David Dunn

David Dunn is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the Unbreakable film series, portrayed by American actor Bruce Willis. Dunn is a former college football prodigy and presently a security guard who discovers he has superhuman abilities. He is the protagonist in Unbreakable, a minor cameo character in Split, and will return in Glass as the main protagonist.

Dunn was a football prodigy sought out by professional teams, but in later life, he finds himself in a dying marriage with his college sweetheart, Audrey, much to the distress of their son Joseph, and working as security guard at a football stadium. As he returns home from an unsuccessful job interview in New York City, David's train crashes, killing the other 131 passengers, while he is the only survivor, sustaining no injuries.

Biography[]

Early life[]

David Dunn was born in Philadelphia 1960. Little is known about his past except that he almost died drowning in a pool at his school. Since the incident safety precautions around the school's pool area have been more strict and the story became an urban legend between kids for years. As a result of the trauma he endured, Dunn had become phobic of water.

When he reached the age of 20, Dunn pursued a career as an aspiring football player at the Philadelphia University. But what could have become a promising career quickly dies after a near fatal car accident involving his girlfriend and future wife, Audrey. Although no one knew that he was uninjured, he used the opportunity to give up football so that he could be with with Audrey, since she hated the sport.

They were married for years and had a son named Joseph. Dunn makes his living as a security guard at the stadium which he used to play at. Little is known why, but David and Audrey's relationship has strained to the point where they sleep in separate bedrooms. At one point of this struggle, Dunn decides to go to New York to apply for a better job.

On a ride back home to Philadelphia, David is caught in a train wreck that has killed 131 passengers. Not only is he the sole survivor, but he hasn't broken one bone or has had a scratch on him. He reunites with Audrey and Joseph as they among other families of victims wait for him at the hospital. He later attends a mourning service for the other 131 passengers. After the service Dunn finds a card on the windshield of his car with the words "Limited Edition" engraved on the front. David flips the card which has black marker writing which says "How many days have you been sick?".

At first David asks around his workplace and Audrey the very same question; neither of them recall him ever being sick. Then Dunn takes his son Joseph to the Limited Edition comic book art museum, where he meets the man responsible for the card: Elijah Price. Elijah explains of his disease known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta type 1; which means his bones are very frail and easily breakable. Price theories that if there was someone like him in the world then there would be someone that is the opposite of him. He goes on to explain he has seen the city's disasters, ranging from a plane crash, and a hotel fire. Price was looking for key words to find what he was looking for. When he heard about the train crash and heard the words "Sole survivor" he believes that he has found the man he was looking for. This interests David at first until Price mentions that he believes Dunn to be a modern day superhero, someone that comics based themselves on. This throws Dunn off and he accuses Price of being a scam artist. He then leaves with Joseph to go home. At home, Audrey tells David that she believes it is a miracle that he survived that train and wishes they could start over again, even going as far as asking him out on a date. One day at work, Dunn gets a call that someone is trying to get in the stadium on a bogus ticket. He goes to see the person who reveals himself to be Elijah, who finds it strange that a person that doesn't think he is a superhero, takes a job that requires him to protect people.

Dunn gets him a seat at the game and along the way, he gets a vision of a man with a camouflage jacket was carrying a silver gun with a black grip. Although David's vision was accurate (later confirmed by Elijah.) it doesn't help shake his skepticism. David returns home from work to workout with Joseph helping him with the weights. It is there, where they discovered David has limitless strength. Dunn later tries to test Price's theory, when he gets a vision that one of the customers is selling drugs. After searching the man finding nothing, he begins to doubt himself. Dunn then gets a call from Joseph's school, that he got hurt in a fight defending a girl.

While in the office the principal remembers Dunn from back when she was a school nurse. She reminds him of the time he almost died in the swimming pool, which answers Elijah's sick question. Back at home Audrey tells David that Elijah has been stalking her telling her his theory. Before he can react, Joseph enters the room with his gun intending to shoot David to prove he is a superhero. David manages to convince him not to, by threatening to leave and go to New York. Dunn confronts Elijah over this and tells him he has been sick from drowning.

