Netflix Original films have sometimes been criticised for relying on clichés, unoriginal storylines and sometimes farfetched action. Whilst Fractured, their latest offering starring Sam Worthington does fall into this category on occasion, the many twists and turns of the plot offer a more engaging perspective.  

Whilst driving back from Thanksgiving with the in-laws, the Monroe family’s child Peri suffers an accident. Her parents Ray (Worthington) and Joanne (Lily Rabe) drive to the nearest hospital where she is accompanied by her mother for a CAT scan. Whilst waiting, Ray falls asleep for an indeterminate amount of time. When he wakes, he learns that his wife and daughter were never checked in and were never seen in the hospital in the first place – where did they go? Or were they ever even there in the first place?

The film is quite slow in getting started

Despite this promise of action-packed searching and dramatic tension – from both the premise and the trailer – the film is quite slow in getting started. The entire premise of the film with Peri falling in a construction site only happens after about half an hour – it is not until after forty-five minutes Ray wakes up from his nap and realises his family are missing. The rest of the plot however is quite clever in deceiving the audience – one minute we may be screaming on Ray’s behalf for the hospital to give him back his family, the next we are completely questioning his sanity. The script itself is a great example of how easy it is to misinterpret what people say and how a breakdown of communication can lead to disastrous consequences.

It is not exactly the most original of storylines to have a key character suspected as being insane (see Fight Club, Shutter Island and even Primal Fear) as Ray is in the film.  Even when the trailer was first released, a lot of people pointed out that this does not sound like the most authentic of stories – it is quite easy to start drawing theories rather early on in the film. However, the tension that (eventually) builds throughout, coupled with Worthington’s very believable portrayal of a distraught father keeps us guessing who to believe right up until the very end of the film.

Worthington gives a very believable portrayal of a distraught father

In spite of the slow opening, the film is clear (one could even argue unsubtle) in showing the problems between Ray and Joanne. The film opens with them arguing with each other over how their marriage is starting to break down. The stereotypical issue of the in-laws was discussed as well as Ray’s drinking problems. Whilst their argument seems to be quite easily explainable – a stressful situation for both parents having to take their young child to ER – it later develops to be quite a key factor later on in the film.

In some parts this film is so subtle at slowly and gradually drawing out the suffering felt by Ray and hooking the audience into rooting for him – in other places it feels quite disjointed, almost clumsy, with abrupt changes of pace and new characters suddenly being added in. Whether this could be interpreted as representing Ray’s confusion and general mental state throughout the film is unclear – hopefully this is an intentional reflection and not just a lucky coincidence.

The bottom line is that Fractured succeeds in what it aims to do

A more obvious cinematographic choice is the complete lack of colour in this film – everything is grey, drab and colourless. The landscape we first see in a wide shot opening the story is utterly bare and eerily bleached of colour – it sets the tone for the rest film quite well. Another noteworthy point is the lack of music. There are some ominous thuds and drumbeats, maybe the odd screeching violin for dramatic effect, but apart from that the rest of the film is quite silent. It does seem quite appropriate however, and fits well with the depressingly grey and empty scenery. Its presence (or lack of) is appropriate – something that cannot be said for a rather useless subplot device concerning Ray’s past relationships. If anything this juxtaposes his character and his actions in the rest of the film, but rather than being mysteriously tantalising, it is just slightly baffling as to why it is there.

The bottom line is that Fractured succeeds in what it aims to do – it is classed as a thriller. Its aim is to keep you guessing who to believe and whether any of what is shown is the truth, up until the end. It is by no means an incredible piece of original cinema, but it is entertaining for casual viewing, especially for those who enjoy a mystery or psychological drama.

Verdict:

Avatar’s Sam Worthington gives a rather convincing depiction of a desperate father in a sometimes predictable yet engaging story, where the audience is pulled along through twist after twist, unsure who to believe until the final few seconds of the film.

6/10

Fractured is now streaming on Netflix.