Customer Reviews

Shattered

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Please keep in mind that I am one of a handful of people that saw this film ON THE BIG SCREEN IN A MOVIE THEATER instead of just on TNT, butchered for television, with commercial interruptions. It is much better the way it was intended to be seen. After seeing the film twice ON THE BIG SCREEN during its limited release, these are my comments:

Imagine a Yuppie Gerard Butler. Great looking. Confident. Successful. Gorgeous wife. Beautiful sweet daughter. The perfect life in upscale suburban Chicago. Enter mysterious menacing stalking stranger and their worst nightmare begins. He threatens the life of their daughter as insurance for their obedience to his demands.

Sound like the typical 'kidnapped kid' flick? It's not.

It's taut, suspenseful, edge of your seat storytelling combined with good solid performances by all, especially Bello and Brosnan. Butler is very good, but I've seen him better. I believe he filmed this on the heels of the grueling demands of 300 and it shows a bit. He may not be at the very top of his game here, but he still performs well.

Brosnan upped his credibility as an actor for me in this film. He played the menacing stranger perfectly. Just the right tone of voice and facial expressions, joined with his eyes and body language, spoke in unison to perfection in every scene. I'd really like to see more from him, he is a very good dramatic actor. I like him better as an older, mature man. More gritty, less suave.

Maria Bello is perfect as the mother held hostage by mother love and the need to protect her child at all costs.

I loved the score. Where you might expect a really intense, gritty score, this one opts for a quieter one with a hint of bluesy undertones and it works. It intensifies at the right moments, but never takes a front seat as often happens in thrillers. It melds with the action and helps makes each scene into an audiovisual, emotional emulsion.

In fact, the whole film is just quieter than one would expect, given what is usually served up with films of this genre. There are no car chases, no last minute rescues, no heroes. It never goes over the top. It has its feet on the ground and its eyes on what's human and real.

This film is no dud. Even though it had a very limited release, it is not the fault of the filmmakers or the actors. It is good movie-making. You may not think it's one of the best films you've ever seen, but there's a good chance you'll be satisfied that you got your money's worth. I give it a definite thumbs up.

Scale of 1-10? I give this an 8.

Warning: DON'T read much about this film. DON'T watch the trailer over and over. The less you know going in, the better your experience of it will be. Because of one seemingly innocuous remark made by someone who'd seen it, I guessed the ending about halfway through. I wasn't even trying. But things we hear stick in our minds whether we like it or not. I sincerely wish I had not guessed correctly. The rest of the film lost it's suspense for me.

Hint: This is a two timer. It's even better the second time.

Yes, I know it was actually released in the theaters, but it was not well-received and jumped to cable and rental venues in remarkable speed. I'm usually very cautious regarding films in which this happens, but I loved the three stars in this film so much that I just had to take a chance on this film and I'm glad I did.

I honestly can't reveal anything about the plot because, contrary to some reviewers on here, this is a solid mystery story that is a bit low-key and low-budget, hence, my "TV" film headline. The film is a lot of fun as Pierce Brosnan, previously known as James Bond, gives an outstanding performance as "the bad guy" in this film who takes great pride in torturing a couple that is well-played by Butler, The Phantom of the Opera and Bello, World Trade Center. I don't think his fans like him in such a role and that may be why this film suffered at the box-office just as his other excellently played bad guy role in The Matador which is definitely worth your viewing. Add in a low-budget feel to the film and I can see why some bulked at it, but it is so much better than most will expect if they give it a shot. Failure at the box-office does not mean the film is a failure or of no quality, just as great success at the box-office is no guarantee of a pleasurable experience either.

Well, I don't want to go on further and inadvertently give up any information that will lead people to figure out the mystery in this film, but it is very clever and you will be very perplexed until the end when you finally discover just why Brosnan's character is angry at this couple that he does the outlandish things that he does. It does stretch credibility at times, and the story is a bit contrived (like any mystery really is anyhow), but the performances and twists and turns of the plot should keep you glued to the screen.