Before leaving David warns him to stay away from his family. After a date with Audrey he gets a message from Price stating that every hero has a weakness, and David's is water. David later goes to the train yard to see the remains of his train in the accident. He looks and sees a big hole where his window seat used to be. Dunn later remembers the car accident where he was able to rip the door off to save Audrey whilst he was unharmed from it. Dunn later calls Elijah asking for advice. Price tells him to go to where people are and that the rest is up to him.

The Accident[]

On a ride back home to Philadelphia, David is caught in a train wreck that has killed 131 passengers. Not only is he the sole survivor, but he hasn't broken one bone or has had a scratch on him. He reunites with Audrey and Joseph as they among other families of victims wait for him at the hospital. He later attends a mourning service for the other 131 passengers. After the service Dunn finds a card on the windshield of his car with the words "Limited Edition" engraved on the front. David flips the card which has black marker writing which says "How many days have you been sick?".

At first David asks around his workplace and Audrey the very same question; neither of them recall him ever being sick. Then Dunn takes his son Joseph to the Limited Edition comic book art museum, where he meets the man responsible for the card: Elijah Price. Elijah explains of his disease known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta type 1; which means his bones are very frail and easily breakable. Price theories that if there was someone like him in the world then there would be someone that is the opposite of him. He goes on to explain he has seen the city's disasters, ranging from a plane crash, and a hotel fire. Price was looking for key words to find what he was looking for. When he heard about the train crash and heard the words "Sole survivor" he believes that he has found the man he was looking for. This interests David at first until Price mentions that he believes Dunn to be a modern day superhero, someone that comics based themselves on. This throws Dunn off and he accuses Price of being a scam artist. He then leaves with Joseph to go home. At home, Audrey tells David that she believes it is a miracle that he survived that train and wishes they could start over again, even going as far as asking him out on a date. One day at work, Dunn gets a call that someone is trying to get in the stadium on a bogus ticket. He goes to see the person who reveals himself to be Elijah, who finds it strange that a person that doesn't think he is a superhero, takes a job that requires him to protect people.

Dunn gets him a seat at the game and along the way, he gets a vision of a man with a camouflage jacket was carrying a silver gun with a black grip. Although David's vision was accurate (later confirmed by Elijah.) it doesn't help shake his skepticism. David returns home from work to workout with Joseph helping him with the weights. It is there, where they discovered David has limitless strength. Dunn later tries to test Price's theory, when he gets a vision that one of the customers is selling drugs. After searching the man finding nothing, he begins to doubt himself. Dunn then gets a call from Joseph's school, that he got hurt in a fight defending a girl.

While in the office the principal remembers Dunn from back when she was a school nurse. She reminds him of the time he almost died in the swimming pool, which answers Elijah's sick question. Back at home Audrey tells David that Elijah has been stalking her telling her his theory. Before he can react, Joseph enters the room with his gun intending to shoot David to prove he is a superhero. David manages to convince him not to, by threatening to leave and go to New York. Dunn confronts Elijah over this and tells him he has been sick from drowning.

Before leaving David warns him to stay away from his family. After a date with Audrey he gets a message from Price stating that every hero has a weakness, and David's is water. David later goes to the train yard to see the remains of his train in the accident. He looks and sees a big hole where his window seat used to be. Dunn later remembers the car accident where he was able to rip the door off to save Audrey whilst he was unharmed from it. Dunn later calls Elijah asking for advice. Price tells him to go to where people are and that the rest is up to him.

The Man in the Orange Jumpsuit[]

David goes to the subway station where he reaches out making sure everyone touches him. He sees visions of a woman in red stealing, a man in yellow assaulting an interracial couple, a date rapist, and a man in orange invading a family's house. Dunn follows the man to the house using his rain poncho as a disguise. While sneaking in he notices the man of the house dead, and two children tied up. Dunn unties the kids and goes to the master bedroom where he sees the mother tied to a radiator. He looks around the room for The Orange Man, who sneaks up behind him and knocks him out of the window. David lands in a pool where he nearly drowns, but the kids save his life. Dunn later goes back and kills The Orange Man by strangling him to death. When he unties the mother, she was already dead. Dunn then goes home and rests not feeling sad anymore.

