A man, Kevin Crumb, diagnosed with Dissociative identity disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder) kidnaps three teen girls in the new M. Night Shyamalan film “Split.” People living with this disorder create and live with personalities that constantly are fighting for control of the ‘light,’ which is the term used for being in control of their body.

James McAvoy phenomenally portrays Kevin Crumb and all his different personalities, giving a distinct and unique presence to each one. Crumb is diagnosed with 23 distinct personalities and a dangerous 24^th is coming. His personalities vary from a flamboyant fashion designer named Barry, to Dennis, a perverted Russian body builder with OCD, to Hedwig, a nine-year-old boy that loves to get down to some Kanye.

The film touches on multiple subjects from mental disorders, to sexual abuse, and being the outcast at school. Casey Cook is one of the three girls that is kidnapped by Crumb, and seems to be the only one with any sort of survival skills. The movie flashes back to Cook’s childhood, showing scenes of her on a hunting trip with her father and uncle showing how she learned her skills.

Split pulls on your heart strings and then knocks you down and spins you around. It makes you love some of Crumb’s personalities and hate others. Wanting some to succeed and others to fail. The suspenseful twists of the girls’ attempts to escape keep your heart pumping at every turn, each time getting closer to escape but also farther from freedom. The film was originally written as part of the 2000 Shyamalan film “Unbreakable.” The plot was to have David Dunn meet Crumb and then gone to save the three girls from their captor. With this fresh concept, the movie stands independently from “Unbreakable” and thrives on new script and well-chosen actors.

Overall, Split is a well written and phenomenally acted movie that makes you love and hate the characters on all sides of the plot. Its dark basement setting helps give the movie a suspenseful element as the plot plays out, taking you on a journey of internal struggle with Crumb and through the turmoil of being abducted by Cook.