As all of us Netflix subscribers know only too well - as far as films are concerned, we compromise. The occasional hit series makes the myriad of mediocre-at-best original movie productions seem somewhat fair, as no one can expect a streaming service to excel at all fields, right? And when it comes to Netflix - it's obvious the "feature product" is not the movies. So when Netflix actually offers us the kind of experience delivered by Fractured - one must take it with both hands and live it to its fullest.
The background is generic to the point of being textbook stereotypical, a means to cheat the audience into feeling deep empathy toward the main character, Ray Monroe. A struggling husband and father who obviously tries his best but never quite cuts it, who's also a recovering alcoholic and altogether displays a rather pathetic demeanor. How could anyone not feel sorry for the guy?! Cheap, Netflix. Very cheap. But it works.
Following an accident in which his daughter is injured - Ray rushes with his family to the nearest hospital (in impossible traffic, of course, because it's still important to emphasize the "poor Ray" narrative). There, the audience receives a traumatically accurate and realistic portrayal of how it feels to be a family arriving at the emergency room when you aren't a member of parliament or a multi-millionaire celebrity. Never-ending queues, insufferable behaviour by staff members who dehumanize patients on account of their own fatigue and frustration (yes, I know, I broke the law of "never criticize health professionals they are always the victim"), but eventually - Ray's daughter gets treated and sent down for a CAT scan, accompanied by her mother. And that would be the last normal thing to happen.
During his daughter's said accident - Ray suffered a head injury, and anyone who has watched a suspense film in the past two decades knows exactly what that means: it's time to play "keep the audience guessing". What is really happening? Is ray suffering from head trauma induced psychosis, or is the bluntly more malevolent explanation actually possible? Is he actually an antagonist, or a victim of terrible circumstances and even more terrible people? The answers, once given, catch even the most experienced and well-prepared viewer off guard.
Other than the smart story and great utilization of clever plot twists - two more features make Fractured great: first, the soundtrack, reminding us what amazing things one could do with a piano and how the right music enhances everything a scene wants to tell; second, Sam Worthington, completely forsaking his typecast from Clash of Titans, Terminator Salvation or Avatar and really proving some incredible acting skills and character range. Rest of the cast have done well too, but Worthington's performance simply put them to shame.
Is fractured a masterpiece? Far from it. But it's also one of the best films ever shown on Netflix, so I honestly can't recommend it enough.
The background is generic to the point of being textbook stereotypical, a means to cheat the audience into feeling deep empathy toward the main character, Ray Monroe. A struggling husband and father who obviously tries his best but never quite cuts it, who's also a recovering alcoholic and altogether displays a rather pathetic demeanor. How could anyone not feel sorry for the guy?! Cheap, Netflix. Very cheap. But it works.
Following an accident in which his daughter is injured - Ray rushes with his family to the nearest hospital (in impossible traffic, of course, because it's still important to emphasize the "poor Ray" narrative). There, the audience receives a traumatically accurate and realistic portrayal of how it feels to be a family arriving at the emergency room when you aren't a member of parliament or a multi-millionaire celebrity. Never-ending queues, insufferable behaviour by staff members who dehumanize patients on account of their own fatigue and frustration (yes, I know, I broke the law of "never criticize health professionals they are always the victim"), but eventually - Ray's daughter gets treated and sent down for a CAT scan, accompanied by her mother. And that would be the last normal thing to happen.
During his daughter's said accident - Ray suffered a head injury, and anyone who has watched a suspense film in the past two decades knows exactly what that means: it's time to play "keep the audience guessing". What is really happening? Is ray suffering from head trauma induced psychosis, or is the bluntly more malevolent explanation actually possible? Is he actually an antagonist, or a victim of terrible circumstances and even more terrible people? The answers, once given, catch even the most experienced and well-prepared viewer off guard.
Other than the smart story and great utilization of clever plot twists - two more features make Fractured great: first, the soundtrack, reminding us what amazing things one could do with a piano and how the right music enhances everything a scene wants to tell; second, Sam Worthington, completely forsaking his typecast from Clash of Titans, Terminator Salvation or Avatar and really proving some incredible acting skills and character range. Rest of the cast have done well too, but Worthington's performance simply put them to shame.
Is fractured a masterpiece? Far from it. But it's also one of the best films ever shown on Netflix, so I honestly can't recommend it enough.