Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sex, bloody violence in bland "evil seductress" thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Shattered
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In SHATTERED, techie millionaire Chris Decker (Cameron Monaghan) is in the process of divorcing his wife (Sasha Luss), with whom he has a young daughter. Alone in his hillside fortress, he goes out late at night to buy ice cream and meets the beautiful Sky (Lilly Krug), who asks for his advice in selecting a bottle of wine. She ends up back at his place. The next night, Chris seeks her out at the bar where she works, but they're attacked by a man who's trying to rob Chris' car, and Chris' leg gets broken. Sky offers to take care of Chris, and, smitten, he accepts. But there's more to Sky than meets the eye, and she soon has control of the house -- and Chris' bank accounts. But she still needs access to his safe deposit box, where millions in bonds are kept, and that will require a little persuasion. Can Chris escape and get his life back?
Is It Any Good?
This erotic thriller seems to have all of the pieces required by the subgenre, but despite a decent try at some heat, it glides across its cool, glossy surface, forgettable and passionless. Admittedly, Krug is rather terrific in her role as Shattered's evil seductress. Her mouth seems to naturally form a smile when she speaks; it's disarming when she's being pleasant and alarming when she flips to torture mode. ("Mother's maiden name!" she demands sweetly as she revs a power drill.) And how could Frank Grillo, as Sky's swaggering bulldog of a sidekick, and John Malkovich, as a slithery, galumphing, peeping-Tom landlord, not bring some much-needed fun to the movie? Somehow, though, they just don't.
Perhaps Shattered is a little too enamored of its million-dollar look and feel. Everything is chilly and vague, a little too clean and computerized, with screens hanging everywhere in Chris' mansion. (One depicts a futuristic clock so that we can literally watch the time crawling by.) Plus, it's very difficult to believe that anyone who could amass a fortune would be stupid enough to fall for this scheme. And Chris and Sky's relationship moves so fast, based on so little, that the plot developments make little impact. This genre requires a little more abandon to really succeed and this one barely registers a crack, let alone a shatter.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Shattered's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How is sex depicted here? What values are imparted? Is sex about love? Attraction? Power? Why?
How is drinking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
What is identity theft? Is it something we need to be wary of in real life? How can it be prevented?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 14, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : February 22, 2022
- Cast : Cameron Monaghan , Frank Grillo , Lilly Krug
- Director : Luis Prieto
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence, bloody images, sexual content, nudity, and language throughout
- Last updated : January 12, 2022
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