Kicking the new year off in the box office is M. Night Shyamalan’s latest horror film, “Split.” The film follows three young women who are kidnapped by a man named Kevin, played by James McAvoy (“X-Men: Apocalypse”), who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, DID. This film takes on the tough realities of mental illness in a chilling new way.

The main protagonist, Casey, who is played by Anya Taylor-Joy (“Morgan”), is trapped in a room with two other girls, Claire (Haley Lu Richardson, “The Edge of Seventeen”), and Marcia (Jessica Sula, “Recovery Road”). Despite outnumbering their kidnapper, the girls have a tough time figuring out just why they are there.

McAvoy’s character is tough in this film, due to having to portray several different characters and even having to do them all at once in one part of the film. McAvoy does an outstanding job and really convinces the audience members that he is a different person each time his disorder comes into play.

Taylor-Joy’s portrayal as Casey is very well put together. The character has an interesting backstory, which comes into play later in the film, as well as her wit and willingness to survive.

Throughout the film, the audience not only sees how the girls view Kevin and his different personalities, they also see McAvoy’s character through the eyes of his therapist, helping the viewers get more of his backstory.

Meanwhile, the interactions between his personalities and the girls furthers the plot and adds suspense.

There are eight personalities featured within the film, of the 24 mentioned. They range in age, gender, ethnicity, strength and even health conditions. The main three who control him throughout the first half of the film are Hedwig, Patricia and Dennis.

Hedwig is a 9-year-old boy who likes to listen to music and dance. Patricia is a controlling older woman who is very strict and Dennis is a Russian bodybuilder who can deadlift over 200 pounds. There are other personalities featured in the film, such as Jade, Orwel, and Barry, but the viewers do not see these characters very often and it is not necessary for audiences to see all 24 personalities.

As the film progresses, the girls being held captive hear of a new identity who has intentions of harming them called “The Beast.”

In every Shyamalan film, the third act usually has a huge plot twist, often revealing something shocking. This film has a mild twist ending, which will surely be satisfy and possibly even excite audiences as the twist is revealed. However, for viewers who do not know Shyamalan’s films very well, the ending could be confusing, or lacking a more inclusive conclusion.

The film is mostly spent anticipating what “The Beast” is and if the girls will be able to escape the room they are trapped inside. The film will keep viewers carefully watching and anticipating who the next personality to reveal themselves will be.