I just watched Glass for the first time last night, and I thought it was GREAT! I'm just gonna outright say that I don't agree with many of the negative reviews and the Rotten Tomatoes score. I can see why the ending is divisive, but by no means is this a poorly made movie, or a "trash" movie. I've seen terrible movies... this is NOT one of them.
Unbreakable is one of my all-time favorite movies, and Split was fantastic. So, it's fair to say I was extremely excited to see Glass. The only reason I didn't see it sooner is because my hometown didn't get the movie until yesterday (a full two weeks after the movie originally came out). Due to the mixed reception the movie was getting, I tried my best to go in with blank expectations, and form my own opinion afterward. I came out of the theatre more than satisfied with what I got. The acting, cinematography, direction, music, and action scenes were all really well executed. The plot is incredibly unique and original, and for the most part well executed. Having superpowered people trying to escape from a psychiatric hospital is an awesome premise! The only major gripe I have with the plot is David Dunn's arc. It could've been so much better, and I wish he had more screen time. I've seen reviews faulting the middle of the movie for being "too slow" or whatever. That's exactly why I LOVED the middle of the movie. It's like many of the critics were going into this expecting a Marvel movie with tons of action. Shyamalan is known for making slow-burn movies that keep you engaged and interested. Sure, it hasn't always worked out for all his movies, but I genuinely believe he's incredibly talented.
Now, let's talk about that ending! Wow. It makes you believe there's going to be this massive confrontation atop the tallest skyscraper in the city! When I first realized the climax might take place atop a skyscraper, my immediate thought was "I've seen this all before. I know exactly how this is going to play out." However, this is a Shyamalan movie after all, so it ain't gonna play out the way you think it is. The typical "good guy vs bad guy fight atop a tall tower in front of many people" trope has been done many times before (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Amazing Spider-Man, etc). Guess what... it NEVER happens! Instead, we get this awesome fight scene between David and The Beast in front of the hospital.
Then there's the divisive part of the ending. David, The Horde, Mr. Glass... all three of them die. DEAD. While I feel Kevin and Elijah's deaths were done right, it seems the most important character (in my opinion) was the only one that didn't have a proper death. David's death was really sad in that he was the only one who wasn't with someone special to him. Kevin had Casey, Elijah had his mom. With such a small arc and little screen time, his death felt even worse. The big twist is that Dr. Staple is actually part of a secret organization. This organization is trying to keep the existence of superheroes a secret by either eliminating them, or convincing them that they do not possess superpowers. I think this makes a lot of sense. Where are all the other superheroes and villains? Why are there only three of them? The twist answers those questions.
All in all, I thought this was a great conclusion to what is now one of my all-time favorite trilogies. While not perfect, I can tell this movie was crafted with a lot of love and care. It's not trying to be a Marvel movie, or other superhero movies of today. Glass is DIFFERENT from the rest, and I love that about it.
My score: 8/10
