“Split” (Universal), the latest psychological thriller from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan, posits that victims of childhood sexual abuse are not only prone to dissociative identity disorder — split personalities — but also that each persona can have unique physical characteristics.
Shyamalan’s not out to make anyone think too deeply about the prognosis. He prefers to couch the story in the tropes of a cheese-ball teen-abduction drama, using a reliable scream queen, Anya Taylor-Joy, as a lure. The film does not veer in the direction of exploitation, however, making it possibly suitable for older adolescents.
Shayamalan’s villain, Kevin (James McAvoy), abducts three teen girls, Casey, Claire and Marcia (Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula), in suburban Philadelphia and whisks them away to what appears to be a subterranean lair, but is later shown to be underground rooms at a zoo.
Kevin’s motives are not clear. It turns out he’s the host of 24 different personalities. When he’s out and about, he seeks help from a psychologist, Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley), but she doesn’t know about the abductions.
Casey is best equipped to deal with Kevin since, as we are shown in flashbacks, she was molested by an uncle, and the abuse continued for years after the death of her father. The other two girls are mostly just fodder for escape attempts and Kevin’s threats.
So from early on, “Split” follows the familiar pattern of teen girls in peril, with a general “moral” about what doesn’t kill you making you stronger.
The film contains gun and physical violence with some gore, mature themes, including sexual abuse, and some rough language. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
