THE MOVIE “SHATTERED” (1991) IS A HIDDEN GEM OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

THE MOVIE “SHATTERED” (1991) IS A HIDDEN GEM OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER.

I first saw Shattered on cable in the 1990s. I enjoyed it then but largely forgot about it until recently. Revisiting the film reminded me why I enjoy writing this blog: sometimes it gives me an excuse to rediscover forgotten gems.  Shattered is a great example of this.  Shattered, like many other movies that made less than the production cost, somehow got lost in a sea of films rarely viewed.  That is what makes Shattered a hidden gem.  Most people would not watch it unless they knew it was worth watching.  So, I am here to tell you that it is worth watching.    

The film opens as Dan Merrick and his wife Judith are in a car accident.  While Judith is thrown clear of the accident and only suffers minor injuries, Dan is severely injured and has to have surgery to reconstruct his face.  Judith remains by his side while he is in the hospital, however, Dan suffers from memory loss.  Dan befriends Gus, an investigator, and together, Dan and Gus pick apart Dan’s previous life; but soon they discover that it involved a history of deceit, cheating and murder. 

This movie is a psychological thriller; the film is not about shocking scenes that occur around each corner, but the psychological journey that Merrick goes through in discovering himself.  Tom Berenger does not play your typical noir/thriller character – usually a cop or investigator – but instead plays the role as a human being trying to discover who he is and was.  Berenger's performance is effective because he spends much of the film appearing uncertain and vulnerable. Rather than playing a traditional action hero, he portrays a man struggling to understand his own past. That allows the audience to experience the mystery alongside him.  Merrick’s wife balances concern and care for her husband’s psychological well-being, yet she still has this other side of her that gives the audience doubt as to her true character.  This balance of love and distrust builds tension in their relationship that eventually comes to a boil. 

Identity is a constant theme in the film.  While Merrick had reconstructive surgery to look like himself again, he cannot recognize his reflection in the mirror; he looks at pictures of himself as if he were seeing a stranger.  The entire idea behind Shattered is the concept of identity and not knowing who you currently are or were.  As Merrick learns more about himself as a person he begins to question whether he had committed a murder.  This whole dynamic raises several questions such as whether it is better to not know if you are a murderer and embrace your ignorance, or seek out the truth realizing that you are indeed a horrible person.  It also makes you wonder what makes up one’s identity?  Is your identity a fixed image, or is it shaped by our memories and what we like to believe to be true about ourselves.

The writer and director keep you on the edge of your seat with a series of twists and turns in the story that keep you guessing.  In the last few moments, the movie has a surprise twist ending that resolves the conflict.

TF’s NOTES:  The key to several psychological thrillers is the character’s having a universal fear that we all share.  In this story Merrick is physically shattered in a car accident, yet he survives and is made whole again through reconstructive surgery.  Merrick however is still shattered, not physically but mentally and emotionally because he does not know who he is or was.  Merrick is not scared of death, but rather of not being able to recognize himself.  As he moves throughout the film, he gathers more evidence as to who he was.  However, the film has the audience questioning what creates one’s own identity?  Is it your memories or memories others have of you?  The fear becomes greater when others tell Merrick who he is or was, but are they telling him the truth or just manipulating him for their needs?    

Shattered is a very good film that is worth watching.  It is a lot of fun.  There are a few sex scenes in the film and it definitely earned its R rating.

I was able to catch Shattered on Tubi for free.