It makes my job a lot easier when up and coming filmmakers make movies that are actually worth watching, and the buzz behind "Broken" really made me skeptical, but alas, I was wrong, and this was a really good movie. I get it. It becomes clear from the beginning what the makers are getting at, and this is a very engrossing throwback to action
films because its very cleverly done. The film starts on a high note and you just can't turn away once the film has begun. I liked the clichés from action films used to benefit the film and help introduce the plot, and there's a lot of tension projected on to the audience who are just as curious as the main character. If the film had a more in-depth plot and longer running time, I'd have definitely found this one of the coolest action films in a while, and everything works here. The only eight-thousand dollar budget is used with utmost resourcefulness as the movie's one locale makes for a very tense production.

The films also has some beautiful direction; it's almost like Hollywood direction (That's a compliment not an insult). Ferrari's got the chops of a pro, and the clean editing and hyper action scenes make this a lot of fun. As for the performances, the movie is stolen by Samantha Jane Polley who plays Bonnie. Samantha (who shockingly resembles Selma Blair) is very convincing here delivering some stunning emotional sequences and conveys her rage very well. I was just taken with her performance. Otherwise the film has some above par production values like a wicked score, some action that made me wide-eyed, like the scene where one character blasts the other in the head which was very reminiscent of Sam Raimi's style. Beautiful choreography. And much of the characters are colorful and fun, including the main villains hot sidekick who I dug. The film ends on a high note that will make you wonder what it was all about, and that's some great storytelling when you can leave an oh so subtle question mark. Twenty minutes well spent. I wish all action movies were this cool.

I'm still scratching my head as to what this was supposed to be about after all. I mean the film has promise, but under only twenty minutes, there's not a lot of room for storytelling amidst the action. There are just a lot of plot holes that never were rectified. Why is Bonnie kidnapped? Who are the people we're introduced to? Is this a springboard for a
sequel? Were the villains a paranoid fantasy? Was her rescuer her husband, boyfriend, partner? Was she an agent or innocent bystander? Why did her rescuer go through all the trouble of rescuing her instead of just letting her die? Not much in the movie made a lot of sense, and it seems Ferrari had trouble condensing the story in the short without explaining what exactly was going on the whole time right in front of us. It's fun to leave stuff to our imagination, but when stuff leaves me scratching my head instead of wondering, it loses its effect, especially with the very confusing ending that I just didn't buy in the least. Aside from that, the acting very often ranges from iffy to corny. The main villain with the face scar was just so over the top and comedic that it took me out of the narrative. He's the same old talkative villain type we've seen in millions of action films, so he's one of the main problems.

The story is rigid, and often times the plot holes seem endless, but  this is one of the coolest action films I've seen in a while that relies on plot to get to the action and not vice versa. While the budget is low, the direction is great, the action is plentiful, and the performance from Samantha Polley steals the show.

• For more information on "Broken", check out the promotional websites:
  http://www.enigmafactory.com
  http://www.whatisbroken.com/
• Generated positive buzz at Sundance.
• Made on a budget of 8,000 dollars.
• The shirt Bonnie wears was created especially for the movie.

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