduction period, Unbreakable manages to be a consummate clinic in directing, writing, acting, and cinematography. One of the best movies in the past decade.
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M. Night Shyamalan seems to be proving himself quite the auteur. Unbreakable was the cinematic experience I had hoped it would be, especially after The Sixth Sense. A quiet sense of wonder permeated each and every scene, accomplished with some of the finest cinematography I've seen in the last couple of years. Director of Photography Eduardo Serra's execution is subtle, understated and absolutely beautiful.
Cinematography legend Greg Toland of Citizen Kane and The Grapes of Wrath fame would be proud of what this film accomplished artistically. I also couldn't help but notice all the long camera takes this film had, reminding me of a few Woody Allen films that let the actors act without the intrusion of the film making process, i.e.; getting a scene covered from multiple and sometimes meaningless camera angles just so the director and editor have something to work with in post production. The characters seem at times to be acting for the benefit of the others on screen rather than "us", the audience, lending a quality of voyeurism to quite a few scenes. The directors intent is quite clear to anyone wishing to delve a little bit deeper into the story and characters while appreciating how such a vision came to breath on film.
With regards to the story, Mr. Shyamalan and his crew have constructed something so rich in visual texture while managing to keep the story subdued and character development full of deep-seated anticipation. Every plot point came perfectly without any extra connotations that usually creep into a story such as this (super heroes?). Without any melodrama both Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson give very authentic performances that help the film keep its "Any Town USA" and "Average Joe Six-pack" feel very much alive.
By virtue of ingenuity and most likely a meticulous preproduction period, Unbreakable manages to be a consummate clinic in directing, writing, acting, and cinematography. One of the best movies in the past decade.