BROKEN - DVD Review

And the movie does start out somewhat gruesome. But once you get into it you are drawn into a world where a woman is kidnapped and forced to live, chained to a tree, by a very strange guy.

As one would expect, she does try to escape, but he quickly puts that to an end by breaking her leg to hobble her. He then leaves her alone for a few days and during that time she splints her leg by herself.

There isn't a lot of talking throughout the movie, but emotions are clearly visible on the woman's face - a tribute to the actress playing her. She did a great job letting you know what this woman was going through even if she didn't say it.

The movie progresses and in the end the woman does get away. There is a twist at the end that makes you go "damn, after all that" but I'm not going to spoil it for you. Go buy the movie and check it out for yourself.

The thing that struck me the most about the movie wasn't the gore or even the fact that this seemingly unspeakable act is based on a true story. It's how the film makers were able to capture not only how it must have felt for the captive woman, but also aptly explorer what she must be going through.

The stages someone must go through when found in a situation like that. First (as one would expect) you'd do what you could to escape. Then once that was taken away from you, you'd fall into a deep depression, followed by a sense of complacency. As if this is all your life was meant to be.

Even late in the film when she has an opportunity to escape, she hesitates. At first you might ask yourself why? But consider her situation. She's been with this guy for quite a few days and in some sick twisted way has grown attached to him.

Ultimately, though, reason wins out and she does take her life back into her own hands.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this movie, despite it's gruesome cover art, and some of the gore in it, is really a great psychological thriller. You begin to wonder when (or even if) the woman will get away, or will she simply die chained to the tree?

Even if you are, like me, not a big fan of gory movies, I'd suggest hiding your eyes or fast forwarding through that part to get to what the movie is really about: The turmoil a mind can go through yet still survive.