So this past weekend I ventured out to go see "Split" by M. Night Shyamalan. I was totally looking forward to seeing this movie because I'm a total "Criminal Minds" nerd and I was under the impression that it would be something along the lines of a conventional crime drama, clearly I didn't watch the trailer showing the supernatural aspect of the movie. I was unaware of the component of the beast and that fact that cannibalism would be involved. Anyhow, this is not a movie review, but rather a take on the message I think M. Night Shyamalan was trying to get across to his audiences.

Something that stuck with me throughout the entire movie was the idea of mental illness and how it is perceived by society. The mental illness focused on in the movie was Dissociative Identity Disorder, or DID for short. DID is defined, "when a person's identity is fragmented into two or more distinct personalities," and it is usually a result of suffering severe abuse. There has been a good amount of controversy over the portrayal of this disorder in the movie Split, and clearly when you watch the movie and realize one of the personalities can scale walls and run at very high speeds then it's clear to see where the deluded portrayal lies. Though putting aside the logistics of the portrayal of the disorder, I think the message portrayed still remains the same.

Throughout the movie, Kevin and his multiple personalities say things along the lines of, "Now people will see us, now people will believe we are really here (Referring to his kidnapping three girls)." This dialogue spread within the movie made my heart hurt because it is easy to see that Shyamalan is showing the struggle people with Mental Illness' encounter. All Kevin wants deep down is recognition and acceptance from the world around him, but people can't even believe that he is telling the truth about having multiple personalities. In an obviously over-exaggerated way, the movie portrays a horrible crime that clearly could've been avoided had Kevin and his personalities received the same treatment that any other person would. Due to the fact that Kevin lacked a normal life and lacked compassion from the people around him, it caused him to do something drastic in order to prove a point. The movie ends with Kevin speaking with three of his personalities about how now they will be safe and they will be respected because of what the beast has shown the world they can do, otherwise known as kidnapping and eating teenage girls. Aside from the dramatics of that, the point is definitely driven home with the fact that Kevin now thinks he has shown the world that he is worth something.

I think it is really important to look beyond the Hollywood special effects and the thrill factor of this movie and to see the real issue that is being addressed - people with mental illnesses deserve to be treated just like everyone else. If people thought about others feelings' and actually treated those who were different the same, then the world would be a much happier, safer place. Obviously not treating someone with a disorder right won't result in a man-eating beast evolving, but it could really have a negative effect on someone's life. Too many people with mental illnesses are already hurting inside from their own struggles and scars, and they do not need the added burden of a society that doesn't accept them. All people deserve to be treated equally and with kindness.

All in all, "Split" was an interesting movie, but what really stuck with me was the hurt and pain Kevin must've felt that drove him to do what he did. Yeah my friends may laugh at me, telling me that I took a movie way too seriously, but helping people and making the world a better place is something that is really important to me, and I strive everyday to do what little I can to make the world a more accepting place. Go watch Split, maybe you'll see what I saw and you will feel moved to help break the stigma and negativity that surrounds mental illness. Hey, I mean someone's got to do it, right?