@Heisenberg12 said:

..was one of MCCavoy's personalities? The uncle abuse storyline, her own hint at mental problems, some of the psychologist's descriptions of MPD- how it can manifest two different people simultaneously, and he calls her "Patricia" when he is behind her in the bed (and talks to her like she's one of them from behind the bars at the end when she shoots him) made me think so. Maybe not, though.

Either way, this was one of the creepiest and scariest movies I've ever seen.

7/10

this was scary? I didn't find it scary a bit, pretty much no suspense, better check Don't breathe from last year, that was one small enjoyable movie withoyt any hype like Split, for sure more thrilling

Yeah it was creepy. I liked Don't Breathe better than than this

@Heisenberg12 said:

..was one of MCCavoy's personalities? The uncle abuse storyline, her own hint at mental problems, some of the psychologist's descriptions of MPD- how it can manifest two different people simultaneously, and he calls her "Patricia" when he is behind her in the bed (and talks to her like she's one of them from behind the bars at the end when she shoots him) made me think so. Maybe not, though.

Either way, this was one of the creepiest and scariest movies I've ever seen.

7/10

Nope. She was a real person. I think you're over analyzing the movie/ making more out of it than it actually is. And I'm with @Markoff on this: did you really think this movie was scary?

Then why did they keep showing flashbacks from Casey's time with her uncle while simultaneously juxtaposing the psychologist's explaining that MPD was caused by "traumatic experiences"? It appeared like what they were "hinting" at was that Casey was molested by her uncle, which would be a traumatic experience. Why the hell else would she point a shotgun at him?

In addition, the psychologist also explains that this MPD is capable of existing in two places at the same time outside of the person. I mean, this is clearly a "supernatural" movie, and the guy turns into a creature who walks upside down on walls, so why wouldn't it be possible to supernaturally be two different people, especially when it's clearly indicated that Casey is strange herself and known to be weird, as well?

Yeah, it was scary. The dude squeezes the old lady to death and then is shown "eating" one of the teenage girls. That's flucking morbid, gross, and sickening. The movie was weird and creepy. I was glad when it was over.

@Heisenberg12 said:

Then why did they keep showing flashbacks from Casey's time with her uncle while simultaneously juxtaposing the psychologist's explaining that MPD was caused by "traumatic experiences"? It appeared like what they were "hinting" at was that Casey was molested by her uncle, which would be a traumatic experience. Why the hell else would she point a shotgun at him?

In addition, the psychologist also explains that this MPD is capable of existing in two places at the same time outside of the person. I mean, this is clearly a "supernatural" movie, and the guy turns into a creature who walks upside down on walls, so why wouldn't it be possible to supernaturally be two different people, especially when it's clearly indicated that Casey is strange herself and known to be weird, as well?

Yeah, it was scary. The dude squeezes the old lady to death and then is shown "eating" one of the teenage girls. That's flucking morbid, gross, and sickening. The movie was weird and creepy. I was glad when it was over.

Haha okay that bit may have been kind of creepy. Now, about the whole Casey plot: in my opinion, her backstory is supposed to reinforce what Kevin/beast states by the end of the movie, that the ones who go through greater pain are the ones who endure most (or something like that). It was because she had also been abused as a child (something he noticed from her self inflicted scars) that he somewhat felt empathic towards her and ended up letting her go. I get your points, i admit they might be valid (it is indeed a supernatural plot), but to me the movie just didn't go as far as that. Maybe I'm under appreciating the movie, but it just didn't feel as elaborated as you describe it.

@Heisenberg12 said:

Then why did they keep showing flashbacks from Casey's time with her uncle while simultaneously juxtaposing the psychologist's explaining that MPD was caused by "traumatic experiences"? It appeared like what they were "hinting" at was that Casey was molested by her uncle, which would be a traumatic experience. Why the hell else would she point a shotgun at him?

They weren't only hinting she was sexually abused by her uncle, that was their way of telling you she in fact was without being unnecessarily explicit.

Casey isn't one of Kevin's alters and by you thinking she might be, I think you didn't fully take in one of the big parts of the story with the broken are more evolved line, and the unique relationship Casey and Kevin both share as a result of both of them being survivors and the way they end up playing this off of each other.

