The 2025 British anthology film Shattered gives good horror. It trots out 5 scrumptious tales of the macabre that will titillate and tempt the taste buds of any horror fan. It is like a delectable short menu of horror on offer for this Halloween. Anyone who follows Mike’s Film Talk knows we love a good anthology horror offering. This is no exception, as it delivers like a short smorgasboard of discomforting treats.
There are four directors who helm the short tidbits on offer:
William Brooke, John Ferrer, Arla Piacentini and Judson Vaughan share directorial duties here. Screenplays/stories are by Chris Barnes, Brooke, Piacentini, Vaughn (All three do double duty here.) as well as Simon Darkman, Harry Metcalfe and Haydn Worley.
The Shattered Menu
The Aperitif
This is a fine taster that titillates the tongue: 1 Star Review. A chef who takes pride in his work, does not take criticism well. In fact, he confronts the critiques with downright hostility. We are treated to an up close and personal approach to his latest critic.
The First Course
Burn. A father leaves a home video message for his unborn son. Police come to arrest this loving dad but he takes himself out of the picture, rather drastically. He leaves his wife and son’s mum to carry on.
This offering is very dark and we learn that things are not as they initially appear.
The Second Course
The Verge. Climate change has wreaked havoc on the world’s countries and coastal cities are disappearing. People are being sent out to colonise space. The competition to be on one of those spaceships is fierce. A sort of “last man/woman standing” contest where the victor wins.
We are privy to three woman battling to the death to catch that rocket. Short, violent and tragic, the outcome is not what one expects.
Main Course
Hold me Till the End. This is easily the longest of the short films on offer. A woman fights valiantly, and repeatedly, to save her partner. By the end of this tragic tale, we learn that some things are just meant to happen, good intentions be hanged.
The Desert Board
Re-Birth. A woman loses her twin sister to a car accident. She is told that her twin can be brought back. She follows directions to a place that can facilitate the return of her sister. Once again, however, things are not quite as they seem. The runtime for this last selection is on par with Hold me Till the End.
The Main Shattered Cast
1 Star Review:
Charlie Clee is Michael.
Sarah J Parker is Elysia.
Amelie Leroy is Tina.
Burn:
Max Cavenham is Peter Vaubarn.
Emma Kelly is Lou Vaubarn.
Matti Kolirin is Charlie Vaubarn.
The Verge:
Crystal Clarke is Brave.
Megan Prescott is Brute.
Elizabeth Tan is Brains.
Bryan Parry is Braw.
Hold me Till the End:
Elle O’Hara is Jess.
Kathleen Blundell is Em.
Re-Birth:
Jessica Kinsey is Lily.
Phil Zimmerman plays The Twins.
Mark Farrelly is Smith.
Michael Howarth is Nameless Man.
All the actors deliver their “A” game here. Kudos to Emma Kelly, Crystal Clarke, Kathleen Blundell and Elizabeth Tan on the female side of the cast. More kudos are due to Max Cavenham, Bryan Parry, Phil Zimmerman and Charlie Clee on the male side. These folks delivered brilliantly. A special shout out to Matti Kolirin as Charlie in Burn.
Let’s Talk Shattered
As anthologies go, this one works well. There is a splendid selection of tales to choose from. All five stories fall easily into the horror genre with the last one veering into science fiction/horror.
Each short tale offers a spectrum of entertaining vignettes. These range from cautionary to a “be careful what you wish for” scenario. Shattered delivers what it promises as each one of the offerings will leave you, one way or the other, a bit shattered.
The Verdict
Shattered earns an easy 4 stars for scope and entertainment value. It does what it says “on the tin.” This horror anthology is available to stream on Tubi for free or Prime to rent. Catch this brit offering in time for Halloween. You won’t regret it. You can thank me later.
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