Blurring the fine line between science fiction, claustrophobic thriller, and mutative body horror comes Rupture, from the director of the erotic film, Secretary. Completely switching focus, Shainberg's newest effort begs its audience to accept a movie with an excellent first half that begins to fall apart somewhere near the third act. With a cast that features Noomi Rapace, Michael Chiklis, Peter Stormare, and Kerre Bishe, the creative markers are all there for an excellent commentary on the evolution of human beings and forced scientific physical changes. Set in the bleak darkness of cold corridors, prison cells, and laboratories, Shainberg's vision is initially succinct but ultimately falters under the weight of horrendous looking CGI and a conclusion that leaves much to be desired. Mixing scientific experimentation with moments that ask the characters to face their innermost fears, Rupture definitely pushes some buttons but has a hard time delivering a conclusion that feels right.
In her typical fashion, Rapace sets the standard for the entire movie. She's emotionally hardened. She's a force to be reckoned with. She gives a phenomenal performance that rests on her physicality and the uber talented consistency that always sets her apart. Although Prometheus is not a fan favorite, her role here is extremely similar. She's once again battling for her life against an evil foe, showing her strengths as a lead actress that always attempts to put her all into every project she's involved with, even when the material is lackluster.
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| Damn it. They recast Lisbeth again. |
Using Stormare and Chiklis to full effect, Rapace has a support system of actors that know their way around portraying a bad guy. When they're played off of each other, the stage is set for a rivalry between good and evil that pits an evil core of controlling villains against a victim that's not going down without a fight. If the scripting had been better calibrated towards fleshing out the characters of Rupture, this could have been a great cult hit. However, the last chapter of the film falters when things are wrapped up too tidily and predictably thin.
This is the type of genre flick that you watch strictly for your favorite actors. There's nothing to really bash here. It's just a mediocre effort from a director that can do much better than this. The initial setup is interesting. The confinement and torture scenarios are unnerving. The real problems here lie in the fear to give us a finite conclusion that suits the story at hand. Knowing that this would most likely never have a sequel, Shainberg should have gone for the gusto. More brutality and a real sense of closure would have been a better way to go with Rupture.
Am I sad I watched this? No. But it definitely could have used some fine tuning.
Rupture is in theaters and on demand on April 28th.
Score
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