MovieChat Forums > The Broken (2008) Discussion > Great Film..Dont listen to the impatient...

Great Film..Dont listen to the impatient jackoffs.

posted 16 years ago by filmonthebrainz
25 replies | jump to latest

I rarely listen to the impatient morons on here and in this case Im glad I didnt. The Broken was a great spooky film. In this day and age when my generation(Im 19) considers loud abrupt music and random people popping up scary Im glad this film came out. This is an actual film. I highly recommend it. I wont give anything away and I think its retarded when people say SPOILER ALERT! Why would you want someone to tell you about the film? Even if they warn you. So wait, you saw the film even after seeing the trailer but dont want me to see because you didnt understand it or it didnt scare you enough? JUDGE FOR YOURSELF PEOPLE! I will say this, the film is well acted and shot beautifully. See it when you can.

[–] gudoleboy2 16 years ago

I liked it as well, I think mostly b/c it didn't exactly explain everything. You have to figure a lot out on your on. Movies nowadays explain everything as if the audience is retarded or as if to say, "We don't want people to hate this film b/c it's too confusing, so we're going explain every detail at the end of the film for you."

This is a strange film and I bet it's a metaphor for something in real life.

I liked the music at the end of the movie as well, when the credits are rolling.

[–] ELKronos 16 years ago

So true... Reminds me of the quote:

"Nothing pains some people more than having to think."

-MLK Jr

[–] LillyStryker 16 years ago

The spoiler alert is not so you can sneak peak, though. it's so that the people researching the movie before watching it won't accidently ruin the ending for themselves. It's an imdb user curtesy.

Buzz! Your girlfriend! Woof!

[–] toodark00 16 years ago

Well, the ending may not have been the most exciting thing ever, but at least there was one. I watched the new The Day the Earth Stood Still, and let me tell you, talk about a go-nowhere movie full of more holes than Swiss cheese......

THAT'S RIGHT.....through the hoop now....there ya go.....

[–] rsbrandt 12 years ago

Yeah, I bet it's a metaphor for something, as well. Compelling argument.

I think viewers are dissatisfied with the story simply because there's no motivation for anything. Why were these particular people singled out for these things to happen to them? Why did a mirror break for no reason? Why did it trigger these people emerging into our world? Why (seemingly) does a particular mirror have to break for the next person's doppelganger to emerge? Why do the doppelgangers act as they do? What is the point?

I'm also a little unsatisfied due to the movie's unoriginality (ten points for guessing which movie I was first reminded of). Aside from its lack of new ideas or an original storyline, for every horror movie cliche it avoids it trots out a couple more: She sees a demonic face superimposed on her boyfriend's! She sits bolt upright in bed after having a dream! (A realistic but particular uninteresting dream, I'll give you that.)

[–] NikephorosPhokas 16 years ago

I liked it too.

Too many movies are gross examples of capitalist maximization(like taking a super-hero film and injecting a heavy love story angle to appeal also to the female demographic) or follow the usual cliches of the genre.

[–] Randy-the-Ram 16 years ago

You speak miles of your age, as you start off by insulting people that you supposedly [yet ironically] fly miles above.

People put 'spoiler' in their comments so that those that haven't seen the movie won't be offended when gauging peoples' opinions of various films. It's simply common courtesy. Hence, the use of this 'flag' is self explanatory. Sometimes I look at comments before I watch a movie, sometimes after. You do realize that people come here after they've seen the film right?

As far the 'judge for yourself' declaration, maybe that works for you... but not necessarily everyone else. I come across way too many movies to have the time to watch them all through, so I find it highly useful to filter or 'weed' through films via ratings/opinions/reviews and so forth. I may miss a hidden gem here or there, but that's better than spending a majority of free time watching films I probably would not like.

This film may be 'well acted' although I personally felt the acting was mediocre at best and I like Lena Headey and respect both her and Richard Jenkins, but if the story is any indication of the writing... well, lets just say it was atrocious with this one. I say avoid 'The Broken' like the plague: so little time, so many better films.

