Between characters you may not care to invest in and a plot which would require you to be in a theater to keep your attention, Fractured is a miss.
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Between characters you may not care to invest in and a plot which would require you to be in a theater to keep your attention, Fractured is a miss.
| Director(s) | Brad Anderson | |
| Screenplay By | Alan McElroy | |
| Date Released (Netflix) | 10/11/2019 | |
| Genre(s) | Thriller, Mystery | |
| Who Is This For? |
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| Noted Cast | ||
| Ray | Sam Worthington | |
| Jo | Lily Rabe | |
| Peri | Lucy Capri | |
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Plot Summary/ Review
Ray and Jo have been having problems recently. He either works too much, doesn’t communicate, and it is making it so they may seem at the end of their marriage. But, with their daughter getting injured, accidentally, it seems that may bring them together. At least until they disappear and we’re left to wonder what happened to them and whether the good folks at Kirkbride Regional have an organ farming operations or if Ray is crazy.
Highlights
While The Ending Is Eh, And Build To It As Well, There Will Be Moments You Do Connect And Wonder What’s The Truth
As noted in the criticism, between a lack of investment in Ray’s family and past, the film doesn’t give you a good lead in to invest in what goes on. However, even as you may find yourself bored, I must admit the question of what is real and what isn’t may pique your interest and could have some become engaged. For while the story of Ray’s ex-wife, mixed in with the idea of maybe someone lying to him, isn’t the strongest, as more and more people get involved with Ray’s ravings, so comes the question of what is going on here?
Criticism
You May Not Care About Anything Which Goes On
The primary issue with Fractured is that it relies on the idea that a cute child going missing will draw you in. That and the idea, despite how terrible a man’s marriage is, and how his wife, Jo, seems like someone he is staying with just for the sake of the child, that should make you care about them suddenly going missing.
However, it doesn’t. What doesn’t help is that Ray is so dry that spending time with him, for over an hour, wondering if he is crazy, and watching him attempt to find his family, is dull. Almost to the point where you wonder if you need to have an appreciation for slow-moving films to appreciate this or not mind shallow tricks to keep you engaged and an ending that is meant to shock and awe.
Overall: Mixed (Divisive)
This is a movie dancing on the border of being an acquired taste. Mostly due to there being little to no reason to invest in Ray, his family, or his story, and the sole thing that might be Fractured’s saving grace is the fact so many get involved you feel like there might be a cover-up. Yet, with minimal reasons put in place to believe that, it makes the truth not feel like it pays off your commitment but feel cheap.
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Fractured Ending Explained, Recapped and Spoiled
In the long run, we find out Ray did kill Jo and Peri. Peri he killed in a fit of rage, throwing a rock at her that made her fall. Then, when it came to Jo, when she confronted him he pushed her, and she landed on those metal things that support buildings, and it impaled her through the side of her head. Thus causing them both to die and Ray having a psychotic break. One that leads to him putting his family in the trunk and going to the hospital just to get himself checked out, but his psychosis making it seem he got his family checked out as well.
Leading to the events of him thinking his family is kidnapped, and fighting his way into the lower levels, leading to him thinking he found his family, when really he just ends up kidnapping some kid. A person who was in a car crash and between their injuries or being sedated, they don’t know what is going on.
Is A Sequel Possible?
Technically there could be one. Ray is on the run, and it is proven that he murdered two people, and not kidnapped someone. Also, this film could do a prequel about his first wife. I can tell you right now that I’d be averse to watching it, but this may have a bigger audience than I’m giving the film credit for.
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While The Ending Is Eh, And Build To It As Well, There Will Be Moments You Do Connect And Wonder What’s The Truth - 80%
You May Not Care About Anything Which Goes On - 60%
70%
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Long story short, I agree with your review.
Just wanted to mention that “Fractured” has a bit in common with the classic “Jacob’s Ladder” by virtue of being set in a hospital and deals with a man trying to come to grips with his own mind, with what is real (or not).
I found one scene in “Fractured” which appears to be a direct nod to “Jacob’s Ladder”: Compare the wobbly gurney wheel shot from low to the ground in Jacob’s Ladder where Jacob is being wheeled through the bowels of a dingy hospital (roughly 1:16:26) and the shot in “Fractured” where Ray is exiting the hospital after shooting the doctor (nurse) in the knee (1:29:40).
PS: If by some miracle you haven’t seen “Jacob’s Ladder,” it’s a hell of a movie. Danny Aiello, Tim Robbins, Jason Alexander, Ving Rhames, even an extremely young Macaulay Culkin. It’s the sort of movie that sticks with you.