This is a true psychological suspense thriller where the viewer has NO idea of the twists and turns in this movie. I truly enjoyed watching it but I'm finding it very hard to review. About all I can write is that the focus of the movie is on a couple whose child is kidnapped. From there, you have to see the film, the kidnapper and his wishes and what develops. Prepare for surprises. If you like unpredictable suspense films, Pierce Brosnam (showing his age but still appealing) is excellent as are the other actors.

I can't write more about this because I'll give away the plot. You deserve to be surprised. Sit back and prepare to be thrilled.

I don't recall this one getting much publicity or even its appearance in theaters so it really took me by surprise. In the film, a couple leaves home for a brief respite with their child in the care of a sitter. From there, the suspense builds, along with the news that their child has been kidnapped. I will only add that you need to pay close attention because what you see isn't always what you think.

I just watched this movie and enjoyed it to the very last second. Not going to give any plot points away here but these three leads are terrific and goodness knows Butler is white hot after 300Spartans so why didn't this get a big screen proper release? Oh well...its a terrific thriller..reminded me a bit of a Hitchcock. Great movie for a cold evening...highly recommended. Lovely widescreen presentation and nice bonus features...solid DVD.

This is one nail-biting psychological thriller. You never know until the very end where this film is taking you! All three actors have you pulled in from the "get-go!" It is the most thought provoking film to come out in a long while! Everyone has a different opinion of who is right and who is wrong.....love that! Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello are wonderful as the scorned spouses! What can I say about Gerard Butler.....he is absolutely mesmerizing in this....from the cocky guy in the beginning of the film to the beaten/broken down emotionally drained guy at the end! The more I watch this....the better it gets!

Pat Marcum

SHATTERED (also known as BUTTERFLY ON A WHEEL) is one of those films that starts out with a solid cast of highly respected actors to pull audiences in and then proceeds to squander talent in a script that should be still on the reject shelf. The film has all the markings and big budget of a major Hollywood money maker, but there is a very valid reason why the theatrical run was brief and unheralded, sending the movie to television and to DVD post haste: it just is a very weak work.

Writer William Morrissey had a thought, camouflaged behind the meaning of an obscure line from Pope ('butterfly on a wheel') that refers to the degree of torture one can take before breaking. The problem is that this tale of the consequences of infidelity has been done many, many times before with far better results. The astute viewer will find all the cracks in the plot line of this supposed 'startling thriller' from the first few frames: watching suspicions play out is very anticlimactic. Morrissey depends on what he imaged as a 'big surprise' ending and it just doesn't surprise!

Gerard Butler, Maria Bello, and Pierce Brosnan are all strong actors and one wonders why they opted to participate in this movie. It is not the best work of any of the three, trying to make credible characters out of the double-sided puzzle: kidnapping, testing of relationships, facing consequences of behavior. Director Mike Barker lets the drama sag when it most needs to be pushed. Unless the viewer just wants to see more of the three stars (even in a weak film) then that is the justification for sitting through this. Otherwise, pass... Grady Harp, December 07

"Shattered" is another example of why independent films are so essential; with a smaller budget, characterization and plot is emphasized, and when first-rate talent on both sides of the camera is involved, you have something really special!

Not that this thriller is without faults; the resolution is a letdown, and makes some of the earlier action seem somewhat illogical...but until this point, this is a wonderfully suspenseful drama, with three superb actors in the leads. Gerard Butler is a picture-perfect success, both at work, and at home, with a sexy, loving wife (Maria Bello, excellent as always) and young daughter. But when the couple is kidnapped on the highway by a sinister, sadistic stranger (Pierce Brosnan, effectively cast against 'type'), their lives are turned upside-down, revealing some devastating secrets.

Director Mike Barker has a real 'feel' for claustrophobic, dark settings, as well as vertigo-inducing heights, and "Shattered" is a roller-coaster suspense ride that is CERTAINLY worth watching, despite the resolution. I highly recommend it!

