FEAR
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 5.5 Alternative Scale: ** out of ****
United States, 1996 U.S. Release Date: 4/12/96 (wide) Running Length: 1:37 MPAA Classification: R (Violence, sex, profanity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon, William Peterson, Amy Brenneman, Alyssa Milano, Christopher Gray Director: James Foley Producers: Brian Grazer and Ric Kidney Screenplay: Christopher Crowe Cinematography: Thomas Kloss Music: Carter Burwell U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures
THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE. UNLAWFUL ENTRY. SINGLE WHITE FEMALE. You know the genre and the players. They all follow pretty much the same formula: introduce the villain as a really nice person, let them into the home, then reveal their true, psychopathic nature. The latest member of this not-too-exclusive club is James Foley's FEAR, a kinetic, visually dazzling thriller that's actually a notch above many of its predecessors -- albeit only a small notch.
Why is FEAR better? Several considerations spring to mind. First, an attempt is made to develop all of the significant characters, and there are occasions when they step outside the cliched molds that so often confine men and women in thrillers. Secondly, unlike in THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE, where the villain was actually the most interesting character, here, the protagonists grab our attention and sympathy far better than the bad guy. Finally, director James Foley (GLENGARRY GLENN ROSS) sets up the scenario well, although, inevitably, things devolve into death and mayhem.
Reese Witherspoon (THE MAN IN THE MOON, A FAR OFF PLACE) plays 16- year old Nicole Walker, the product of a broken family. After living with her mother for most of her life, she has recently come to Seattle to stay with her father, Steve (William Peterson), his second wife, Laura (Amy Brenneman), and Laura's young son, Toby (Christopher Gray). Things in the Walker household aren't all sunny, but this isn't a particularly dysfunctional family, either -- the tensions are mostly believable.
One night, Nicole and her best friend, Margo (Alyssa Milano), are at a rave. There, Nicole meets the gentle, handsome David McCall (Mark Wahlberg). He speaks sweet nothings, doesn't pressure her into sex, and does all the right things. Nicole falls head-over-heels for him, and, when he meets her family, only Steve is unsettled. That is, until David starts showing flashes of his genuine, brutal personality, and Nicole comes home from school with a black eye.
Mark Wahlberg (RENAISSANCE MAN), who, in another incarnation, went by the moniker of "Marky Mark", acquits himself well as the teenage Travis Bickle. It's not a great performance, but it's adequate for the film's purposes. Reese Witherspoon manages a tantalizing blend of sensuality and innocence -- the same qualities that have made Alicia Silverstone so popular. Alyssa Milano, who took the unusual step from TV sitcoms to soft porn direct-to-video flicks, is a little overwrought, but not too bad. William Peterson and Amy Brenneman are fine in their parental roles.
Don't expect any surprises from FEAR. It's not that kind of thriller. But its visceral appeal is enhanced by Thomas Kloss' energetic camerawork. The film also isn't as exploitative as many similar movies -- there's some eroticism, but no gratuitous nudity or exceptionally graphic violence (unless you count the grisly fate of a pet). This certainly isn't a great film -- or even a particularly good one -- but it will appeal to a certain audience. As predictable, formulaic thrillers go, FEAR at least has a few things going for it.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net web: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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