Unbreakable

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Unbreakable

Unbreakable is a film about a Philadelphia security guard named David Dunne, who’s involved in a massive train derailment. He’s the lone survivor and escapes without a single scratch, but it dawns on him that he has rarely, if ever, been sick or injured in his life. This realization is confirmed by the appearance of Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), a mysterious comic book art dealer who is the complete opposite of David physically, born with broken bones, living a life of injuries and deep- seated anger. Elijah is positive that an “unbreakable” man like David exists, and now that he’s found him, he’s determined to persuade David to accept the idea that he is a protector of the human race. Throughout the film, many contrasts are drawn between David and Elijah, foreshadowing the connection that emerges between them.
David and Elijah are at completely opposite ends of the spectrum in this film. The first difference that becomes evident is their physical makeup; Elijah is born with a genetic disorder making his bones break like eggshells while David escapes a

deadly train crash unscathed. Elijah is taunted at school by the other children and called “Mr. Glass” because he is so easily injured, and David is the all star football player. David lifts weights while Elijah walks with a cane or moves around in a wheelchair. Also, Elijah catches every virus that goes by and David never gets sick.
Another difference between David and Elijah is their lifestyles. David is married with a son, and Elijah is alone except for his mother. David is a security guard and Elijah runs an art gallery. The contrast between the two characters is magnified by flashback scenes of their past and by their first meeting at Elijah’s art gallery. Elijah is a surly character whereas David is more introspective.
As they get to know each other, the dissimilarities remain quite obvious, David’s first impression i...