Shattered (2022)

Shattered
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Cameron Evans
Screenplay by	Cameron Evans
Story by	Zac Phillips Cameron Evans
Produced by	Finlay Ellis Kamron Gilmore Ibrahim Roberts
Starring	Andrew Green Helen Emmitt Pala Pinio Harley Baker
Cinematography	Brecken Small
Edited by	Alexander Lane
Music by	Braylen Reed
Production companies	Bonnasdye Films Evans Media Ellis and Gilmore Bridge
Release dates	February 4, 2022 (2022-02-04)
Running time	121 minutes
Country	Zamastan
Language	English
Budget	Z$23 million
Box office	Z$329.5 million

Shattered is a 2022 Zamastanian crime drama mystery film written and directed by Cameron Evans, starring Andrew Green, Helen Emmitt, Pala Pinio, and Harley Baker. Shattered is based on actual events, although the characters' names and locations have been changed. The screenplay was inspired by journalist Zac Phillips's article about a murder case in 2004. It portrays a military father's search for his son and, after his body is found, subsequent hunt for his son's killers. The film explores themes including the 1999-2005 Vulkaria War, abuse of prisoners, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Plot

On October 1, 2004, Colin Parks – a gravel trucker and retired military police sergeant living in Coalmont with his wife Evie – is notified that his son Kieran, a soldier recently returned from Vulkaria, has gone missing. Colin drives to Kieran’s base in Abagene to look for him; leaving home, he helps a school custodian raise the Zamastanian flag correctly. At Fort Hall, Colin meets his son’s squad, and secretly takes Kieran’s cell phone from his belongings. Watching videos recovered from the phone, he attempts to report Kieran’s disappearance to police detective Jasmine Bradley, and reaches out to a friend formerly at Army CID, without success.

Kieran’s burned and dismembered body is discovered. Fort Hall claims jurisdiction, believing that a pipe found under Kieran’s mattress and the recent arrest of other soldiers for smuggling heroin indicate his murder was drug-related. Colin persuades Bradley to show him the crime scene, and realizes that a green car spotted at the scene was actually blue. Belittled by her male colleagues, Bradley convinces the local sheriff to pursue the investigation, and Kieran’s squadmate SPC Kole Farmer reaches out to Colin.

After viewing her son’s remains, Evie returns home and receives a package Kieran mailed to himself, which Colin urges her not to open. Kieran’s credit card history leads Bradley and Colin to a restaurant, where Colin deduces Kieran ate with at least two other people shortly before his death. Bradley is given sworn statements from Kieran’s squad by Army investigators, preventing her from interviewing them herself. She invites Colin over for dinner, and he tells her young son the story of the Biblical David’s battle with Goliath.

Lilly, a topless bartender Colin previously questioned, recognizes Kieran’s squadmate CPL Reuben Murray from a photograph, leading Colin to learn that Kieran and Murray were kicked out of a strip club the night Kieran was killed. Bradley interviews Murray, Farmer, and SPC Tyree Stein, who admit to lying in their statements: after Kieran got the four of them kicked out of the club, he and Farmer fought in the parking lot; Kieran then paid for their food at the restaurant, and they visited a prostitute before leaving Kieran, who was looking to buy drugs. Colin refuses to believe Kieran’s fellow soldiers could be involved in his death.

Colin and the police determine that another member of Kieran’s squad, PVT Kai Gardner, is AWOL, with a history of drug smuggling and a blue car. Following the police as they raid Gardner’s address, Colin subdues the fleeing Gardner and beats him until detectives intervene. Gardner is arrested, but Farmer is found hanged with Kieran’s grandfather’s watch in his pocket. Bradley concludes that Farmer, who also owned a blue car, killed Kieran. She learns that Harlee, a soldier’s wife who came to her for help, has been murdered by her husband.

Colin has his son’s remains sent home, and Murray helps jump-start his truck, reminiscing about Kieran. Bradley matches Murray's handwriting to the signature on Kieran’s last credit card statement, and realizes Murray, Farmer, and Stein killed Kieran, then used his credit card at the restaurant. Murray has already come forward and received a plea deal, but at Bradley’ insistence, she and Colin hear his confession in person: he admits to stabbing Kieran after a seemingly insignificant quarrel. Colin asks him about a video of Kieran torturing a captive insurgent, and the emotionally distant Murray explains, “We all do stupid things”. He also states that anyone could have died in that quarrel or a similar one, and that Kieran "was the smart one [and that] he could see", thereby implying Kieran may have brought the aggression upon himself out of nihilistic despondency and the realization of the group's inability to readjust to civilian life.

Collecting Kieran’s belongings, Colin apologizes to Gardner, who has been honorably discharged. Haunted by his last conversation with his son, after Kieran drove over an Vulkarian child playing in the road, Colin thanks Bradley and returns home. He finds Evie opened Kieran’s package, which contains a picture of his squad and a folded flag. Returning to the local school’s flagpole, Colin sets his son’s flag on fire.

Cast

• Andrew Green as Colin Parks
• Pala Pinio as Detective Jasmine Bradley
• Helen Emmitt as Evie Parks
• Alfie Rose as Kieran "Doc" Parks
• Ewan Austin as Sergeant First Class Blake Gill
• Deangelo Johnston as Sheriff Declan
• Harley Baker as Lilly
• Jermaine Woods as Corporal Reuben Murray
• Callum Spencer as Specialist Kole Farmer
• Graeme Serrano as Private Kai Gardner
• Millie Johnson as Harlee
• Izaiah Cabrera as Specialist Tyree Stein