As much as I love being scared out of my mind by a film, “Split” led to me becoming rather intrigued and captivated rather than terrified out of my wits.

The movie came out on Jan. 20. It featured James McAvoy, Betty Buckley, and Anya Taylor-Joy and was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. This thriller/horror film has grossed over $142 million dollars worldwide and, as number one at the box office, is receiving much popular acclaim. This is definitely more of a thriller than a horror production, since it was more surprising than visually horrific.

The movie introduces a character named Kevin Wendell Crumb (McAvoy) who has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. He kidnaps three girls, one of whom is named Casey (Taylor-Joy), an outsider in school. Weekly, he visits Doctor Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley) who treats him and his condition. At this time, three out of 23 of his personalities believe in a higher being more powerful than all of his identities combined. This “scary” higher being is what provokes one of his personalities to kidnap the girls.

Throughout this motion picture, there were many laughs and suspenseful moments that wouldn’t allow you to look away. With my eyes glued on the screen, I noticed the enthralling acting skills of McAvoy and his abilities in portraying characters, each vastly different from the next. The real reason I was not afraid of McAvoy’s character was merely because I know of his past films: “X Men,” “Penelope,” and “Atonemen.” He is an absolutely divine and attractive actor.

Doubtlessly, a surprise ending to the film begs the question, when will there be a sequel? It has left me wondering endless outcomes of this movie. Throughout this experience, I was on edge and did not know what to expect. I would definitely recommend seeing this if you are looking for a movie that causes you to think and expect the unexpected. There are many surprises throughout, and it was a riveting storyline. This movie will certainly leave you shaken, not stirred.