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Glass

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General Review

Parent's Guide to Glass

Glass is a psychological thriller that serves as the third and final installment in a unique superhero narrative, following "Unbreakable" and "Split." The story brings together three individuals with extraordinary abilities: David Dunn, a man with superhuman strength and invulnerability; Elijah Price, a brilliant and manipulative strategist with extremely brittle bones, known as Mr. Glass; and Kevin Wendell Crumb, whose dissociative identity disorder manifests in numerous personalities, including the formidable 'Beast.' These characters find themselves confined in a psychiatric institution, where a doctor attempts to convince them their perceived powers are mere delusions. The film explores themes of identity, belief, and the fine line between reality and delusion in a world where comic book tropes might actually be real. It is intended for a mature audience, primarily teenagers and adults, due to its intense themes and violent sequences.

Things to Consider

High3

Violence

Glass features frequent and intense action violence, including physical beatings, combat with superhuman strength, and several on-screen or implied deaths with visible blood. The violence is a central component of the superhero-villain narrative.

David Dunn engages in vigilante justice, physically confronting and harming criminals. Kevin Wendell Crumb, as 'The Beast,' uses extreme force, crushing a man and implying cannibalism, and is seen squeezing people to death. Elijah Price orchestrates a train crash and other events leading to mass casualties. Characters suffer fatal injuries including being shot in the abdomen, bleeding out, a throat being cut off-screen with visible blood, and drowning.

Scary & Intense Content

The film contains high levels of psychological tension, suspenseful sequences, and frightening elements. The themes of mental illness, trauma, and the unpredictable nature of super-powered individuals contribute to a consistently intense atmosphere.

Disrespect & Rebellion

Key characters demonstrate significant and often violent disrespect and rebellion against authority figures and societal norms, driving major plot points and conflicts within the story.

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Medium3
LGBTQ & Gender IdentityRomance and Sexual ContentProfanity
Low3
Witchcraft & OccultSubstance UseAnti-Christian Themes
Medium3

LGBTQ & Gender Identity

The film does not feature explicit LGBTQ+ characters or storylines as a primary focus. However, one character, Kevin Wendell Crumb, exhibits multiple personalities, some of which are female and engage in cross-dressing, and one female personality briefly flirts with a male orderly.

Romance and Sexual Content

The film contains minimal romantic content, primarily portraying a supportive, platonic relationship. However, there is a disturbing thematic reference to child molestation in a character's backstory, and brief suggestive attire is noted.

Profanity

The film includes moderate use of profanity, with various PG-13 level swear words appearing intermittently throughout the dialogue, often in moments of stress or confrontation.

Low3

Witchcraft & Occult

The narrative of Glass focuses on characters with superhuman abilities, which are presented within a comic book-inspired, quasi-realistic framework rather than supernatural magic, witchcraft, or occult practices.

Substance Use

The film has minimal substance use, limited to adult characters occasionally drinking alcohol in social settings without explicit intoxication. There is no depiction of illegal drug use or smoking.

Anti-Christian Themes

The film does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes or overt mockery of Christian beliefs. While it explores themes of belief, faith, and a character's self-perception in a 'Romantic worldview,' it does so without directly opposing or criticizing Christian doctrine.

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Glass" primarily explores themes of identity, belief, and the fine line between reality and delusion, often challenging rigid scientific materialism in favor of individual conviction. The core message of "belief in oneself" can be both intriguing and problematic from a Christian worldview. While affirming one's God-given identity and purpose is biblical, the film often elevates self-actualization to a point where it supersedes objective moral truth. This can lead to a relativistic worldview where personal belief dictates reality, potentially contradicting the Christian understanding of universal truth found in God's Word. Character morality is presented in shades of grey. David Dunn embodies traditional heroic virtue, fighting tirelessly against evil. However, characters like Elijah Price (Mr. Glass) and Kevin Wendell Crumb (The Beast), despite their villainous actions, are driven by their own complex beliefs and traumas, with the narrative sometimes portraying their morally questionable acts as necessary for a perceived greater purpose. This lack of clear moral accountability for vice, particularly when Mr. Glass is ultimately framed as a visionary, can be troubling for Christian parents. Elements of redemption are present, largely through the character of Casey Cooke, who exhibits remarkable compassion and seeks to understand and help Kevin, despite his horrific past. Her empathy offers a glimmer of grace within the narrative, although the film's suggestion of her "absolving" Kevin can be seen as minimizing the gravity of his actions. Mr. Glass's ultimate "sacrifice" to reveal the existence of superhumans to the world, while a significant plot point, is born out of manipulative and destructive means, not true biblical sacrifice or selfless love. Family values are portrayed through the strong and loyal bond between David Dunn and his son Joseph. Conversely, Kevin's deep trauma and dissociative identity disorder are directly linked to child abuse, highlighting the devastating impact of broken family structures. Faith, specifically Christianity, is not explicitly or respectfully depicted, with the "Beast" character even acting as a distorted "evangelist" for "the Broken" through suffering. Instances of profanity, including the misuse of Jesus' name, further indicate a lack of reverence for Christian faith within the film's dialogue. Overall, while the film raises interesting questions about belief and purpose, its moral ambiguity and self-determinative worldview may require careful discussion for Christian families.

Additional Context

Best For Ages

Ages 13 and up. The film is rated PG-13 due to frequent intense violence, mature thematic elements including psychological distress and trauma, and some strong language. Younger viewers may find the psychological complexity, frightening characters, and depictions of peril too intense.

Good to Know

The book 'Glass' is a novelization of the M. Night Shyamalan film. Therefore, content reviews for the movie are directly applicable to the book. The film is part of a trilogy, and themes of trauma, mental illness, and moral ambiguity are central and build upon previous installments. Parents should be aware of the film's darker psychological elements, which distinguish it from typical superhero fare.

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