DVD Review: Indie Thriller ‘Fissure’ With James MacDonald, Crystal Mantecon

CHICAGO – Hardcore movie lovers know the joy of finding a clever comedy or taut thriller that they had never even heard of before they went to the video store. What’s more exciting? Having your preview-determined opinions confirmed or finding something totally off the beaten path? It may not be perfect, but Russ Pond’s consistently interesting “Fissure” could be the hidden gem you’re looking for this weekend.

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

Perhaps it’s because of my theatrical background, but I have a certain affinity for small-cast, one-set films like “Fissure”. Like a lot of indie movies, “Fissure” keeps it simple in both setting and cast with only a few speaking roles and generally one set.

Fissure was released on DVD on August 11th, 2009.
Photo credit: Indigenous Film Works

Most indie films with a sci-fi thriller edge live and die on their concept, but what’s intriguing about “Fissure” is that the script for the movie is not the film’s strong point. If anything, with dialogue that’s constantly forced to explain its own plot instead of developing character, the screenplay for “Fissure” actually works against the film’s strongest component - the work of lead actor James MacDonald.

The recognizable character actor (from films like “Phone Booth” and dozens of TV shows including “In Plain Sight,” “Lie to Me,” “CSI: Miami,” and “Weeds”) stars as Officer Paul Grunning, a man dealing with an unimaginable tragedy that has forced him into addiction and the gaze of Internal Affairs. He gets a call for a “disturbance” at a house and enters a sci-fi nightmare.

From the minute he enters, Grunning can tell something is not quite right. When he finds a body in the dining room with what looks like a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, he thinks he has a relatively straightforward case and calls for backup. As he proceeds from room to room and meets the victim’s wife, grad student assistant, and bitterly resentful son, Grunning realizes that nothing in the house is quite what it seems.

“Fissure” is far from perfect. Some of the dialogue is weak and the supporting cast are nothing more than a series of two-dimensional cliches, but Macdonald keeps the proceedings interesting. As he clearly questions his own sanity in the weirdest house on the block, Macdonald sells the arc of a man unraveling while he’s trying to investigate a case. He’s good enough to warrant a rental and more lead parts in the future.

“Fissure” is available on standard DVD with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio that looks surprisingly clear for an independent, standard release. The audio mix in Dolby Digital 5.1 gets the job done.

Special features on “Fissure” include a director’s commentary, behind-the-scenes clips, “Fissure House Secrets,” and additional bonus material.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com