Review of:BROKEN (2005)
Director:Alex Ferrari
Rating:Not Rated
Starring:Samantha Jane Polay, Paul Gordon, Amber Crawford, Derek Evans, Tony Gomez, Jose Luis Navas, Danilo Begovic, Stephan Morris, Ruben Gomez
Desire is one of the few emotions that can overcome the flaws we set on ourselves. This desire can sometimes overcome things of the flesh or it can overcome those things that make the world go round (money). Well, let me be one of the first to tell you that the team at Enigma Factory (Writer/Director Alex Ferrari and Writer/ Producer Jorge Flores Rodgriquez) have plenty of desire.
You see, they have produced a fifteen minute film that could hold up to fifteen minutes of ninety-five percent of the films I’ve seen this year. BROKEN is all that you could ask for in it’s allotted time, and I myself cannot wait for it to be completed. You might say that my statement is not something out of the ordinary. You might even tell me that the most original, and purpose driven films come from independents if you were talking to me face to face. I’d even nod my head in agreement with you. I’d maybe turn, pick up a soda, and then astound you with this little factoid. BROKEN’s fifteen minutes of film was shot at the astronomical price of eight-thousand dollars!
Would you be impressed? Maybe, and maybe you’d think that anybody could rent an old hospital for a night and pay a couple of actors enough to buy McDonald’s afterwards. I’d smile when you made the comment, then I’d hit you with the punch line. The film has over one-hundred visual EFX shots in this time frame, and I can personally attest to the fact that the effects blow you away.
If you were a total stranger you might blow off my comments as that of a raving lunatic, but if you knew me and the way that I love sci-fi like no one else, you’d be impressed.
Take my advice about this film. Be IMPRESSED.
The film goes something like this: Bonnie Clayton is having terrible dreams at night that seem to blur more into reality as time goes on. It isn’t until she is kidnapped by a sadistic stranger, and his colorful entourage that she becomes aware something is wrong. As she struggles to free herself from capture she comes to realize that the key to her safety lies somewhere in her dream.
Seems like a simple plot doesn’t it, but from the very first you are asking yourself what is going on. You don’t know why you care, but you can’t take your eyes off the screen. For all intents and purposes I thought I was watching a good version of The Matrix when watching this film. The actors who played in the film were right on, and I was actually saddened that they couldn’t stretch a couple of more minutes into it (How many times can you remember saying that to yourself).
I would suggest that any aspiring film director visit the site of whatisbroken.com. There you will find synopsis by the film makers as well as a ton of background information on the film (I’m talking storyboards, concept art, costume designs, and such). My faith in good film-making has been uplifted, long live those who follow their dreams.