[–] bronzescag 16 years ago

Don't listen to Randy the Ram - this is an exceptional horror film and an extremely creepy one at that. I had read some of the bad reviews on here, but decided to judge for myself. I'm thankful I kept an open mind, because i thought the film was great. Lena Heady is terrific, as is Richard Jenkins. It's a horror film that's full of atmosphere and doesn't just hand you answers on a plate. This film contains a lot of food for thought. Having seen Timecrimes and this film in the same day, and both dealing with dopplegangers and such, I much prefer the craft and subtlety of The Broken. Sean Ellis is a very talented filmmaker - and the U.S. DVD release of this film deserved better than Lionsgate's s hitt y cropped 1.78 butchery.

[–] gazzaman44 16 years ago

bronzescag took the words right out of my mouth and said it all really, so I'd just like to agree wholheartedly, Im so glad I didn't let some of the negative reviews in here put me off! This film is an amazing, atmospheric, slow-burning psychological thriller.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
Just as I love time travel films, I am also fascinated by films about dopplegangers! The films mentioned by other posters such as Timecrimes & Invasion of the Body Snatchers are films I really enjoyed. And I like the way this one doesnt ram meanings and easy solutions down your throat, and lets you think and slowly fathom out what is going on and who these people/dopplegangers are, whether they realise it or not!

Highly watchable, fantastic acting, with haunting music... dont miss this.

"I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!"

[–] daniellediamond 10 years ago

TIMECRIMES, yes!!!
I was caught up thinking about this movie a lot after watching. I love when that happens. I think this was a very well done thriller indeed!

[–] jabberttp 16 years ago

Agreed with Randy-the-Ram. Don't listen to those who name call others who don't agree with them. Full stop.

For what it's worth, I read these comments AFTER I watch the film. I.E. I make up my own mind BY seeing the film before reading other's comments.

[–] filmonthebrainz 16 years ago

You want someone to chew your food for you too? Thats just plain lazy. I come across many films also and does EVERYONE! All you are doing is having the people run the race for you and tell you what the finish line looks like..get out there for yourself. I knew someone would defend people and their laziness, lol.

[–] rsbrandt 12 years ago

Uh, you know what? I get it. The umpteenth time they showed us broken mirror glass on the floor, I got it. Every time they showed us someone's unresponsive doppelganger, I got it. I know what's going on. But with no motivation given for anything that happens, you're left with a lot of pretty but empty-headed atmospherics.

[–] Dogood_Silence 16 years ago

I liked it although I did not completely understand it. I suppose it is like the mirror has two faces kind of thing where the other image is the evil version the reflection if you will.

[–] flaminghosers 16 years ago

While I wouln't call it a "great" film, The Broken was clearly the cream of the always awful Horrorfest crop this year. Don't listen to these teenager douchebags who can't watch something for 80 minutes(!) without getting antsy because there's "too much talking" and "not enough gore". This is the only film of the group that had acceptable acting, writing, and most importantly LOOKED like a real film instead of a direct-to-DVD clunker. Credit Sean Ellis and crew for that one. Let us remember that while the other directors in this year's Horrorfest will be out of the business in a few years, Mr. Ellis will still be an Oscar-nominated director. How many other Oscar-nominees directed Horrorfest film?

(That was rhetorical for all you who couldn't figure it out)

Kudos to Mr. Ellis for a very good suspense film. Like I said, I didn't think it was "great", but a worthy effort indeed compared to the rest of the schlock in this year's Horrorfest. See the movie if you like character-driven suspense and creepy thrills(and Alfred Hitchcock Presents--some of you will know what I'm talking about). If you waited in line to see My Bloody Valentine 3-D or the new Friday the 13th, this isn't for you--maybe when you grow up though.

BTW, the ending is not predictable at all if you morons would've been paying attention and understood the plot. But I know you can't so you guessed the ending and thought you were geniuses. It was 50/50 really and everyone who saw the movie wondered while it was going on which one she was, but if you paid close attention you'd realize Ellis set it up so she could have only been one of the two people and then he slyly flips it at the end. Too subtle to ask of the average American teenager, I know.

