Shattered (2007)

 Totally unexpected GOOD!
At last I got to see that movie after waiting so long. What a great movie with a totally unexpected ending. Both Bronson and Butler acted their parts so well that one is totally thrown. Wonderful plot. Enough said, get the DVD and see the movie for yourself. Do not let anyone tell you too much it will spoil it for you. May 1, 2008

 one terrific movie!!!
I thought that this movie was terrific. It had me guessing until the end. April 10, 2008

 Butterfly on a Wheel/Shattered:Captivating; Good performances
Not in a Hitchcock thriller sort of way, but in a decent nothing-new-under ¡Vthe-sun-2007 way. This is the story of a couple, Neil and Abby Randall, who on a night out, have their young daughter kidnapped. Neil is a successful businessman and Abby is a SaHM. They are considered to be the perfect family, and for reasons we don¡¦t know just yet, Tom (Brosnan) wants to destroy everything they have. While the daughter is at the house with the babysitter (who is working for Tom), Tom is holding holding Abby and Neil hostage riding around town making them do outrageous things (i.e. clean out their bank accts, deliver a sealed envelope to Neil¡¦s boss, etc). Everything is designed to test just how much they are willing to give up. Things tense up b/t the couple, and we start to see that maybe they¡¦re not so perfect after all.

In the climax of the movie, we discover some interesting info that adds another dimension to the story. Tom continues to bait Neil who is nearing a breaking point and Neil is forced to make a decision that could effectively destroy his life. Near the end, there¡¦s another twist that lays all the pieces into place.

I¡¦m very picky about movies and rarely go these dyas, but this is easily one that could find its way into my collection. I don't remember seeing any ads for this? The story wasn¡¦t anything groundbreaking, but due to excellent performances, steady pacing, and a straightforward storyline that didn¡¦t try to squeeze in tons of material, it was very easy to sit through w/no breaks. I didn¡¦t figure out the first twist (that was a surprise), but I did, sort of, guess the second. Well, not really guess, but a certain scene put me on alert. But to the movies credit, that didn¡¦t happen til the end º I also liked that there weren¡¦t really any loose ends. Some might disagree, but I thought it ended in a way where the viewer could imagine a few scenarios, but would still be satisfied by the movie.

If you¡¦re looking for an easy movie on a rainy night or when you¡¦re working on a paper (like I was), this is it.
April 5, 2008

 This SHOULD have been in theaters!
This was a very good movie with great intensity and a nice set of twists at the end. Brosnan is a known factor .. however Butler's performance was surprising and intense. Bello gave the weakest performance of the trio lacking depth. I wondered why I had never heard of it and then found that it was merely "tested" at a few theaters in a single city. With all the trash that hits the screen nowadays ... one questions why it was not released. The stars (two of which are up and coming and could use the exposure) and producers of this movie were robbed! April 2, 2008

 "Shattered" is a well-acted, directed and written little "TV" film.
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. March 28, 2008

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