It was split and released in the first two years and got a good reputation, which made my old fan's mood a little complicated. In a film review, I saw that someone was disdainful of the Easter egg in which the protagonist of the prequel, Bruce Willie, appeared at the end, and threatened, who would care about the protagonist of an old and bad movie? Seeing this, I almost roared inwardly: You fucking, of course there is, at least I am! No matter what anyone says, for me, Neshamalan's best work is always "Undead".
Neshamalan's films tend to have a kind of... how to say, rough? Especially in today's well-developed film industry, Neshamalan's works often give the impression of unfinished raw films. But in Undead, the plot, characters, acting, and soundtrack are perfectly combined to create a surprisingly complete, natural, and moving work. I wouldn't say he's my favorite movie or my best movie, but for me he's a very, very close to heart work. His two-part endings (Bruce Willie's ending vs. Sammy Jackson's) were completely different in mood, but both left me feeling heartbroken and brave. The thrilling theme is finding and accepting yourself. David (Bruce Willie) becomes hero and Elijah (Sammy Jackson) becomes villain, essentially the same process. They all tried to change and hide their true selves, but during the whole movie, they all understood who they were (I'm not a mistake...), and worked hard to do what only they could do— For better or for worse.
Elijah's own search for the road is not simply just the villain's depravity, there is something heartbreaking and moving in it. Movies are metaphors for life. In life, you don't have to be a murderer to feel Elijah's mood. It could also be that you've been expecting to be a first-class writer, get a Nobel Prize or something... You've been trying, but one day it suddenly turns out that what you're writing is nothing more than popular fiction at best. You accept yourself and try to write what you like and what comes out of your heart, even if the public's evaluation is "beach novel", "you can throw it at the used book stand" and so on.
Because of my love for the prequels, I was hesitant, terrified, and afraid of being hurt about whether to watch this movie. After watching it, I said to my dad who was watching the movie with me, "It's still a good movie. I'm glad I watched this movie." Yet after I said those words, the movie was still spinning in my head, and as time went by, it got more and more bleak.
The theme of the movie is similar to Undead. Elijah's I'm not a mistake at the end, he said to Bruce Willie in the prequels. (Mr. Glass with back music makes me tremble every time I watch it) But looking back at the whole film, in the process of proving himself, Elijah really treated his two companions as pawns (and abandoned ones). While achieving himself, he ignores David or Kevin's self-seeking or growth. At least David never sought to be famous or recognized as a superhero, but to be who he was in his heart, whether he was considered a hero or not.
At the end of Undead, I always believed that Elijah had a real friendship with David. He is the hero he has been looking forward to, waiting for more than 20 years. Even after he found that he could only stand on the opposite side of David (as long as they shook hands, it was the end of the friendship... how a bit of a firefly forest feeling QQ), this still hasn't changed. But in "Mr. Glass", Elijah's conspiracy and madness destroyed the original character. This is superficially similar to his choice in the prequels, but there is an uncomfortable qualitative change in it. I don't know how to describe my feelings. The prequel Elijah, to me, is Judas who went to hell with a devout heart. here... um...
The last scene of the three family members holding each other's hands should be a tearjerker... right? But Ilya was clearly the murderer who killed Kevin and David...or at least an accomplice. Ilya's mother doesn't matter, the other two accepted this sudden friendship without frowning... Isn't the heart too big? This also brings up the second point that I am extremely dissatisfied with the movie. It was Neshamalan who forced the people around the three protagonists to understand and accept their essence unconditionally. Even as a mother, I think it is unreasonable to force such an understanding.
I think the most beautiful part of the undead is when David, after killing the villain for the first time and rescuing the imprisoned family, returned home, lay down beside his wife, and told her softly like a child that he had just done had a nightmare. In the first part of the movie, the reason why David and his wife are estranged is precisely because he woke up from a nightmare. He did not wake up his wife, but looked at his sleeping wife, feeling the untouchable loneliness, and then gradually closed self. Until the end of the movie, David did not let his wife know his abilities. But after he accepted his true self, he was no longer afraid of that loneliness. Because you are no longer afraid, you can love bravely. For me, that's a more moving emotion than the forced understanding of the film's ending.
Having said that, I'm a bit at a loss as to how to wrap up. I'm so happy to see Nesamaran's comeback. But at least for me, he didn't come up with works that touched me again.
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