HottWwjdIam
There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.
StyleSk8r
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
Cristal
The movie really just wants to entertain people.
andrea-45
I have to thank CBC, actually, for making this movie. Before a visit to Halifax on the QE2, I had never heard of the Explosion (typical American - although, in fact, I'm Canadian-born). But even seeing the great memorial didn't really register the extent of the disaster until I saw the movie. Yes, characters were combined or fictionalized in some cases, but that is absolutely secondary to the portrayal of that horrific episode in Canadian history. The effects of the blast were particularly well done. I hope it plays again, as indeed it should every couple of years or so, to remind us all of both the losses and the bravery incurred that day.
scenicns
I had friends that were in this movie so you will have to excuse my bias. First off the writing was adequate. I enjoyed the addition of some intrigue before the explosion, I had heard the conspiracy theories about German saboteurs before and the writers did a good job of myth building without re-writing history. The acting was pretty much the CBC standard which is acceptable in a docu-drama… what really stood out about this film was the terrible directing and cinematography, there was even one of those classic pan reaction shots when the disfigured soldier killed himself… the only place you see those is in comedy shows these days! Looking at Pittman's filmography I understand now why so many Canadian television shows have a similar look… and I mean that in a bad way.I'm very happy a movie was made in Halifax about Halifax and I am sure it will be shown to delighted junior high students for decades to come.
tgauthier
Shattered City is a highly enjoyable retelling of an almost forgotten event in Canadian history. I am from Halifax, and for me, the sight of the ships exploding in the harbour was a visceral experience. The blast, which occurred in December, 1917, was the largest man-made explosion before Hiroshima, killed 2000 people instantly and vaporized two square miles of the city of Halifax.I could have done without some of the more soap opera-like elements of it, but in all, I was engaged by the characters and moved by their horrendous plight. Although plagued by a low budget($10 million), the show did an excellent job of recreating wartime Halifax and the harbour, and the people felt authentic as they went about their daily lives.This film is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good story of human courage and drama, and is a must-see for any fan of Canadian history.Postscript: I now live in northern Canada, and watched the show with a group of westerners and northerners. None of them had heard of the Halifax Explosion. What a sad commentary on our woefully provincial education systems and on our ability to tell our own stories.
aspreadb1
Unfortunately like many Canadians I had never heard about this event in school. It wasn't until my 20th year when I visited Halifax for the first time that I learnt of this horrific tale. This movie did an adequate job at telling the story. The acting was competent as was the over-all story (although I thought the German spy thing came across as silly). I particularly liked the acting of the two youngest children of the family that this movie revolves around.I don't know if it was me or not but there seemed to be a lot more commercial breaks than in regular made for TV movies. As soon as the plot started moving it had to stop for yet another commercial break and being produced by the CBC and funded by corporate sponsors we see the same commercials over and over again which ruined my experience watching the movie.This is a story that needs to be told and should never be forgotten. It is as devastating as "Sept 11".
