Compound Fracture (2013)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Blistering performances.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

I actually liked it a lot, and I actually didn't expected that. The acting was pretty much fine, specially the leadings. I never thought to see "Sabretooth" in a "good guy" role, but was very good doing it, and pretty convincing.Here we have a family, in a reunion because the patriarch is loosing his self, he have dementia. But learn that the family have very dark secrets. There is a crime that Michael committed to save his nephew's life, but was unable to save Chloe's (his sister). There is a behavior in abuse in Gary(his father and the patriarch), who beat his wife Annabelle, and that was before to Michael and Chloe's mother who died of cancer while in care of a teen Michael.So, we have family issues, some forgiveness... and a bit of blood.I loved the bitter ending for a lead character that didn't expected.The photograph is awesome, with a touch of vintage, that make the atmosphere more strange, given the circumstances.Music was perfect for each scene.The villain was pretty "cool" (in a dark way).There is a personal thing for me, my grandmother was abusive with me and I forgive her, that's for I feel so related to Michael, in a very strange level.Oh, and for that review that doesn't understand what happened in the beginning... it is explained by images in the end, if you don't understand you must pay attention. It's all explained.I recommend it with 9/10 absolutely.

Compound Fracture feels like a first outing, and it is. Tyler Mane's new company offers us a passable thriller that ultimately never truly thrills.The story works. It offers characters with interesting drama and characterization, and a villain with a purpose. There are a few forced moments, where the emotion just shows up instead of being earned organically, but that could be in part to the directing and editing, which I will get to later. The story definitely had potential for thrills, and each character is memorable in their own way, and that is something you don't often find in indie horrors/thrillers, especially first timers like Geerlings.The acting was weak. Muse Watson, the patriarch with dementia, often felt way over the top as he went in and out of lucidity. Sometimes it felt like dementia, sometimes if felt like he was tired and ready to go home. Tyler Mane will always feel like a giant to me, and it was hard, but not impossible, to see him as a family man. I think his strengths come from playing more fringe characters, less 'everyman'. Alex Saxon was a point of awkwardness for me. He fear noises really drew me out of the moment.I think, even with the acting, there is potential in the film, but it all fell flat due to the direction/editing. I'm going to group those since they were done by the same guy, Anthony J. Rickert-Epstein. First, a look at his page reveals he is a cinematographer (he was also DP on this film, that's a lot of hats for a feature). And it shows. There were some technical shots going on but usually at the cost of performance and story telling. The film plays slow, and not "slow burn", just slow. The action scenes feel forced. I felt like I was supposed to be scared or thrilled but everything was moving so slow I was usually left just watching, unengaged. There were moments that didn't fit the rest of the film. I can't say it enough: everything felt forced. It felt like they wanted us to be scared, but didn't know how to pull it off, so they just copied a lot of techniques with sound and editing and tried to make it work. And for me, it didn't.I think it was a good first effort. Hopefully they learn from the mistakes, mostly of letting one man head three departments, and can produce more films.Compound Fracture isn't a great movie, but it shows that this team has potential, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next.

I was really surprised by the quality of the film that Mane and Geerlings wrote and produced! I don't know Tyler Mane outside of the silent superhero/villain roles he had played previously in movies like X-men and Troy. This was the first real time I have seen him act, he's not Olivier or even a Jason Statham level, but he carried this movie well as the lead character. He's got the size of somebody you see as being Quite threatening physically without having to take his shirt off. He is just naturally a really big guy. Same with Derek Mears who plays the villain in this. The plot is mired in some genre conventions but not a rip off of any other picture in a specific way. Spoiler part.......It is a haunting story, of a malevolent spirit of Mane's character psychotic ex brother in law. Mears murdered Mane's sister right in front of Geerlings, who portrays Mane's fiancée, and Saxon, who portrays Mane's nephew. Mane then stumbled upon the scene and killed Mears before he could finish killing Geerlings and Saxon. Mane's family harbours a secret of knowing how to control your transition into the afterlife. Every family member has a rune carved into their fore-arm flesh that allows them to manifest themselves inside their family home and thus spend eternity together. Unknown to Mane and Watson, who plays the family patriarch, Saxon's mother had carved the rune into Mears arm, before he went psychotic and was a loving husband, out of love at the time.Their are some undercurrents of spousal abuse permeating the lives of Watson involving his deceased ex-wife, Mane's mother, who's cause of death is truly heartbreaking and the reason why Mane despises his dad. The violence also involves his current wife as well, played by Police Academy's Leslie Easterbrook. Easterbrook, a former Second City cast member in the 70s, does a great job in the small dramatic role. I had only seen her in comedies before and was surprised at her abilities. The movie does contain some graphic gore, nothing too over the top, the level of injury seems natural to cause a death.I look forward to seeing more of what Mane and Geerlings can provide in the future. In terms of low budget film making, they really delivered here with something better than most Hollywood A-level budget horror attempts.

One of the best suspense movies I've seen in a long time! Made me want a sequel not allot of movies let me do that!!! Can't wait to see more from Mane entertainment!! The movie has some twist and turns You would not expect! Leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat, Makes you want more, Has you jumping and gasping! Very well thought out plot and great acting! I can't not wait to get my copy of compound fracture!! Also as a added bonus they bring three horror movie actors together in the same movie and let's just say heads roll and blood splatters in this movie but its all in good taste no nudity so its not so bad for those who want to see a horror suspense without the cheezy sex stuff!