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Directed by: Peter Jackson Starring: Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Jeffrey Combs, Gary Busey Before Peter Jackson became the world's hottest fantasy director, he was well-known for his low-budget horror comedies Bad Taste and Brain Dead/Dead Alive. In the period inbetween, Hollywood took notice of his talents, and Robert Zemeckis teamed up with him to make The Frighteners, Jackson's biggest-budgeted movie at that time. The Frighteners was met with mediocre box office and mixed reviews and was saddled with an ineffectual ad campaign that had its work cut out for it -- how do you promote a movie that mixes supernatural comedy and black humor with elements of full-blown horror and suspense? It's a shame it didn't do well, because The Frighteners is one of those multi-genre movies that while uneven, manages to nail down its tone about halfway through and delivers some real thrills. Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) is a con man in a sleepy little town that was once the focal point of a mass murder spree. Bannister's con is unique -- he purges ghosts from incredulous locals' houses, but the twist is that he really can see ghosts. His paranormal partners in crime (Chi McBride, Jim Fyfe and John Astin) live with him, show up at a house and spook the place up, then Bannister comes in to "clean up." Things take a turn for the serious when people start mysteriously dying again in the town, their hearts crushed inside their bodies. The husband of the pretty new doctor in town (Alvarado) is one of these victims, and she and Bannister meet and are drawn together by the mysterious events. As the deaths continue, Bannister is the number-one suspect; freaky FBI agent Milton Dammers (the excellent Jeffrey Combs) shows up to investigate. The problem is, Bannister can see what's causing the deaths: it's the Grim Reaper, reaching inside people's chests, crushing the life out of them, and taking their souls. Of course, everyone knows he's a con and no one believes him. And it turns out the town hides a few other secrets, such as the scary old woman who keeps her grown daughter (Dee Wallace-Stone, the mom from E.T. and Cujo!) locked up in their spooky old house. There's a lot going on in this film, and it takes a good long while for it all to come together. Some of it you can see coming a mile off, but there are a few neat twists, such as Bannister's method of fighting on equal ground with the Reaper. How do you kill something that's already a ghost? Part of what makes this a great film are the likeable leads. Michael J. Fox and Trini Alvarado play the kind of characters who you grow to care about, and when they're put in harm's way, it'll have you on the edge of your seat. Jeffrey Combs gives life to one of the most unsettling, purposefully hard-to-watch characters even seen in a movie, and is quite an effective mortal foil for our heroes. He is, by turns, funny, menacing, and sympathetic. Be sure to look for a cameo by everyone's favorite marine, R. Lee Ermey, basically playing his "Full Metal Jacket" character as a local ghost. The fault in this movie is that it starts off as a kind of goofy supernatual comedy with a lot of backstory to cover. Fox's ghostly companions are by and large stereotypical caricatures -- the nerdy white guy and angry black activist (save for Astin's decrepit cowboy ghost, The Judge, who gets it on with a mummy...guess you have to see it for yourself), and there's some humor that falls flat. Jackson's roots are in horror, though, and it shines through in the last 45 minutes as the comedy is mostly left behind and everything comes together with some great action/horror set pieces, in which our heroes are menaced by the dead and the living. I distinctly remember seeing this in the theater when it first came out and sitting on the edge of my seat, literally. The special effects are good, with some nice gore (real and ghostly) and CGI that ranges from excellent to ho-hum. What's interesting is Jackson's effects house, the New Zealand-based WETA, basically used this movie as a test bed for a lot of the technology they took even further in the LOTR films. The soundtrack is good, as well, with a nice Danny Elfman score and a good remake of "Don't Fear the Reaper" closing out the film. Okay, now that I've been objective, I'll say this: this is one of my favorite movies, ever. It's one of those films that puts together its own little world that sucks you right in and doesn't let go till the end. Although the film is uneven, it kind of works in its favor. I've shown this movie to people who don't like horror, and as they got sucked in by the lighter first part, they stuck around and highly enjoyed the finish. If you dig horror/comedy/action flicks and haven't seen this, I recommend putting aside part of an afternoon to watch it. There's a little something for everyone. RATING: 4.5 PROS: Good characters, superb edge-of-your-seat suspense, action, and horror with dark humor in last half of film CONS: Can't decide early on whether to be supernatural comedy or horror flick ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://imdb.com/title/tt0116365/ Bruteman fucked around with this message at 04:26 on Jun 13, 2004 |
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Jun 12, 2004 18:21
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 18:43 |
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This is a great movie, Peter Jackson showing his rear end kicking directing prior to the lord of the rings. Michael J. Fox of course, who doesn't love him, was great for the part (eh...just try and find a part he's not good for). Very good story, the ghost thing is sometime overdone in film, but I thought this was done in a very interesting and original way. The scene was very dark and intense, something that could go either way...this time it happens to play itself out very well. I really enjoyed this movie. 4/5
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Jun 13, 2004 03:07
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Great movie, lots of special fx, good story, and it was just the right length. I hate these popcorn movies than end in 90 minutes. I especially love R. Lee Ermey's role as the guardian of the graveyard, type casted of course, but it was a nice touch. 5
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Jul 1, 2004 05:39
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I enjoyed the movie. It gets -1 for having the greatest realization of Death... and then ruining it by making him a hick. 4/5
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Jul 1, 2004 09:48
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The great thing about this film is that it never lets up. It's just pure energy from the get go. This means that if you like your films with character development and depth you should look elsewhere, as the movie doesn't have time to wait for crap like that. But if you want some decent action, laughs, horror, and a surprising amount of tension (especially during the finale) you can do a lot worse than watch this. Michael J. Fox is very capable in the main role and Trini Alvarado is good eye candy, even if she does look a little like Julia Louis-Dreyfuss. Jake (not Gary) Busey is a pretty good psycho, just like his dad. The only misfire is Jeffrey Coombs, who I found incredibly annoying and not funny at all (except when he gets that cushion for his car). In summation: good fun, and a solid 4.
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Jul 1, 2004 12:40
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 18:43 |
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This movie is very fun, without trying too hard. Jackson has a story to tell, and he tells it without loving around too much. Easy to watch, easy to get, and very easy to enjoy. 4/5
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Jul 1, 2004 20:10
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