@RainingBullets said:

@Heisenberg12 said:

Then why did they keep showing flashbacks from Casey's time with her uncle while simultaneously juxtaposing the psychologist's explaining that MPD was caused by "traumatic experiences"? It appeared like what they were "hinting" at was that Casey was molested by her uncle, which would be a traumatic experience. Why the hell else would she point a shotgun at him?

They weren't only hinting she was sexually abused by her uncle, that was their way of telling you she in fact was without being unnecessarily explicit.

Casey isn't one of Kevin's alters and by you thinking she might be, I think you didn't fully take in one of the big parts of the story with the broken are more evolved line, and the unique relationship Casey and Kevin both share as a result of both of them being survivors and the way they end up playing this off of each other.

Of course. But it wasn't explicit douche. So I said hinted in case anyone had a different view. There was no doubt to me.

As far as the explanation, still doesn't cut it. Being more evolved is exactly the kind of thing which I was referring. If this is supernatural and he can turn into a monster literally, maybe he also can defy science and be two different people. It's like his mirror image personality. But what's more is a poignant line is the psychologist saying he can possibly be at two places at one time, then they cut right to Casey. Combine that with all the trauma talk, and it seems they wanted to viewer to wonder. In addition, Casey was said to be so weird from the beginning, you never really route for her as the protagonist. The three girls are all equal in that regard, and if anything Casey is one to be suspicious of.

I guess Shymalan has just stamped himself in my mind that a twist is coming and I'm conditioned to look for it. As it is, there was one, at least somewhat, but this was something I had wondered about. Even at the end, her uncle picks her up...that aspect of the story just was weird because it seemed more important than it ended up being. Why even delve so deep into it if it wasn't significant? So the end, she gets picked up by her uncle, but whats the big deal about that?

If in the end you are going to show that one of the victims had previously been a victim of abuse and thus will be seen by Kevin and his identities as a 'kindred spirit' of sort (hence why she is allowed to live) then you can't just thrust it upon the audience, you have to give them a background. Those flashbacks were that background, how hard is that to miss? If Casey had suddenly removed her top and showed her scars without any of the previous 'young Casey' scenes then the audience would have complained that the ending was sloppy and lazily done.

You would be able to call the ending Deus Ex Machina, a sudden unexpected revelation that wraps a story up without any explanation if Shyamalan had not illustrated throughout the movie how this wasn't Casey's first time at the hands of an abuser.

It did cross my mind briefly, but I just thought she was cute more than anything.

@Markoff said:

@Heisenberg12 said:

..was one of MCCavoy's personalities? The uncle abuse storyline, her own hint at mental problems, some of the psychologist's descriptions of MPD- how it can manifest two different people simultaneously, and he calls her "Patricia" when he is behind her in the bed (and talks to her like she's one of them from behind the bars at the end when she shoots him) made me think so. Maybe not, though.

Either way, this was one of the creepiest and scariest movies I've ever seen.

7/10

this was scary? I didn't find it scary a bit, pretty much no suspense, better check Don't breathe from last year, that was one small enjoyable movie withoyt any hype like Split, for sure more thrilling

Don't Breathe didn't have hype?

not as much as Split

I liked this movie too, and would also give it a 7/10. It had not occurred to me that Casey could have been an alternate but I find the theory interesting. It is stuff like this that makes me visit the message booards, so please keep posting. I miss the IMDB boards and hope that some good discussions get started on this site as well.

@Heisenberg12 said:

..was one of MCCavoy's personalities? The uncle abuse storyline, her own hint at mental problems, some of the psychologist's descriptions of MPD- how it can manifest two different people simultaneously, and he calls her "Patricia" when he is behind her in the bed (and talks to her like she's one of them from behind the bars at the end when she shoots him) made me think so. Maybe not, though.

Either way, this was one of the creepiest and scariest movies I've ever seen.

7/10

I

@Heisenberg12 said:

Yeah it was creepy. I liked Don't Breathe better than than this

I think they're different types of movies, kind of an odd comparison - Don't Breathe is a more traditional horror/suspense, I found Split to be more creepy/intriguing, but not at all scary. I liked it; was definitely better than expected with M Night's recent track of garbage.