Fear [DVD]

This movie is awesome I love it, it kept me on the edge of my seat it's definitely one of my favorite movies the actors done a great job and if anyone hasn't watched it or is thinking about watching it you should it's a great movie

When FEAR slipped in and out of our collective consciousness in 1996 with all the impact of a school board election, the critics' near-unanimous cry of "cheesy thriller" was followed by the sound of the cineplex door hitting the picture on the butt as it made its way to oblivion.Well, yes, FEAR is a cheesy thriller, and it's also formulaic, cliched, hysterical and even downright silly. But all of that misses the point. Unlike most formulaic, cliched, hysterical and silly movies, FEAR has enough sex, swagger and thrills that you can still respect yourself in the morning after spending a lurid night with it.Like any charming piece of trash, Fear is best appreciated if you decide at the outset to give wholly in to it (a prospect which shouldn't, in and of itself, disturb anyone who thought Independence Day was a major work of motion picture art). Giving in to the movie isn't just a matter of accepting that it's a hokey cross of FATAL ATTRACTION and THE WILD ONE, though that is undeniably part of the fun. Nor is it just a matter of finding out whether underwear model Marky Mark Wahlberg can act (which he can, some). No, giving in to FEAR is a question of embracing the unthinkable, of considering the possibility that a remake of CAPE FEAR with Wahlberg in the Robert De Niro role and William Petersen standing in for Nick Nolte might actually be an improvement. Seriously. In large measure, FEAR is more satisfying than CAPE FEAR because Wahlberg is a more cuddly villain than De Niro and Petersen a less likable putz than Nolte.Where Nolte is dashing and able, Petersen is aptly wan as an architect whose career is accelerating a tad beyond his capacities, whose second marriage (to an innocuously cute Amy Brenneman) is crumbling, and whose teen daughter (Reese Witherspoon), the issue of marriage number one, is blooming sexually and increasingly eager to act on her new urges. Into this tenuous menage saunters Wahlberg, looking smashing as David McCall, a local hanger-out who's part altar boy and part psychotic. He literally seduces Witherspoon, and figuratively seduces her stepmom, her half brother and the family dog. Only Petersen, who understands David's predatory masculinity all too well, resists the guy's charms, and sets off a hair-raising rivalry, with Papa Bear trying to defend his little cub from the New Young Buck on the Block.Thankfully, FEAR glides along with a big dumb grin on its face, utterly unaware that it's about any such thing as male domination, and therein lies its appeal. This same blissful ignorance also makes Fear a better bet on video than it was a theatrical film. Go to a theater and watch Wahlberg stalk a suburban family and you might start wondering if someone's dosed your Pepsi; watch a Wahlberg film on video and realize that it's actually about something, and you feel pretty good about lying around the house in your sweats on a Saturday night. Don't get me wrong, of course. In the end, as Fear winds its way from moderately engaging psychological thriller to ludicrously over-the-top siege movie, you'll find yourself, howsoever absorbed, grateful not to have spent "E" ticket prices for what is little more than a mental kiddy ride.The fact that FEAR works as both pure cotton candy and intriguing horror show is attributable most of all to director James Foley, who's a frustrating talent as likely to produce silly camp (WHO'S THAT GIRL?) or ponderous contrivance (GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS) as chilling drama (AT CLOSE RANGE) or compelling pulp (AFTER DARK, MY SWEET). This time, he's generally on the mark. He's got an appreciative, voyeuristic feel for teenagers (look at his 1984 directorial debut, RECKLESS, an archetypical young-teen-on-bike-gets-laid movie, for a similar pattern), and in FEAR, Alyssa Milano is particularly piquant as Witherspoon's slutty best friend. But Foley's always been a guy's director with a knack for getting performances from young leading men: Sean Penn, Aidan Quinn and Jason Patric have all done solid work with him, and he gets some real moments out of Wahlberg (who has since stunned the world with further evidence of acting talent starting with BOOGIE NIGHTS and culminating in an Oscar nomination for THE DEPARTED. Go figure!)So, sure, give in to FEAR for 90 minutes or so of cheap pleasure, but don't expect it to be anything more than what it looks like: a Mark Wahlberg movie. Which isn't so much to say that it sucks as to register surprise that there's as much good in it as there is.

It had some cool shots and I always enjoy 90’s films but this definitely felt like it was written from someone dad who thinks every man is out to kill his daughter.

Awesome movie

Loved the movie.

Fear won't be winning any Oscars, and Mark Wahlberg's psycho doesn't hold a candle to Glenn Close and her caliber of crazy. But it's still a good movie, one of those you can revisit once in a while. I have seen it several times. The plot is predictable and formulaic but still entertaining. The best part is seeing Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon so early in their careers.Reese is a top notch actress today, and in the 90s she played one of her very best roles (Tracy Flick in Election). Fear isn't one of her best. I think this is because the character of Nicole (a one dimensional good girl) doesn't call on Reese's skills. She has so much more to bring to the table than this character required. She is overqualified for the part. I think Reese is much better suited for bad characters (like Tracy Flick) and complicated characters. Let limited actresses like Gwyneth take the sweetheart roles and never challenge themselves.Mark plays the bad character in Fear, and he does a very good job. His Jekyll and Hyde portrayal of David is convincing. But, while I think Reese is better suited for villainy, complicated roles, I think Mark is better suited as a good character. That's where I think he shines, with his soft voice. A great example would be his role as the lead in Boogie Nights. He plays a sweet man who becomes lost and corrupted after too many years in the porn industry. His ability to portray goodness and innocence is at the heart of the movie, and he does a bang up job.So it's funny that he and Reese are IMO playing opposite to their strengths in Fear. This movie is just before both of their film careers really take off. Poor Alyssa Milano takes a part as the promiscuous best friend. She does a good job with this material but she was such a huge star in the 80s. This kind of part should have been unworthy of her consideration.

I've never seen this movie all the way through and decided to rent it. 10/10 recommend! Even though this is an older movie it's still so so good.

Actors; a young Reese Witherspoon (Nicole) and Mark Wahlberg (David). The movie is about love and passion and entering the young adulthood. Nicole sees David at a pub which doesn't go unnoticed on his part. They bump into each other another time and it all begins.David seems very cute, polite and loving but it turns out that he's got a dark side as well. I like both these actors. A Wahlberg movie is almost never boring and Reese has done good comedian stuff as well. This movie is about getting more independent of the parents, love, passion and possessiveness. I highly recommend it.

Love this film! Went to watch my DVD and it looked rather poor on my HDTV. So I opted to buy it on Blu Ray. Was glad that I did. Not anything spectacular, but definitely true HD and a massive improvement from the DVD. It was worth buying. Would of been nice to have some special features. But the DVD never had them. So never mind. Sound quality was okay. Had to turn it up in parts, but the soundtrack was nice and clear.

I read a review about Mark Wahlberg, which said that this film "Fear" was his debut movie. As I had already seen some of his acting in 'The Happening' and 'The Departed', I wanted to see this film. Fear is a love story, with a twist. I liked it very much. Wahlberg's acting is really good. The creepy boyfriend, that fathers dislike and don't want their daughters to mix with. Very charming too.Some adult themes, not suited for younger 15years. Good film anyhow.

Five star! Loved this film

i just seen it the picture si so colourful you cannot beleive and the dts sound is really fantasticwhat about the movie? i love it too much and the end with the sound let me breathlessso thank you universal for this fantastic bluray