Shattered (1991)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Wolfgang Petersen

Writers (WGA):

Richard Neely (novel)
Wolfgang Petersen (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A love he can't forget. A murder he can't remember.

Plot:

Dan Merrick comes out from a shattering car accident with amnesia. He finds that he is married to Judith...

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Accident | Private Detective | Memory | Amnesia

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Dan Merrick
Bob Hoskins	...	Gus Klein
Greta Scacchi	...	Judith Merrick
Joanne Whalley	...	Jenny Scott (as Joanne Whalley-Kilmer)
Corbin Bernsen	...	Jeb Scott
Debi A. Monahan	...	Nancy Mercer
Bert Rosario	...	Rudy Costa
Jedda Jones	...	Sadie
Scott Getlin	...	Jack Stanton
Kellye Nakahara	...	Lydia
Donna Hardy	...	Pet shop woman
Frank Cavestani	...	Cop
Jasmin Gabler	...	Jeb's secretary
Charlene Hall	...	Receptionist
Dierk Torsek	...	Dr. Benton

MPAA:

Rated R for sensuality, language and violence.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Manzanita, Oregon, USA

Company:

Capella International

Goofs:

Continuity: When Merrick examines the chemicals container on the shipwreck it remains bright inside even after he removes the flashlight.

Quotes:

Dan Merrick: You know what I like best about amnesia?
Judith Merrick: What?
Dan Merrick: After seven years of marriage, I get to fall in love with you all over again.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Ring (2002)

Soundtrack:

HACIENDA SOURCE

Hitchcockian web woven with ludicrous plot.

Wolfgang Petersen has done some good thrillers in the past and has deep respect for classical directors such as Hitchcock, so what better opportunity than to create his own thriller the way the Master of Suspense would have if he were alive. He assembles a good cast, among them Tom Berenger, Bob Hoskins (in an enjoyable role), and Greta Scacchi, and creates a story a la Vertigo. What could go wrong? With movies like this, one glitch in the plot could topple the whole film off the bell tower (pardon the Vertigo pun), and this one does just that. A man trying to remember what occurred in his personal life after surviving a tragic car wreck can be enthralling, and at many times this picture is indeed mind-numbing, but three-quarters into the story, you feel as if you have been cheated. Plausibility is a real concern in this thriller, but that's not to say there are not good elements within this confusion. Wolfgang Petersen shows a real expertise for framing his ludicrous story, and I believe Hitch would have been pleased with how Petersen motivates the camera here. Berenger does an okay job as the suffering crash victim, but it is Hoskins that really impresses as the pet store owner/private investigator who helps Berenger discover who he really was. "Shattered" is a nicely lensed film with a good dose of suspense surrounding it, but for a pay-off, I believe Hitchcock could have shown the filmmakers a thing or two about playing it straight with a good ending. Rating: Two stars and a half.