Frailty

Rating:
Summary: Not Quite the Sixth Sense
Review: It might seem that a movie like FRAILTY owes its very existence to the succes of THE SIXTH SENSE and a subsequent renewed interest in surprise plot twists--the kind that make you go "Wha'??" and resolve to see the film again and again. Actually, given the timing of its release, it seems just as likely that FRAILTY was already "greenlighted" by the time the former film had taken the movie-going world by a storm. Still its creators could only hope that they had stumbled onto an emerging trend--at the very least--and await a similar audience reaction.

It didn't happen, of course. It could be because the film is ultimately a lot grimmer than SIXTH SENSE. As others have pointed out,below and elsewhere, the movie does not actually show a lot of blood and gore (thankfully, because more than enough is implied). But this is the kind of film that begs to be labled "disturbing" by reviewers everywhere. It's an apt term in this case. I left this film wondering if its producers could be cited for child abuse. I figured there's almost no way that the child actors involved could not have been unduly traumatized.

Having said all that, I will add that this is a pretty effective suspense film. Like the reviewer above, I find its ending more ambiguous than some reviewers. But to say much more risks having to put a spoiler warning in my review's title. In fact, I suspect that most of the reviews posted below should bear such a warning.

This is an intriguing film--very well acted, and directed. (Bill Paxton shows himself to be a promising director.) Still it's not in the same league as THE SIXTH SENSE.

Rating:
Summary: Good Job Billy Boy!
Review: Directed and starring Bill Paxton, this round was much better than the last Paxton did with Traveller in which is starred in and produced. Which was not bad for a first directorial effort. It is dark and mysterious and has a great twist ending (I surely didn't expect). I liked it even though my friend Louis didn't. He teaches lighting for film and video and was disappointed in most of the film particularly the lighting. I liked the story and felt it was a fun 'ride' through Fenton Meeks (Matthew McConaughey) telling of the murderous tale. A surprising eleventh hour revelation puts the movie on its end of this well made psychological thriller.
**** stars.

Rating:
Summary: I never write reviews...
Review: ...but it is obvious that so many people really didn't understand this film.

By the way, there are spoilers in this review, but you might want to read it if you don't get the movie.

The main editorial review is wrong. The movie is not about religious fanaticism. The father (Bill Paxton) really did receive messages from God and was really killing demons. The older son is a demon, and Paxton's character's fatal flaw was not killing him.

If you really want to enjoy this film, watch the writer's commentary and then watch the film again. Note, that I would not suggest this with just any film, but Frailty is a film that really deserves to be appreciated.

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorites...
Review: "Frailty" revolves around a serial killer called the "God's Hands Killer" and a man named Fenton Meeks ( Matthew McCoughaney) that claims to know the true identity of the killer. Fenton walks into the office of FBI agent Wesley Doyle ( Powers Boothe)and tells a story that he claims will shed some light on the case. The story goes back to Fenton's childhood, and revolves around him (Matt O Leary)and his younger brother Adam ( Jeremy Sumpter) raised by their father( Bill Paxton). One night, their father says he is visited by an angel that was sent from God. The angel says God has a mission for him. The mission is for him and his two sons to kill demons disguised as humans. Adam, loves his dad, and is eager to assist him. Fenton however, refuses to participate and sees it as murder. Throughout the whole film, the viewer must ask themself - Is the father really doing God's work, or he is out of his mind?

"Frailty" is one of the best movies that I have ever seen. The film's story unfolds briliantly because the focus keeps switching from the present conversation between Matthew McConaughey and Powers Boothe, back to the boys' childhood with their father. It is all tied together wonderfully, and culminates in one of the best endings I have ever seen. It will literally shock you. The film overall is an intelligent horror film that offers a whole new take on a serial killer. It is not your everday pointless Hollywood slasher film. It uses the characters' emotions and what they went through, to drive the story. I also love the controversial take on religion that the story offers. Bill Paxton did an amazing job in his directorial debut! The two young actors Jeremy Sumpter and Matthew O' Leary, were the main reason for the film's success. Their performances are extremely convincing, and really make you feel for what they went through. Matthew McConaughey and Powers Boothe were also great.

"Frailty" was flawless in my eyes. The story unfolds very well, the ending was outstanding, and the performances were all great. The DVD offers an outstanding featurette that takes you into the making of the film. It was very interesting to see the process that went into making the film.