The Handshake[]

The morning after he secretly shows Joseph a newspaper of his night out, advising him never to tell Audrey. Dunn later goes to Limited Edition during their exhibition, where he meets Elijah who congratulates him on his first night. Elijah then shakes his hand, giving David a vision of him being the cause of all the disasters that were mentioned, including the train wreck. There are several plans for explosives and other acts of terrorism displayed around his room. Elijah explains that he was meant to be the villain in David's story and adopts the name, "Mr. Glass". David immediately alerts the authorities, and Elijah is sent to an institution for the criminally insane.

Duty Calls...[]

Fifteen years later, while having breakfast in a small diner, David hears news of the atrocities committed by Kevin Wendell Crumb, a nigh-indestructible superhuman with 24 separate personalities. The media dubs him "The Horde" and advises that he is at large. Whether David is already in pursuit of Kevin is unknown, but his reaction to suggests that his duties are far from over.

Dunn vs Beast[]

A year later David Dunn manages to track down The Horde but through unknown circumstances he also comes into contact with his former friend and mentor and archenemy Elijah Price AKA Mr. Glass.

Personality[]

David is a fairly stoic and serious-minded individual. He also loves his family very much, not wanting his strange powers to interfere with their lives. Despite this David at the same time also has a strong sense of responsibility and justice, causing him to decide to use his powers to help people, despite his desire to keep to himself.

Powers and abilites[]

Powers[]

Superhuman Strength: David is extraordinarily strong. He has demonstrated that he can easily tear off a car door and bench press over five hundred pounds. The more David believes in his strength, the stronger he becomes. An example of this would be the workout scene. He was barely able to press the bar but when his son pretended to remove weights, David easily pressed it with little effort. The upper limits of his strength were never accurately mesured.

Invulnerability: David Dunn possesses an incredible resilience to injury. It is believed that he is virtually impossible to physically injure. His body is far more resistant to damage and stresses than any ordinary human being. He has withstood physical traumas and shocks that would have seriously injured or killed a normal human being. His unique resilience also apparently translates to granting him an immunity to conventional diseases or viruses. He has never gotten sick or suffered from common pains or ills possibly because his body is simply too powerful to be affected in this fashion.

Psychic power: David also possesses some unknown and not clearly understood power to instinctively know if a person is good or evil. It is believed that this may be a form of psychometric power or some type of heightened instinct that he could employ unconsciously. If an evil person stood out to David, he could perceive that they are trying to hide something, that they were guilty of some crime. Under certain circumstances, usually if David made physical contact with a person and if they were thinking of their past evil, he can empathically see a person past evil deed.

Vulnerabilities[]

For some unknown reason, David is extremely vulnerable to water. Possibly because of the differences in his body. He cannot float but rather sinks and as a result, he nearly drowned as a child and almost died. Water appears to weaken him and drain his strength. It is possible that this effect is purely psychological in nature. Water may be unconsciously associated with his near death as a child. Water also causes his death in Glass after he is drowned and killed by Ellie Staple's henchmen.

Relationships[]

Family

Audrey Dunn - Wife
Joseph Dunn - Son

Allies

Kelly † - Friend
Dr. Dubin - Doctor
Noel - Boss
Casey Cooke

Enemies

Stadium drug dealer
The Orange Man † - Victim
Elijah Price/Mr. Glass - Former Friend turned Enemy
Kevin Wendell Crumb/The Horde

Trivia[]

Bruce Willis was uncredited for his appearance in Split.

Reception[]

Willis received critical praise for his performance as Dunn in Unbreakable. Critic Roger Ebert believed that Willis' "subtle acting" was positively different from the actor's usual work in "brainless action movies". Quentin Tarantino, who directed Willis in Pulp Fiction, has also praised his performance in Unbreakable, saying he considers it his best work.

External links[]

David Dunn on Wikipedia

Moviepedia