Directed by:
Peter JacksonCinematography:
Alun BollingerComposer:
Danny ElfmanCast:
Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace, Jake Busey, Chi McBride, Troy Evans, R. Lee Ermey, Melanie Lynskey (more)VOD (1)
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Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) is a psychic investigator in the town of Fairwater, aided by three friendly ghosts who create supernatural disturbances for him to 'solve'. However, when Frank begins to see numbers carved into the foreheads of people who subsequently die as a result of a bizarre heart failure, he realizes that an evil spirit is causing the deaths. As the last person to be seen near the victims Frank is suspected by eccentric Federal agent Milton Dammers (Jeffrey Combs) of being in some way responsible - especially when it is revealed that Frank's own wife died some years previously in mysterious circumstances. (Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (7)
One of those films in which everything is just right. Peter Jackson brims with both fierce directorial and screenwriting ideas. The Frighteners is constantly entertaining, and black humor lovers are sure to really enjoy it. Michael J. Fox starring and music from Danny Elfman and the fantastic special effects of the Weta Studio make all those fiery dead and flying spirits a joy to behold.
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A cross between Ghostbusters and Natural Born Killers. If it was made by another director, I'd buy it, but I didn't expect such a mediocre film from Jackson. There are some brilliant moments (e.g. the scene from the Egyptology museum), but the mixed feelings prevail.
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A pleasant ghost story with the traditionally excellent Michael J. Fox and perverted tricks. Jackson illustrates that the imaginative grand circles between comedy and horror don't give him any problems, although unfortunately this film has a certain touch of directorial routine. The character of the half-hearted spirit of the veteran is really great :o). Unpretentious, cool, but The Frighteners does not stand out in Jackson's filmography...
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The Frighteners won't rank among my very favorite movies. I think it's one of those movies I'm glad I saw, but once is enough. It doesn't change the fact that I had a great time, that Michael J. Fox had me mesmerized again, and that this is still a film that has great horror elements that work, even when contrasted with a rather humorous story that fits perfectly with Peter's classic early horror films.
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The premise is great, the actors are brilliant, the execution is funny and creative, and yet there’s something missing. Or maybe there is so much that we gradually get lost in all the references, boogeymen killing boogeymen and boogeymen talking to strange people, and get so deep into Jackson's head that the very superficial, unoriginal and unexpectedly overwrought final act doesn't touch us and we are left with the familiar feeling of "this should have been different (and better)". I had fun the first time, the second time I would have to skip a lot between scenes, so a golden and harmless average – 60%
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Gallery (92)
Photo © 1996 Universal Pictures
![The Frighteners - Lobby Cards](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/159/188/159188231_ab2979.jpg)
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