Fragmented (2014) Reviews

• Entertaining Movie

  ejt251-717-4275302016-08-22

  I was recommended by a friend to watch this movie since it is streamable with amazon prime. I went in with an open mind and ended up really enjoying the movie. It was very entertaining and had a clever plot line. The were ups and downs along the way and some pretty good twists. After doing some research and finding out that this film has won some awards at festivals I am not surprised. I felt that the directing was executed well and the acting was very good at times. I saw the previous review that asked if this was a student film... ummm, what student films are you watching??? The quality is way beyond any student film i've ever seen. This may not have the million dollar budget that you're used to seeing in the theaters, but this a a really good Indy film.

• Mexican Thriller. Very Guerrilla style but well done

  Meher_baba2016-09-07

  I recently saw this movie with some friends from South America who wanted to see how an "outside" director could capture the landscape, & drama of Mexico City. Perhaps director Douglas Elford-Argent best trademark in his film is his use of locations- sometimes dirty, creepy, but always give you a sense of authenticity to the story. I also really loved the script and thought the main actress did a really good job of keeping me suspended into the film, especially since, she's reacting to new information all the time. We then have to like her, because we as the audience, become her eyes. If your looking for a Mexican thriller on location, very gritty and authentic then you'll probably really like this movie. I did.

• Fragmented - A thrilling ride

  moviecritic315-12016-09-07

  Heart-pounding. Unpredictable. These are just two words I would use to describe Douglass Elford-Argent's drama, "Fragmented. The story follows one woman's quest to uncover her husband's past after he goes missing in Mexico. Directorially speaking, the piece is incredibly effective and admirable. Argent takes what could have been a run-of-the-mill thriller and turns it into an experience that is filled with grit and humanity. All of his characters undergo trials that urge audiences to reflect on what they themselves would do in such circumstances. What stood out to me was his use of yellow light and shadows to convey a sense of dread and panic. It reminds of of Steven Soderbergh's trademark, one that has served him well. Having gone into the film with little to no expectations or backstory, I was very pleased overall and would recommend it to anyone who's in the mood for something edgy and different. Thanks for taking a risk, Mr. Argent!

• Killer Mexican locations. Surprising, unpredictable story.

  leadsynth2016-10-03

  This solid indie thriller's gritty all-hand-held cinematography will transport you to Mexico City and the surrounding desert and jungle, where the colorful cast delivers a satisfyingly realistic mix of Spanish and English, led by guileless Gwendolyn Garver as Natalie. This seemingly innocent ingenue will surprise you with her anti-heroic antics, stopping at absolutely nothing on her quest to unravel the mystery of her missing husband and the mysterious key he left behind. Natalie's not afraid to get her hands dirty -- or bloody. If you like HOMELAND, you'll like how this movie depicts mental illness, the stigma attached to it, and the strong female lead's fear and frustration at not being able to trust her own thoughts and memories. The title, FRAGMENTED, seems to refer to the characters' disparate versions of events. Just like the characters, I found myself wondering "What is real?" Don't look away for a second -- you won't want to miss any clues in this totally unpredictable story.

• "Memento" Meets "Mulholland Drive" -- on a Micro-Budget! ...

  paulmccomas2016-10-23

  ... not that this visceral crime-/psychological-/mystery-thriller is in any way derivative of those two classic entries within the same mixture-o'-genres -- far from it: this taut indie feature is a true original. Rather, "Fragmented" achieves results as impressive as did the first two films ... and delivers, in the process, a comparable mind-f*** that makes the viewer reconsider, in a glaring new light, everything s/he has just experienced. The bonus of this enforced paradigm shift is that you may decide (as I did) that you *have* to watch this fine film all over again -- and soon! Top-notch acting (especially by Gwendolyn Garver and Horacio Lazo) combines with a clever script, lean-'n'-mean camera work, and deft direction to yield a big-bang-for-the-buck tour de force.