Rating: R
Starring: Gerard Butler, Pierce Brosnan, Maria Bello
Rating: 4.8 stars
I have a very interesting/unusual story to tell about this movie. The lead actor is my beloved Gerard Butler of "Phantom of the Opera" and "300" (to name the two "most-recognizable-in-the-US" movies he's been in). I am often on "Gerry Watch" looking out for what new movies he'll be coming out in. I knew "Shattered" would be coming out this year around August and was anxiously awaiting its release. I also knew that the movie was originally named "Butterfly on a Wheel" - a title that had a deeper significance in relation to the story, but wasn't sensational enough to capture the attention of your average Hollywood fan. Hence the change to "Shattered". The date of the release came and the movie was only showing in Miami. I waited in vain to see if maybe after a week it would start showing nationwide. After all, although the average American movie goer is not that familiar (yet) with Mr. Butler's talent, Brosnan and Bello are household names by now. But no: nothing. Then, coming back from a family day trip to Hershey Park (Labor Day weekend), I received a call from my mother (another dedicated Butler fan) announcing that to her surprise and astonishment the movie was being shown on TNT at that very moment!! I thought she must've been mistaken - some kind of Gerard Butler induced hallucination (it does happen...). But upon arriving at my home and promptly (maybe I should say feverishly) turning on the TV there it was: "Shattered" on TNT! I couldn't believe it. To my great relief, the network was going to broadcast it again the following Saturday. So, I waited and was able to watch it. I still don't know what the heck happened: how only after a week engagement in some theaters in Miami it was catapulted into cable. I felt extremely lucky (thanks Mom!!) to be able to watch it - I thought I would have had to wait for it to come out on DVD (which is now out, by the way). Now, about the movie: no it didn't suck (I thought that was the reason why it was shunned from theaters here). As you can see from my rating above, it was a super thriller, with a great twist that will leave you totally surprised. Butler and Bello (I confess I am not a fan of her work, although she is brilliant in this film) are the perfect married couple, living the perfect life, in a perfect home, parents of a perfect little girl. So much perfection is bound to bother someone, right? Their lives are suddenly shattered (couldn't resist!) by a mad stranger (always superb Brosnan) who kidnaps their daughter and instead of demanding a ransom, asks the couple to perform tasks that will systematically destroy their existence. Twists and turns will slowly put pieces of the puzzle together, but you are still unprepared for the story's final revelation. A must-see that packs much more than Hollywood-type thrills and will leave you to think about the outcome long after the movie is done. Thank goodness for DVDs or else this gem would've gone unseen - unless you're lucky enough to live in Miami...
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