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Parents' Guide to

Split

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Teen girls in danger in smart, satisfying, scary thriller.

Movie PG-13 2017 116 minutes
Split Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 40 parent reviews

age 14+

An outstanding film with incredible acting but it's very important not to let any kid under 14 watch it.

This film is a psychological horror about a man with DID (disassociated identity disorder) who abducts 3 teenage girls. It is very disturbing especially for kids who don't understand mental disorders. The films is amazing by itself but they do view the condition in a negative way and the present it as though people with DID are dangerous when this is far from the truth. Much like schizophrenia, people who have DID are only a danger to themselves and very very rarely hurt other people. The reason I have said a 14 year old can watch it is because it's not very scary as a horror film it's just not very pleasant to watch someone who has been abducted and it may leave viewers scared of this as abduction does happen. The films also contains sexual assault with one of the girls being abused by her uncle which is separate to the abduction story and young people will also find that unsettling. This film is amazing with the incredible actor James Mcavoy portraying the characters perfectly so it is a must watch for adults who like this sort of film.

This title has:

Too much violence
3 people found this helpful.
age 18+

NC-17

1 person found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (40 ):
Kids say (68 ):

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan launches a full-fledged comeback with this tense, satisfying horror-thriller. Split is refreshingly infused with thoughtful ideas and sly suggestion, rather than gore or brutality. Shyamalan has had quite an up-and-down career; in 2016 he tested the waters with the small-scale The Visit, and he now makes a bold return to his Sixth Sense and Unbreakable glory days. Split actually resembles the latter film in some ways, rooted in real-world theories about the elastic limits of human possibility.

As ever, the director's camerawork is above reproach; he creates a sinister, windowless, underground lair, smoothly snaking with corridors, dingy doors and pipes, and harsh pools of light. His writing is subtler here than in other films, with a few odd touches but confident overall. Best of all are the two leads: Joy (The Witch) has an awesome, ethereal presence, and McAvoy conveys at least a half-dozen of his character's personalities with an uncanny, haunting clarity. Split is a smart movie that will undoubtedly leave viewers thinking -- and discussing.

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