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Shattered (1991)
Rate:
7
Viewed:
11/19
11/19:
Sometimes, in order to enjoy a movie, almost 100% suspension of disbelief is necessary, and that's the case with
Shattered.
Yeah, the whole thing works for a murder-mystery picture, but the moments of serious implausibility are numerous, enough
to strain the film's credibility. Nevertheless, it's still an enjoyable fanfare with solid acting and a shocking
twist that I didn't see coming.
First of all, there's no way a person can look like somebody else on purpose by the means of plastic surgery.
Face/Off made a clever stab at it, but the concept won't happen for real. Inside the wrecked ship, a body was
dumped in a vat of formaldehyde. But pray tell me, to what purpose does it serve? That's reaching for convenience's sake.
While at it, a private investigator is shot in the chest but miraculously survives, and it's all due to his inhaler? I wonder
how he made to the hospital after being alone and looked just fine in a few hours despite getting a sling for
his arm. When the car was driven off the cliff and the wife jumped out of it at fifty to hundred feet in the air, how is it
possible that she sustained no major injuries? Similarly, as she gunned for it in the same manner at high speed, Dan
Merrick (Tom Berenger) was thrown out of the car and looked none the worse for wear.
I'm okay with Corbin Bernsen's character disappearing for a long period of time because he ultimately ended up as a red
herring. Ditto for Merrick's secretary who was acting awkward on purpose to insinuate a possible affair or
involvement with the whole thing.
All in all, never mind the high volume of ridiculousness, Shattered should be accepted for what it is: a darned good
murder-mystery thriller.