I can't help but to find it difficult to review films like "Broken." Mainly it's because it is a niche film that will only appeal to a certain audience no matter how much I praise or admonish it. There's also the problem of my own personal feelings towards movies that have become less a horror film and more an excess in torture. Just in the past couple of years imaginary monsters in movies have taken a back seat to the world's real monsters. Films like "Hostel" and "Turistas" deliver our hapless protagonists into the hands of sadistic and depraved individuals, ready to cut off or into a body part in as realistic a fashion as possible. There are those I have had this discussion with who claim that all the old Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers films are the same, but admittedly they are not. Not at all. Where the terror for an audience used to come from the existence of these 'characters', the deaths were usually either theatrically overdone or still hidden by just enough shadow to make it seem less real.

These newer films are more akin to the mythical 'Snuff' films that have reportedly existed since the beginning of movies. Even some of the old imaginary monsters are being refashioned to fit in line with this style of 'horror' film.

Leatherface in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" is a perfect example. The majority of the 'scares' came from the ultra realistic torture sequences and not from the threat of the 'monster' itself. Don’t get me wrong, there is a part of me that can 'enjoy' the experience these types of movies offer, I just don’t think they are as creative from a screenwriting perspective as a movie that can scare you without it. The creativity lies only within the talent of the guy having to create the severed limbs and disemboweled torsos. He is challenged to make it real… make it believable.

"Broken" is a low budget feature written and directed by the team of Adam Mason and Simon Boyes. It stars Nadja Brand as Hope, a woman held captive deep in the woods by a sadistic and unnamed man. We learn from at the beginning that she is a single mother, and has no idea where her daughter is or if she is still alive. "The Man", as the antagonist is referred to puts Hope through a series of horrendous challenges. She must complete these challenges in order to be allowed to remain alive. (Think "Survivor" on steroids.) This is practically the plot of the movie.

That said, and mentioning how I feel about movies like these, I will say that "Broken" does redeem itself by rising above most of the (what has now become) mainstream torture movies. The most noticeable thing is the amazing cinematography by Erik Wilson. As the film takes place primarily in the woods, Wilson finds ways to light and shoot the scenes as if the woods themselves are alive. Nothing is done over the top, but it all looks surrealistically beautiful in spite of the movies premise. This goes a long way to elevating the film to a higher level. Beautiful lighting against something so savage… good versus evil, in a sense.

Then there are the interesting performances by Nadja Brand and Eric Colvin. As their little 'dance' begins, each seems as they should… a terrified woman and a hulking monster. But as the film progresses, their relationship becomes just that. And I don’t mean they get married or anything, but they begin to connect in the deepest and basest parts of the human psyche. They never cease to be monster or victim, but just in the way they interact you can see there is a lot more going on there than just cut… scream… cut again… scream again.

Genius Products, through its 'Dimension Extreme' label is releasing "Broken" in an unrated version this month. I have to hand it to the studio's design department as the case is quite… clever. The DVD case is held in one of those cardboard slipcovers, but this slipcover is a little different. The cover shows a close-up of a stitched up stomach. You can split the cover into two pieces at the stitching and when you do, it reveals some nice bits of gore.

There are also some well-produced features along with the movie. There is a commentary by the directors that is very revealing. You learn that their all-out gonzo filmmaking experience was nearly a disaster. They do not shy away from sharing the worst of the worst anecdotes of the whole project. There is also a documentary feature that runs a little under an hour, where you get every little gritty detail of the arduous shoot. In all honestly, both features really raised my appreciation for the film considering what the cast and crew went through in order to film it. I've been involved with a handful of rough shoots, but this one sounded more nightmarish than the movie itself. You'll also find an extensive photo gallery and an interview with Nadja Brand (who it seems married co-director Adam Mason during the filming of the movie… but they are now already divorced…).

The bottom line is that "Broken" will not… and should not… appeal to everyone. It is a movie that, like other torture films, reaches out to a specific audience. Well actually two audiences…. those sickos who actually enjoy seeing people horribly tortured…. and those who can simply appreciate the visceral and psychological aspects of a movie like this. It is this second group I'm in. It's not a film to enjoy, it’s a film to experience.

Directed by: Adam Mason, Simon Boyes
Starring: Nadja Brand, Eric Colvin, Abbey Stirling
Extras: Feature Commentary by Writer/Directors Adam Mason & Simon Boyes, I Want You to Break - The Making of Broken, Interview with Actress Nadja Brand, Production Photo Gallery, Trailer
Specifications: English Stereo
Studio: Genius Products / Dimension
Release Date: 9/25/2007
Region 1
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Website

We'll give Broken: Unrated a C+.