Directed by: Anthony J. Rickert-Epstein
Written by: Renae Geerlings, Tyler Mane
Featuring: Tyler Mane, Muse Watson, Derek Mears, Leslie Easterbrook, Renae Geerlings, Susan Angelo, Alex Saxon
In early May, Dallas hosts a huge horror conve...
Directed by: Anthony J. Rickert-Epstein
Written by: Renae Geerlings, Tyler Mane
Featuring: Tyler Mane, Muse Watson, Derek Mears, Leslie Easterbrook, Renae Geerlings, Susan Angelo, Alex Saxon
In early May, Dallas hosts a huge horror convention called Texas Frightmare Weekend. TFW always features some of the most prominent and exciting guests in the horror genre as well as some terrific screenings, and this year was no exception.
One of TFW's best screenings this year was an "affiliate event" held at an off-site location. At the Texas Theater in Oak Cliff, about 30 minutes from the convention venue, a large group of people sat in a historic screening room and watched Compound Fracture, the first independent horror film produced by horror veteran Tyler Mane's new production company, Mane Entertainment. Mane made a name for himself in the world of pro-wrestling before starring as Sabretooth in X-Men and as Michael Myers in both of Rob Zombie's controversial Halloween films. Producing is simply the latest venture for the towering stuntman and actor. His wife and co-writer, Renae Geerlings, was in attendance with Mane, as was co-star Susan Angelo, and the three were happy to unleash their film on an unsuspecting audience after a brief introduction.
Compound Fracture is the story of Michael Wolffsen (Mane) and his spirited fianceé, Juliette (Geerlings), who have become the unlikely guardians of Michael's moody emo-rocker nephew, Brandon (Alex Saxon), in the wake of his mother Chloe's (Susan Angelo) murder at the hands of her husband, William (Derek Mears). Michael left home as soon as he was old enough to do so legally, abandoning his eccentric father, Gary (Muse Watson), to live alone on the huge, security-enforced family compound. Gary has remarried to Annabelle (Leslie Easterbrook), a tolerant and good-natured woman who is now at the end of her rope with Gary's abuse as his mind deteriorates; Michael is returning home against his will to care for his ailing father and relieve Annabelle from her burden.
Upon arriving, however, things are not as Michael last saw them. Gary's strange ways have evolved into full-blown obsession with the occult and magick, and he has completely outfitted the compound with state-of-the-art technology to ward against intruders. He is paranoid, delusional and more abusive than ever, unable to tell reality from his fearful hallucinations, and Michael's patience with his father's state of mind wears thin quickly. As Annabelle makes plans to leave her abusive husband, the family comes to realize that there is more to the story than they ever knew and that Gary may not be as insane as they believed. The menacing figure of William is stalking young Brandon, unhappy that the boy escaped his clutches in the first place. The problem with that is that William isn't exactly alive, and Michael and his family have to figure out how to protect their own against someone they can't fight.
A film like Compound Fracture is difficult to review due to the amount of plot twists and character arcs layered within; I went into the film knowing nothing about it and thus I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Geerling's writing is deft and clever, and it takes a lot of interesting turns throughout the development of the story. She weaves Nordic mythology, occult concepts and supernatural suspense into the drama of family turmoil and domestic abuse, creating an intricate tapestry that allows the more-than-capable cast to actually play with the characters they've been given. Michael is strong and dominant, but also sensitive and vulnerable; Juliette is playful and mischievous, but also a powerful and intelligent female character. William is a terrifying foe, and as established through countless roles as a stuntman and character actor, Derek Mears has a way of conveying absolute malice with just a glance of his eyes or a tilt of his head, and he cuts an intimidating figure