MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Shattered’: Pure Magic From Wolfgang Petersen

“Shattered” (selected theaters) takes us into the perplexed mind of a partial amnesiac (Tom Berenger), who in the wake of a near-fatal car crash can tell you the name of the San Francisco landmark building in which he works but has no personal memories whatsoever.

This sleek, high-style suspense thriller, directed by Wolfgang Petersen with terrific energy, visual panache and a dry wit, presents those closest to Berenger with the opportunity to re-create him to suit their own purposes.

There is much at stake. Berenger, who gives a thoughtful, concentrated performance, and his partner (Corbin Bernsen), a man of killer charm, are rich, hotshot architect-developers with a mammoth marina project ready to go. Berenger’s beautiful wife seems the perfect spouse, nursing him back to health--and to steamy sex--with unstinting devotion and passion.

But since she’s played by the ever-sultry and insinuating Greta Scacchi (inspired casting here), you have to wonder a little about her motives. Also on hand are Bernsen’s wife (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer), another tempestuous, seductive beauty, and Bob Hoskins’ eccentric private eye, who would rather devote all his time to running his pet shop.

In short, Berenger is faced with trying to figure out not only what kind of person he was before the accident but also what those nearest and supposedly dearest to him are all about.

Petersen, who himself adapted Richard Neely’s novel, seems to be having fun bringing his virtuoso skills--honed on such challenging milestone movies as “Das Boot” and “The Neverending Story”--to bear on genre material, staging action sequences with full-throttle razzle-dazzle and pulling off a double-whammy surprise plot twist.

“Shattered” (rated R for sex, language and violence, none of them in excess), a film that is as good-looking as its two key couples, is all the more amusing and entertaining for being so far-fetched (but never entirely incredible).

Petersen has had crucial backup in Laszlo Kovacs’ fluid, graceful camerawork and in Alan Silvestri’s edgy, mood-setting score. Control is the key here: control of performance, of tricky logistics and convoluted material. Petersen, a movie magician if ever there was one, makes it all look effortless and, in the process, persuades us to suspend disbelief at every turn.

‘Shattered’

Tom Berenger: Dan Merrick

Bob Hoskins: Gus Klein

Greta Scacchi: Judith Merrick

Joanne Whalley-Kilmer: Jenny Scott

Corbin Bernsen: Jeb Scott

An MGM presentation of a Bodo Scriba/Willi Baer/Capella Films production in association with Davis Entertainment Co. Director Wolfgang Petersen. Producers Petersen, John Davis, David Korda. Executive producers Larry Sugar, Michel Roy. Screenplay Petersen, from the novel by Richard Neely. Cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs. Editors Hannes Nikel, Glenn Farr. Costumes Erica Edell Phillips. Music Alan Silvestri. Production design Gregg Fonseca. Art director Bruce Miller. Set decorator Dorree Cooper. Sound Keith A. Wester. Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes.

MPAA-rated R (for sensuality, language and violence).