The Broken: Better the Second Time Around

Ordinarily I don't mind popping a few spoilers into a film review. But in this instance, I feel I must refrain from revealing to many telling points. The Broken is one of those films that requires somewhat of an open mind. Starring Lena Headey in the lead role as Gina, the story focuses on a woman who has seen her doppelganger. In following the woman, the Gina becomes involved in a series of terrifying events; and the film takes an incredibly dizzying turn...

Dejá Who?

The beginning of this The Broken is literally bursting with tension. The pieces are a bit puzzling to put together, as they should be so early in the film. But as I continued to watch, the long, repetitive scenes felt labored. The viewer is shown several graphic images that apparently are pieces of a much larger tapestry. But my patience began to wear thin; I felt that too much time had been wasted trying to set up the suspense.

What also irked me was my detachment from the characters I saw. While it was easy for me to distinguish one member of the family from the next, I had no connection to them whatsoever. In spite of the beautifully morose atmosphere, this aspect made it difficult to find focus.

The Mystery Unravels...

Regrettably, I didn't become truly vested in the movie until at least an hour of the story had passed. It is then that the pieces began to make real sense. Clever "movie detectives" will more than likely accomplish this feat much earlier. But once the reality sunk in, I was disappointed that it took me so long to become interested.

This is where I must become cryptic about the events taking place. Needless to say, there are plenty of violent and terrifying scenes involved. By the time Gina (Headey) discovered the truth behind her family's strange behavior (and her own) I was annoyed that so much information had been placed before me that I hadn't retained.

Is this a good horror film?

The Broken has amassed a collection of mixed reviews, between professionals and consumers. I happen to be terribly divided regarding the quality of this horror film. The direction and styling are incredibly sophisticated. The acting is also solid. The problem I had was with the pacing. Creating a perplexing situation isn't necessarily a hindrance. But in doing so, the scenes must translate in such a way that audiences want to pay more attention to the nuances.

That being said, those nuances were brilliant. Pay particular attention to the quote by Edgar Allen Poe in the beginning of the film. Additionally, director Sean Ellis' deeper cinematic vision is quite refined. I was also impressed by the supernatural concepts explored in The Broken. The ending prompted me to watch the movie a second time; I recommend that all viewers do just that. A second viewing certainly helps one to connect the dots better. But in addition to that, those sophisticated nuances are much better appreciated. Would the movie's impact still be the same if the pacing had been a bit more accelerated? Perhaps not. But this is the ultimate catch-22 that I encountered with this film. The horror is graphic; the premise is fascinating. But The Broken's fractured delivery (cheesy pun intended) left quite a bit to be desired.