Rating:
Summary: brilliant film
Review: I loved this movie. it was creepy and a little scary but the main thing was it was a great story and and the filmmaking was superb. On the dvd, tricks of the trade were shown and i couldn't believe how easy some were. (like two flashlights looking like headlights) The plot was fastpaced all the way through and you find yourself not knowing whose side your on. you know soon enough though. I loved little quirky things about the film like the "magical" weapons dad recieved. (an axe named OTIS, a lead pipe and a pair of gloves.) I definately think this was one of the best films i've seen this year. i didn't understand one reviewer's comments. they said it was good, well done movie yet they gave it 1 star because it might make people go crazy or something. that jsut doesn't make since-if it's good, it's good, regardless of how some people might react. you can't rate a movie like that, if you like it you like it. Ok sorry i rambled a bit. watch this movie. you'll love it

Rating:
Summary: Pitiful, Pathetic, Spoof???
Review: The only thing that this movie kept me guessing was "was that a spoof?" I cannot believe that Bill Paxton would not only star in, but direct this mess of a movie. I thought that Matthew McConaughey had higher standards than this also. Frailty was as dumb as they come. The acting was miserable, the directing was extremely corny and the plot lacked. The dialogue was completely unreal. This was a lousy movie. I would put it on my list as one of the ten dumbest films that I have ever seen in my life. For a better Bill Paxton role, see Apollo 13, Vertical Limit, or Twister. For better Matthew McConaughey, see A Time To Kill. Don't waste your time with this. Its R rating reflects violence and some brief profanity.

Rating:
Summary: not a boring moment
Review: What's it like when you have an angel giving orders? This thriller shows the pressure that the recpient feels. A real creepy movie not for the squeamish! Paxton is outstanding.

Rating:
Summary: an excellent creepy movie
Review: Frailty in an amazing movie. It is genuinely creepy and it presents everything that you see in a serious way that suggests that it is real. The story is narrated by Matthew McConaughey. McConaughey plays Fenton Meeks, a man who went to the FBI with the information that he knows who the God's Hand killer is. Fenton tells the FBI agent that the killer is, in fact, Fenton's brother. However, to convince the agent, Fenton has to slowly tell the family history of how this would have come to be.

Fenton tells of his family, a widower and his two sons. Everything is normal until the father wakes the two boys up in the middle of the night and tells them that he just had a vision from God. The vision told him that there are demons walking around, and the Meeks family has been chosen by God to destroy the demons. Sounds kind of whacked out, huh? The movie presents this straightforward, with the only doubting coming from a young Fenton (though the comprise the bulk of the movie, these are flashback scenes).

Fenton tells the story to the FBI agent as they drive to where the bodies are buried. It is a creepy story, but a very compelling one to watch. Like any good horror movie, there is a twist, but how much you anticipate it depends on how perceptive you are. There is a second deeper twist beyond the obvious that you might expect.

This is a well crafted first movie directed by Bill Paxton (who also stars as Fenton's father), and is worth watching without question. Frailty is also worth owning. An excellent movie.

Rating:
Summary: A good movie with a grim message
Review: First of all let me say that it was a well-done flick. The O'Leary youngster was exceptional, but...

The message of this movie is that there are demons on this world, and God can give any one of us a mission to destroy them. This is a message that it frightens me to hear at this time, with fundamentalist religious fanatics all over the earth running around killing people. The guys who killed 3000 people in New York were as religiously committed as the hero of this movie. And we have people in this country running around attempting to murder people, abortion doctors for instance, who believe they have a mission from God.

I don't believe in censorship, nor have I ever thought that the material our entertainment industry gives us is damaging to normal minds. But a disturbed person can find a message in almost anything, and this message is NOT subtle.

It might have been okay if the demon-killer had been damned, but I am very sorry that this film ever hit the screens.

Rating:
Summary: Good directing debut for Bill Paxton
Review: "Frailty" begins with Mathew McConaughey going to the FBI office in Texas an telling the agent in charge (Powers Boothe) the most-wanted serial killer who calls himself the "God's Hands" is, in fact, his brother. The story of the movie develops as McConaughey tells the FBI agent how his little family fell apart when his father (Bill Paxton, in one of his best performances) received the visit of an angel, 20 years ago, and this angel gives his father weapons and a list of "demons" that must be slain.

Of course, there's much more than this in the story, but I don't want to give anything away.

Paxton's first time direction is surprisingly competent and strong, although simple. The movie was shot in only 37 days. The visual is also very simple, but effective. Paxton is able o manipulate the audience, showing in the screen only what is needed to understand the movie. There are lots of violent scenes, but only once we are shown blood.

I felt this thriller's story was a mix of a Stephen King's book ("Bag of bones", for example) with similarities to movies like "Seven". In the last five minutes, the dozens of plot twists may be confusing, but I was able to understand all what was happening because of the good edition and script of the movie.

In the end, there are lots of subliminar implications that made me think about the motives and reasons for the serial killings. I was also impressed by the children's performances, and that is a hard thing to accomplish if you're a first-time director.

"Frailty" is the simple kind of movie that is hard to forget because of its strong presence. Another movie I could say the same thing about, although in the sci-fi genre, is "Event Horizon". They're low profile, they almost don't get the attention they deserve, and they're a good surprise when you watch them.

Grade 9.0/10