RUPTURE
US, 2016, 104 minutes, Colour.
Noomi Rapace, Michael Chiklis, Kerry Bishe, Peter Stormare, Lesley Manville.
Directed by Steven Shainberg.
Rupture is an unusual piece of science fiction. It begins like a domestic story, a divorced mother, her life with her son, urging him to study, then dropping him off for a weekend with his father, and arguing with his father about helping him with his studies.
Then Renée, Noomi Rapace from the trilogy of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo… And Ridley Scott’s Alien Prequel, Prometheus, is suddenly abducted, transported to a laboratory, with a strange eclectic staff. She attempts escape but is subjected then to surgery, as well as processes which will transform her into a superior being. While she attempts to escape through the corridors, she is caught, transformed, returned home – but still able to warn her son to escape from the house.
She is transformed, losing emotions, but still able to relate with her son.
The staff is portrayed by mixture of American, European, British actors including Peter Stormare, Lesley Manville and Michael Chiklis. Steven Shainberg who had directed, nine years earlier, Fur: An Imaginary Story of Diane Arbus as well as Secretary with James Spader and Maggie Gylenhaal.
1. An offbeat piece of science fiction?
2. The American city, the suburbs, homes, interiors, families? The contrast with the experience of the abduction? The travel? The laboratories, surgical rooms, corridors? The musical score?
3. The title, the reference to the breaking of ordinary life, physical enhancement, psychological change, loss of emotions, increase in intelligence, superior beings?
4. Renee, at home, her character, the divorce and the interactions with her husband, her son, his studies, the meals, her urging him on with his studies, wanting his father to help him? Delivering him for the weekend? The clashes with her husband? Waving goodbye to her son? Her fear of spiders and the use of spiders and fear in the rupture procedures?
5. The car following Renee, putting the implement on the wheel, her driving to the skydiving, the puncture, the man helping her, the other cars, the van? Suddenly turning on her, binding her, the abduction, putting her in the van, Dr Nyman and her kindness? Bewilderment? Renee struggling?
6. Her arrival, transfer, her room, the various personnel, the interviews, the baldheaded man and his role, the doctor, the attentiveness, Dr Nyman, other members of the staff? Interactions with Renee?
7. The treatment, freeing her, food, her suspicions? The various personalities and the discussions?
8. The audience realising what was happening, the abduction, the physical transformation, the comments on the quality of her skin, her being considered a superior human? Suitable for the rupture? The processes, the surgery, the food, the transformations?
9. Renee, concern about her son, wanting to be freed? The response of the various personalities? Terrence, his presence, his explanations, his reassurance, his philosophy of superior beings?
10. Renee, her attempted escape, the chase through the corridors, the glass wall coming down? The surrender?
11. The change, her being allowed home, her son, his reaction to her appearance, to her clothes? Her warning him to escape?
12. Renee and a transformation – how complete? Her future…?