[–] jbright23 16 years ago

Let me get this straight...we're morons because we predicted the end....and were RIGHT?

[–] flaminghosers 16 years ago

You got it! I'm trying not to "spoil" the ending here but I'll try to spell it out for you. As I said, it's 50/50 on who the main character really is--half would get it right without even seeing the movie. But for anyone with an attention span who actually WATCHES movies rather than talks through them or texts through them because it's so boring--you would see that Ellis does something very sly with the plot partway through and seemingly tells us who the main character MUST be through this little detail. We then continue the movie under this supposition until he pulls the rug out from under us at the end and also, in that final scene, lets us know how he's misled us. It's a very nice, subtle touch.

But I realize most people don't do subtle--they need to be hit over the head with a shovel if it's not explicitly explained to them at the end. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I feel bad for you. Maybe when you grow up you'll get movies like this or someone else on this board will be happy to explain the nuances to you. I'm not letting you in on it though. Do the work yourself.

[–] jbright23 16 years ago

So you want me to go back and watch a boring, 90 minute movie in which the lead character walks around frowning and squinting at *beep* so I can see how the director failed at creating a suprise ending everyone guessed a third of the way through the movie yet didn't care about because we all thought something interesting would eventually happen though it never did? Do you see how stupid your post is? Then you got the nerve to say you're not letting me in on "it" as if "it" is worth it. Lmao, pretentious people are WORSE than the "it sucked because it didn't have explosions" people.

[–] the_tekken 16 years ago

This film gives viewers a serious case of blue balls.

I liked the acting and the cinematography but the story kept building up to something but never delivering leaving the viewer very unfulfilled with what they were watching. Coupled with that is the predictability of the story and you have an ambitious movie that goes no where.

Let it be said though that I applaud the attempt, its not very easy to make an intelligent horror film and this was a step in the right direction.

While I wouldn't recommend this movie saying its a great movie or anything, I would recommend it to some people looking for something different but have nothing better to watch.

[–] flaminghosers 16 years ago

Pretentious people are only pretentious to the people who think if THEY didn't "get it", then there was nothing to get. Too bad for you.

Back to the Prom Night, new Friday the 13th, & Rob Zombie's Halloween boards for you.

IMO, the movie's not great(as I've stated). It's a nice effective piece of work though and a good effort at something suspenseful in the Hitchcockian sense. But it's certainly worth judging for yourself. I think anyone reading these posts can probably tell if this is their kind of movie or not. Give it a try on your own and see what you think. Don't take mine(or anyone else's) word for it. Don't be cattle, judge for yourselves.

Oh, and try watching some films made before 1970 everyone--you might find something good in the first half-century-plus Hollywood's been churning out stories on celluloid. There are some doozies out there, trust me. But don't take my word for it... discover them yourselves.

[–] jbright23 16 years ago

ALL those movies sucked, but at least *beep* happened in them. There's nothing wrong with a movie that makes you think. But it needs to introduce characters that you care about, it has to keep you awake. When a movie has a twist so easy to guess, it needs more than "oh, well, let me show you how I was gonna trick you anyway." What's the point? Things need to happen besides violin swells. This movie=FAIL.

[–] flaminghosers 16 years ago

Problems with the pacing? OK, I agree to disagree with you there but I'll admit it takes its time getting to what I thought were effective scenes. No time for a pissing match though. Go out and see it and judge for yourselves everyone. Not everyone's the same. This movie worked for me in general and I give it a recommendation. Of course, I saw this on the heels of watching several other Horrorfest entries that were, well, horrible. This one was the most effective of the bunch for me by far, slow or not.

[–] jbright23 16 years ago

Well at least we can agree to disagree without the usual name calling that goes on.

[–] flaminghosers 16 years ago

Agreed.

[–] ian-wr 15 years ago

A very mature and refreshing comment from one so young.This is an incredibly good movie,with superb cinematography,music and acting.A true masterpiece in suspense and horror.I was totally immersed in the story.