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Frailty

Frailty

List Price: $9.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wow, an unexpected delight
Review: I believe that this is the directorial debut of Bill Paxton, and if it is, wow. This is one of those films that did not get a wide Theatrical release that may have slipped through the cracks. It is the story of a father and his two sons, and the fathers revelation that God has tapped them to kill demons that walk among us, to be God's hand. While one son assumes that his father has gone crazy, the other believes in him without question. After the kids have grown up, one of them decides to follow in their fathers footsteps and kill demons (who look like normal people) while the other eventually decides to turn in his brother for being the God's hand killer. The movie is told in a narrative by Fenton Meiks (Matt McConaughey) as he is convincing an FBI agent that his brother is the murderer. This is a well written, suspenseful film that tears at you, and is wonderfully crafted.

About the DVD: This one is chock full of extras, including the trailer, the making of, scenes, a documentary from the Sundance channel, and three different commentaries. An absolute goldmine of information. Even without these features, the film would still rate a five.

T

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Solid horror flick, intelligent and tense.
Review: I'd never heard of 'Frailty' before I rented this DVD, and, wary as I am of renting movies I've never come across before (see my review of 'Fear of the Dark' for proof of that!!) I was hugely surprised and very impressed with this excellent 2002 offering starring the excellent Matthew McConaughey.

The quiet family life of young brothers Fenton and Adam Mieks is turned upside down when their recently-widowed Father loses his mind, and begins to kidnap and execute what he believes are 'Demons', after an audience with an Angel. Cut to some years later, and the adult Fenton is recounting the tale to a police officer investigating the 'God's hand killer', whom Fenton believes to be his brother Adam.

Pretty much a vehicle for Matthew McConaughey, 'Frailty' also contains some excellent performances from child actors Matthew O'Leary as the Young Fenton and Jeremy Sumpter as the young Adam. For child actors they display a feeling for their roles far beyond their years, and it's their opposite reactions to their Father's insanity and misdeeds that give this excellent picture much of its credibility. Bill Paxton as Dad mieks is decent enough (he also directed the movie) but we can;t help feel that he doesn't give enough depth to the character of the psychopath.

Direction, though, is first-rate, and shooting most of the movie at night creates an excellent contrast between the darkness of the murder-scenes and the garish bright of the daytime sequences. The actual murder scenes themselves are neither gory nor unnessecarily violent, and are all the more tense and enthralling because of it. Paxton seems to be a far superior director than he is actor, and he does an excellent job with this picture.

There's a great twist in the tale, and while we are expecting a twist, it's not the one we were thinking of.

All in all, 'Frailty' is an excellent, tense horror-cum-suspense movie, with some excellent performances and top-drawer direction. Recommended.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Just When You Think You Understand, You Dont
Review: Frailty, suspense movies have been waiting a long time for a movie like this to come aroung. Now many people think that this movie is a horror movie. Well your wrong, it is a suspense (I would barely consider this a thriller) This movie is very easy to follow and yet it's still clever. One pro about this movie is that it throws you off. It messes with your mind and it also drives the fear into you of if you are or if you aren't a demon... I know what your thinking "Demon what? This movie is going to suck!" Well let me explain to you what it's about.

When Fenton (Matthew McConaughey) comes to the FBI claiming that he knows about the god's hand killer. God's Hand Killer? Yes, God's Hand Killer. God gets the sense that there is demons on earth. So he sends an angel to talk to Fentons father and asks him, Fenton and Adam (Fentons little brother) to slay demons. A demon slayer if you will, well the father accepts being a religous man. So he tells his sons about it, Adams believes but Fenton thinks that his father has lost his mind. The demons are real people. So Fenton tries to tell the police, run away, and as his last resort he tells his father that he has seen the demons. So he is about to slay a demon when he turns and gives his father a heavy blow in the torso, but wait Adam is now the heir demon killer, so will he step up to the demon killing position.

Back in the FBI office Fenton tells the chief, that he can show him where the bodies are buried. So they take a ride back to the graveyard where they buried the demon corpses. Then Fenton reveals something, an important little detail...

