Shyamalan's Beast mode beckons

EVER since he blew our minds (figuratively speaking) with The Sixth Sense in 1999, M Night Shyamalan has been trying to wow audiences with a series of supernatural/fantasy thrillers - marked by mostly disappointing results. With Split, a spare, sharp and slightly strange incursion into the dark world of psychological horror, he takes some baby steps towards getting his mojo back.

After attending a birthday party, three teenage girls are abducted by a man who locks them in a windowless room, then proceeds to terrorise them by taking on several different identities with distinct personalities - each seemingly unaware of the existence of the others.

Dissociative identity disorder is an actual condition and the film is based on a real person who had multiple personalities. The film calls for an actor who has the range to convince audiences that it isn't simply an act or party trick.