I have seen this movie 3 times on TNT and can't wait to get it on the DVD without all the cuts and commercials. This is a movie that will let you see one thing, and then another, and keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through. I watched it because of Gerard Butler, but Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello were very good in their characterizations too and I was very satisfied with all their performances.

I dont want to go into details here as this movie is best seen without knowing the twists and turns it takes in its unfolding, but believe me you will not want to see it just once. It invites discussion and a search into ones own sensibilities about what is right or wrong in human nature. I liked this film very much and feel it should have been allowed in theaters first. Oh yes, Gerard did a great job with this role and his range of emotions are stretched to the limits.....

I saw it on TNT and it was still a great movie. I enjoyed it even more the second time I watched it. If you are a Gerry Butler fan then you'll LOVE this movie. He is in almost EVERY scene. A feast for the eyes and his great acting.

Going into Shattered I wasn't sure what to expect since the movie went direct to video. Just because a movie is DTV doesn't mean its bad there are many reasons for that; It could be the studio doesn't have the money to give a theatrical run or it could also be a movie that is tough to market it could be a great movie, but doesn't have mass appeal and than there is because the movie just isn't very good.

Seeing the cast list I should have known better; Maria Bello is an actress I quite like, while she may not be a household name she is well known enough not to go DTV and with Gerard Butler quite popular right now and of course Pierce Brosnan I should have known there was a reason this went DTV in the States when it has 3 known actors. But I still gave the movie a chance.

As a whole Shattered is by no means a bad movie. It's well acted and mostly well made, but what does this movie in is the clichés. That is the biggest problem here. Writer William Morrissey writes the standard suspense/thriller. A man takes a couple hostage and if they don't do what he says their daughter dies. That is one of the most over-used plots in not just film, but TV as well. How many times have we seen that concept done with a family member in danger? Of course there comes a point when one of the characters goes against the villain and he gives them another chance. The villain messes with his hostages and proceeds to shatter their lives.

Again we have seen this done so many times and done better for that matter. The audience is almost always one step ahead and you'll figure out most of the plot twists before they happen and that is pretty much never a good thing. William Morrissey doesn't write a bad script, just one that is very clichéd. Sometimes the movie can still be a fun ride, but not this time.

Director Mike Barker doesn't do a bad job, but more often than not his scenes lack any real suspense or tension. In fairness the script was very clichéd so there is only so much he could do, but even the directing is by the books. All his scenes seem like a rehash of other movies and he never really tries to mix things up. Shattered wasn't a badly directed movie, but again it was just too by the book. There was a couple of fairly decent suspense moments, but not enough to really make this movie anything, but about average.

About the only time Shattered does actually work well is the final act; there was some decent suspense and there is a pretty decent twist. First off you know Tom Ryan played by Pierce Brosnan has some kind of connection to the people he's messing with. That was the only thing I didn't figure out. The twist is hardly original, but it works well, but it's not that good a twist to salvage this movie.

Brosnan though gives an excellent and even creepy performance to bad he was stuck in such a clichéd movie. Gerard Butler as Neil Randall also gives a good, but typical performance and the problem was he wasn't all that likeable and becomes even less likeable in the final act. Actually when the final act rolls around you might find yourself rooting for Brosnan's character rather than Butler's. Maria Bello delivers an excellent performance, but her role was just too typical for this type of movie. But Bello, handles the role well and is a much underrated actress.

Like I said the biggest problem with Shattered is that it plays out exactly like every single suspense/thriller out there. It takes a very clichéd plot and never once offers us anything different. The final act though does offer a decent twist that if you pay close attention you might just be able to figure out. But the motive was a little extreme for what happened, but it does sort of work and makes Shattered a little better, but a good final act that still has some clichés cannot save a movie filled with them.

Despite my 2-star rating Shattered is by no means a bad movie; like I said it just suffers way too much from the been there, done that. Sometimes that can work well, but not in this case. Despite 2-stars, Shattered isn't bad, but due to the clichés I had to deduct a star. This movie has gotten mixed reaction and I can understand why some people like it, but when all is said and done the lack of originality did it in for me.