This movie is very suspenseful, not scary and not that gorey. I feel that anyone that is up to it can watch it. Like a sprinkle of language, they drop the F-Bomb twice and it isnt that bad. So watch this movie and have fun...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I loved this movie. The plot twists were completely unexpected. The final two are mind-blowing! I rented it -- now I have to own it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Surprise! Dad isn't so crazy after all . . .
Review: Excellent film making, no words can do this movie justice.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Realistically Creepy!!!
Review: This is the sort of story that comes along once in a while that makes me look at my neighbors with curious suspicion. What dark secrets could they be hiding? Bill Paxton plays the widowed father of two boys, portrayed handsomely by Matt O'leary and Jeremy Sumpter. One night he comes into their bedroom to tell them an angel has visited him and that it is God's will that they destroy the demons inhabiting our world; but those demons look and act just like normal people. Thus the creepiness of this unfortunately realistic yarn unfolds amid great mood lighting, solid acting, and surprisingly excellent direction from none other than Bill Paxton. This is an auspicious debut for him and I for one hope he continues to be this inspired with any future attempts. The suspense and tension are so eerie at times that the scene brings about bona-fide chills. Matthew McConaughey, not a usual favorite actor of mine, is actually quite good in his scenes with Powers Booth, an actor who draws your attention with each calculated phrase. The plot twist at the end is both good and bad. It is good because it made me want to see the film all over again and try to catch what I know I missed; but it's bad because during the entire film I was seeing the movie from the eyes of Matt O'Leary's character when all of a sudden the rug is yanked out and I was forced to re-evaluate the entire movie in a span of about 5-10 minutes. However, this is a well made film with many unnerving moments, and is easy to recommend. The screenwriter said something that was especially creepy. I'm paraphrasing: The scariest thing about religious fanaticism is...what if it's true? The used copies are unusually cheap here, as well, making this a supreme bargain. Get this and watch it with all the lights out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brilliant Film!
Review: -
"Frailty" is one of the best modern-day gothic/horror films ever made! If you like Poe-style drama in a modern-day Texas setting, you'll like this one. Suspense all the way! One twist after another. Bill Paxton displays his brilliance as a director and actor. Luke Askew, Jeremy Sumpter, Matt O'Leary, Matt McConaughey and Powers Booth are equally brilliant as a superb supporting cast of characters.

I've viewed the film a dozen times so far, and each time I view it I realize more and more what a craft of genius this film truly is! And a budget film at that!

For anyone interested in writing, directing or acting, this is one to study. Or for anyone just looking for escape!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best Horror Films I've Ever Seen
Review: Frailty may have a stupid name but it is a great horror film and it isn't excessively gory.The movie is about an adult Fenton
Meiks(Matthew McConaughey) telling an FBI agent the story of how his father (played terrificly by Bill Paxton who also directs)
believes God told him to kill demons,who end up being real people.Fenton doesn't believe a word his dad says,however Fentons younger brother Adam believes all of it.The film is also a film you want to watch,you can't stop staring at the screen and be thinking whats gonna happen next.The scene with Bill Paxton and the angel is awesome,the effects are wild.The ending couldnn't have been any better although it is semi predictable,
now the film which isn't scary at all is still a terrific movie,even better than most gory horror films such as "Wrong Turn".The acting is great I think it's amazing that Matthew McConaughey or Bill Paxton didn't win any awards for the film,but i'd buy this movie any day.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: seer of movies
Review: The first time I saw Frailty was in the theater. As the credits rolled, I just sat there with my mouth open. When I looked around I noticed that everyone else in the theater must've felt the same way because they were still seated too! This movie has that kind of effect on you. I don't want to give away anything. It will keep you guessing- is this guy for real? Are these demons real or is he just a psycho? This southern gothic is a must see/must have for those who enjoy a psychological thriller that doesn't insult your intelligence.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This movie doesnt recieve enough credit
Review: Frailty, I first heard of this movie when looking at a wish list, here at amazon. I thought that it looked decent, plus I thought my mind needed a break from this 'shoot'em up' crap that the movie industry is getting filled up with. Frailty was my relief.

This movie starts out in the present when a man called Fenton comes into tell the FBI that he knows who the god's hand killer is. The person head of the FBI comes in and starts to talk to Fenton. Fenton then begins to explain that the god's hand killer is infact his brother.

The Head of the FBI started at first thinking that this guy is just feeding him BS. Fenton then starts to say that this all began in 1968 when his father, (the mother had passed away) and his brother and him all lived together happily. Well, it all ended when his father had a vision from a angel telling him that there are demons among the earth and that him (and his sons) must slay them. Well, Fenton knows that his father is insane. These were real people that he was slaying. So time passes and Fenton actually starts to watch as his father going on and filling out these missions. Fenton has to make a decision, desert his father or save the innocent people.

This Movie freaked me out at the end. The end has a real twist that scares you, Bill Paxton did a great job as the Dad, and Matthew McConoughy (did i spell that right?)really scared me as the older version of Fenton (well... and Adam) If you don't like scary movies dont watch this, if you do watch it. You like mysteries watch this, like religious thrillers (yes this is a religous thriller) watch it, its very interesting.


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