Fractured (3/5) – Netflix Movie Review

FRACTURED is a new Netflix thriller starring Sam Worthington and Lily Rabe. The Netflix movie is full of mind games and mystery which should keep you guessing until the end. Even if you’ll be able to guess elements of the plot, it’s very entertaining. Read our full Fractured review here!

Fractured is a new Netflix thriller by director Brad Anderson. It’s one hell of a mindf*ck and as such, it’s very entertaining and enganging. Sure, you’ll probably guess at least some of the plot elements. However, this kind of Netflix movie is pretty much trying to get you to guess along.

Still, you won’t know for sure what’s going on until everything is revealed towards the ending. To me, the final scenes were actually more insane than I could have expected. And I do mean this in a very positive way!

Read more in the rest of our Fractured review below.

Sam Worthington makes it all work

Since this is a Netflix thriller, you’ll know fairly quickly that something strange is going on once Ray (Sam Worthington) experiences strange things. And while we don’t know exactly what’s happening, you can’t help but feel for Sam Worthington’s Ray, which is what makes everything work.

What I loved about the character Ray Monroe, is the fact that we see him as a “less than perfect” (to put it mildly) father and husband from the very first scene. He’s struggling with his own demons and his wife Joanne (played with heartbreak and edge by Lily Rabe of American Horror Story) is very aware of this. 

Another thing that works really well is the fact that the doctors at this hospital do seem pretty shady. This means you can’t blame Ray for acting quite drastically at times. Then again, do remember that right up until the very end, we see everything through Ray’s eyes.

If you’ve watched The Voices starring Ryan Reynolds (read our review here) you might have an idea of what I’m referring to. You certainly should once you’ve watched the ending of Fractured anyway. 

The ending of Fractured 

The Netflix thriller Fractured is always building towards an ending that will answer all your questions. No, this isn’t where I do the whole “ending of Fractured explained” because it really is not necessary. By the ending of this Netflix thriller, all your questions will be answered.

There’s nothing that needs to be explained any further if you just watch Fractured and pay attention to the final 10 minutes or so. 

The big question regarding the actual ending of Fractured is simply whether you will have guessed what’s going on. I will admit that I had guessed a few elements, but definitely not all of it. Especially certain elements that could turn fatal for someone who has nothing to do with Ray, his wife Joanne or his daughter. 

Watch Fractured on Netflix!

Fractured was directed by Brad Anderson, who also directed the brilliant movie The Machinist which starred an extremely skinny Christian Bale. In some ways, Fractured can easily be compared to The Machinist though it’s not quite as dark and dramatic.

Instead, the Netflix thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat as you try to both feel for Ray (Sam Worthington) and question his reality and state of mind.

The screenplay for Fractured was written by Alan B. McElroy who has worked on a lot of horror movies. The very first screenplay he got produced was for Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers from 1988. In 1997, Alan B. McElroy wrote the screenplay for Spawn based on the comic book by Todd McFarlane.

Finally, he created the Wrong Turn franchise in 2003, when he wrote the screenplay for the very first movie. The seventh movie in the Wrong Turn franchise is actually filming right now. It’s meant to be a reboot of the horror franchise and, of course, Alan B. McElroy is writing the script.

While Fractured is definitely more thriller than it is horror, it should also work as a very entertaining Netflix movie for horror fans. It is quite dark and crazy in some unexpected ways. Not without fault, but you should not be bored.

Fractured is out on Netflix in several countries from October 11, 2019.

Details

Director: Brad Anderson
Writer: Alan B. McElroy
Stars: Lily Rabe, Sam Worthington, Lucy Capri, Stephen Tobolowsky, Adjoa Andoh

Plot

Driving home after a tense holiday weekend with his in-laws, Ray Monroe (Sam Worthington), a well-meaning but overwhelmed family man, pulls into a rest area with his wife Joanne (Lily Rabe) and daughter Peri (Lucy Capri). The trip takes a turn for the worse when Peri is hurt in an accident and the family rushes to a nearby emergency room run by a staff with dubious intentions. After being sent away for further testing Peri and Joanne vanish and all records of their visit disappear. Ray’s concern turns into a desperate race to find his family and discover the truth of what happened to them.