Parents' Guide to Unbreakable

Movie PG-13 2000 106 minutes
Unbreakable Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

By Nell Minow , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Creepy drama/mystery has some violence, language.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 12+

Based on 10 parent reviews

age 13+

Based on 37 kid reviews

Kids say that this superhero drama, while visually impressive and featuring compelling performances by Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, contains notably disturbing themes, including violence and implied sexual assault, which make it unsuitable for younger audiences. Many reviews emphasize its intense moments and psychological depth, suggesting that it is best suited for mature teens and adults who can appreciate its slower pace and complex narrative.

  • intense themes
  • disturbing content
  • mature audience
  • psychological depth
  • strong performances
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

UNBREAKABLE stars Bruce Willis as David Dunn, a security guard who seems disconnected from his own life, unable to remember very much about his past and unwilling to connect to his wife and child. When he is the only survivor of a train crash, walking away without a single injury, bruise, or scratch, he is contacted by Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), a comic art dealer who has a congenital bone disease. Price has bones that break easily; Dunn has bones that never break. Price believes there must be a connection, and that he must help Dunn find his destiny. Themes of good and evil, hero and enemy, strength and vulnerability, thesis and antithesis, and destiny and choice appear throughout the movie. Several times, characters see something upside-down at first, and then have to turn it around to see it clearly. Price helps Dunn realize that he's more than a security guard. He's a protector. When Dunn begins to use his gifts, he begins to lose the sadness that has always engulfed him. When he tells his wife he had a nightmare, he's not referring to the murderer he has just battled but to a past in which he was able to sense tragedy around him but was not aware that he had the ability to protect people from it.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 10 ):
Kids say ( 37 ):

The big surprise ending of Unbreakable is what a disappointment it is. The writer/director of The Sixth Sense begins with many of the same elements: Bruce Willis, a Philadelphia setting, a strained marriage, a child who is grappling with some big issues, elements of the supernatural, and a twist at the end. Once again, he creates a haunting and portentous mood with subdued performances, somber hues, and fluid camera movements. But unlike The Sixth Sense, in which a surprise at the end kicked the entire movie into a higher gear (and inspired audiences to go see it again to help them unravel it), this one has an uninspired ending. It's a shame, because the premise is fascinating but the movie never lives up to its promise.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about pop culture conceptions of "good versus evil." What are some of the ways that this movie plays with themes often explored in comic books -- the "reluctant hero" for instance, or the hero who doesn't realize he or she has the abilities of a superhero?

  • What are some other indirect ways that the movie references a comic book aesthetic -- the clothing colors of the lead characters, for instance?

  • M. Night Shyamalan has a distinctive style to his movies. What are some of the features of that style? Who are some other film directors with a distinct style?

Movie Details

  • In theaters : November 22, 2000
  • On DVD or streaming : June 26, 2001
  • Cast : Bruce Willis , Robin Wright , Samuel L. Jackson
  • Director : M. Night Shyamalan
  • Inclusion Information : Indian/South Asian Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
  • Studio : Touchstone Pictures
  • Genre : Fantasy
  • Topics : Superheroes
  • Run time : 106 minutes
  • MPAA rating : PG-13
  • MPAA explanation : mature thematic elements including some disturbing violent content, and for a crude sexual reference
  • Last updated : October 9, 2025

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

Unbreakable Poster Image

What to Watch Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate