Director M. Night Shyamalan caused a stir with his spellbinding thriller "The Sixth Sense." Unfortunately, he's been trying to regain his mojo ever since. His new movie "Split" stoops to torture porn. James McAvoy sinks his acting chops into a severely disturbed character, who displays 24 different male (and female) personalities. One of the more aggressive of these characters kidnaps three teenage girls from a shopping mall parking lot, and holds them hostage in a creepy basement. Soon the girls must deal with the shifting characters, while trying to figure out a way to escape. We learn more of this story as McAvoy visits psychiatrist Betty Buckley, who specializes in treating multiple personality cases. It should come as no surprise to any of these characters that things don't go well. Kidnap victim Anya Taylor-Joy arrives in the basement with problems of her own, that ultimately help her situation. Shyamalan is best known for his surprise endings, and "Split" offers a few, but nothing as Earth-shaking as "The Sixth Sense." There's an unseemly air to this story... so much so, that I couldn't wait to get outside and breathe in some fresh air. Zero stars, rated "PG-13." Does it deliver what it promises? Torture porn. Is it entertaining? Dreadful. Is it worth the price of admission? Long, predictable, and empty.
