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Frailty

Frailty (2002)

April. 12,2002
|
7.2
|
R
| Drama Thriller Crime

A man confesses to an FBI agent his family's story of how his religious fanatic father's visions lead to a series of murders to destroy supposed 'demons'.

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Reviews

Onlinewsma
2002/04/12

Absolutely Brilliant!

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Senteur
2002/04/13

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

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Portia Hilton
2002/04/14

Blistering performances.

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Gary
2002/04/15

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

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axapvov
2002/04/16

The good: Surprisingly good storytelling. At first I thought this would be yet another by-product of 90´s thriller epidemic but it is engaging against all odds, a page-turner indeed. It takes its time and, slowly but firmly, events unfold without noticing the time. It´s low-key and creepier than I expected and the father-son conflict is brilliant. Very good casting. Bill Paxton (the dad) is very convincing. The boy is excellent too, even the FBI agent was a great choice. The bad: The twist and ending turns what could have been a terrific creepy crime drama into a generic tv movie. Matthew McCounaughey is one of the few actors who can pull off an interesting voice over, but it still is a cheap voice over. Everything about "touching demons" just stinks. The ugly: No matter how well done the first hour is, it probably deserves being overlooked.

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moonspinner55
2002/04/17

Two young Midwestern brothers in 1979 are at odds over their widower father's recent actions: he's convinced an angel has selected him to kill seven demons on Earth in the final days before Judgement. The angel has even selected the weapons he is to use, and his boys are to become his accomplices. Actor Bill Paxton also directed this unconvincing and rather pedestrian character study-cum-thriller from a screenplay by Brent Hanley. Paxton is so laconic and low-keyed as a performer (and as a filmmaker) that the father's horrific actions don't make much of an impact. The youngsters face their father's deeds with grim resolve, while Matthew McConaughey (as the older brother now an adult) narrates the proceedings with solemn detachment. *1/2 from ****

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Bob An
2002/04/18

I just randomly picked up to watch this film and so glad I did. It is a great one! A psichological thriller with elements of horror and supernatural ( I dare say) in a very moody, dark, almost nausea feeling setting. From the moment the storyteller walks in to tell his story, you have a feeling that something is wrong - especially by the way he speaks ( very slowly ans as if in a dream).All actors were great! Adults and kids.Very interesting story and thought provoking. Maybe the beginning was a bit too slow but all in all, the pace of the film is great. The twists towards the end were really surprising! I must say the only thing that I did predict was the killing of the father. Somehow it was natural to be done and expected to be done. The end also left me a bit puzzled if the other brother was really killed and if he was really what the other one thought him ( and his father) to be. And if he was - what was his sin ? Maybe killing his father?For sure, one of the most interesting films I have seen in a while. Ten from me.

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DVR_Brale
2002/04/19

How would you respond to a person claiming that an angel had revealed to them a secret mission to fight forces of evil? Can you imagine a child confronting such an adult? What if that adult is child's father? These scary questions are exactly what furnishes Frailty's context.Frailty can be described as a noir mystery thriller. The atmosphere itself is extremely gloomy, never pointing to a happy ending. It can be compared to darkness and bleakness in The Machinist. The whole milieu made me feel very uncomfortable, more than most of the horror movies could. If you want to experience similar tension see It Follows (2014).So, one day a man (McConaughey) walks into detective's office apparently knowing who the God's Hand killer is. It's very dark, it's raining and there's nobody there except this exhausted man and steady, calm detective. This man starts to tell detective a story about his father (Bill Paxton) who was once approached by an angel and given a secret mission. From that point on nothing was the same again.As he continues to tell his story we delve more and more into a dark world which is created by psychological states and religious convictions each member of the family has. Tension is thus brilliantly furnished by focusing on family relationship which is by definition somewhat separated from the rest of the world existing as a private entity. All three members of the family are on different levels be it maturity, physical strength, religious convictions or intellect. Now add to it a seemingly supernatural element which influences different members differently and plays with their psyche and you have a formidable movie without using explicit techniques horror movies usually use.Everything that happens points out and prepares us for the twist. Since Frailty's main premise is religious, the twist establishes a framework for a debate on the topic of religious fanaticism; what makes a religious fanatic? Why does one become religious fanatic? Only due to family influences or due to psychological delusion? But what if Christian doctrine of angelology and demonology is true? What if angels and demons do exist and can communicate with us and even take human form? Would that possibility somehow justify at least some actions?Mentioning anything more would rip you off from the experience. Wait for a rainy night and watch it by yourself. Don't forget to buy some snacks - they'll save your fingernails.

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