"Broken"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars) STARRING Samantha Jane Polley as BONNIE Paul Gordon as DUNCAN Derek Evans as CHRISTIAN Amber Crawford as MARQUEZ Tony Gomez as GABRIEL Not Rated Studio: The Enigma Factory Directed by: Alex Ferrari Back to DVD Review Home |
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One of the dangers of stylized short films is that they tend to be as slick as an MTV video but have nothing in the story department. Fortunately, the micro-budget, effects-heavy short film “Broken” gives us a lot more. What helps make “Broken” work is that it has a somewhat interesting plot. A lot of cool story is implied in this short film, and I’m eager to see where it goes.
“Broken” is about a woman named Bonnie (Samantha Jane Polley) who is kidnapped from her home by Duncan (Paul Gordon). He straps her to a wheelchair and prepares to execute her. We are given hints of her past, with Duncan implying that she has suppressed superhuman powers. Unfortunately, we never get to see her fully Hulk out in this 20-minute sample film. But I’m assuming that’s really more for the feature-length version.
In many ways, “Broken” works far better as a suspense thriller than an action movie. The action isn’t as crisp as you might expect. While some gunplay works well, other shots aren’t given the full impact.
The set design is creepy and malformed, reminiscent of the look of “Saw” (although I’m sure that “Broken” pre-dates this new horror classic). Director Ferrari and his partner Jorge Rodriguez did an excellent job creating mood with a mixture of production design and visual effects.
Like most smaller-budget productions, “Broken” is shot on video. But unlike most smaller-budget productions, “Broken” has a slick look that rivals a studio film. It’s lit that well.
A filmmaker can shoot on the 24p cameras with full “Star Wars” prep, and if they don’t light things right, the footage will look like a cheap porno shot on a VHS handycam. The “Broken” filmmakers know what they’re doing from a technical standpoint. If only all micro-budget independent films looked like this.
Aside from some clunky action editing, the only place where the film breaks down is with the acting. While Polley does a decent job as the troubled Bonnie, Duncan is a too over-the-top. His cheesy acting is far to smug to be really all that intimidating. Incidentally, this is a pitfall I’ve seen in many indie films.
According to the production notes on the DVD, “Broken” is currently in feature film development. Hopefully Ferrari & Friends can put together a solid script with creative story to go with their strong handle of visual effects and imagery. If they can keep their sensibilities in check, they might have one hell of a movie on their hands.
For more information on “Broken,” visit www.whatisbroken.com. For more information on The Enigma Factory, visit www.enigmfactory.com.
