The Frighteners (1996)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox), still mourning the death of his wife, uses his ability to communicate with the dead to con people out of their money. However, when a dark and mysterious figure creeps into Frank’s life, he must use his power not only to save himself, but everyone around him. 

Writer-Director Peter Jackson is a name that I’ve come to be more familiar with over the course of the past few weeks. From Meet the Feebles to this film, The Frighteners, I’ve been fortunate enough to see some of his earlier works, before he became the household name known for bringing The Lord of the Rings series to the big screen. The Frighteners, however, would not have been my first choice to watch from his seemingly extensive catalog–nor do I feel compelled to spread the word on this film after having watched it. One of the many films that Greg Vorob has chosen for our podcast Reel Reactions with Greg and Kyle, The Frighteners was a film that I had never heard of before–and I went into the film blind, hoping for something exciting, but forced to experience something far more dull than anyone could have hoped. 

The Frighteners isn’t void of positivity–as the animation studio Wētā helped to solidify their place in the world of film with the development of this film. Only about ten years removed from the first fully-CGI character, Wētā utilizes the craft in a way that helps to bring Jackson’s film to life. It’s adventurous in this regard, and it provides viewers with something truly compelling to appreciate throughout the course of the film. In a film that struggles to find tonal stability (more on that later), the special effects know what they want to be. Wētā wants to be taken seriously, and it effectively blends a series of comedic and nearly horrifying visuals that help bring this film to life. The Frighteners is compelling in this regard–capable of appealing to viewers with a wide range of cinematic preferences. While the special effects aren’t necessarily capable of saving The Frighteners, they are compelling nonetheless. 

Well, that’s the majority of what works in The Frighteners. Much else fails to entertain–including the narrative. To paraphrase the esteemed individuals with whom I discussed this film at length, The Frighteners is a good film wrapped up in a bad film. The narrative is slow, providing little in terms of entertainment value, though there are twenty minutes toward the conclusion of the film that manage to flip the script on this sentiment and provide something visceral and engaging. The film’s major plot twist, concerning a believed-to-be-gone serial killer and his accomplice, is wonderfully compelling, immersive, and emotionally riveting. Narratively The Frighteners peaks here, but once again it ultimately peters off into oblivion by its conclusion. 

Character development is a massive issue for The Frighteners, as characters either lack no development at all or develop at a rate that feels inorganic and ultimately unwelcome. There’s intention behind most of these characters, but it doesn’t feel that Jackson or Co-Writer Fran Walsh are able to fully flesh out their stories. While performances are powerful, particularly those of Fox and Jake Busey (Johnny Bartlett), those performances often feel wasted. 

Finally, the biggest issue that plagues The Frighteners, the aforementioned tonal imbalance. Is this meant to be a horror film, a dark comedy, a romance, some strange combination of all of the above? I can’t answer that question, and I don’t think that anyone tasked with helping to develop The Frighteners can either. Sudden and drastic shifts from intended emotional moments are often cut short by the yammering of silly characters–and the opposite happens just as frequently. With the exception of those aforementioned twenty minutes, The Frighteners can’t find balance, and the film, in its entirety, suffers as a result. 

The Frighteners is the first of our Reel Reactions with Greg and Kyle films that I was unable to come around to, that I was ultimately unable to appreciate as a whole. The film has moments that entertained me, but those moments were few and far between. The inability to achieve tonal balance, the grossly underdeveloped characters, and the droning narrative literally bored me. If not for the glimmer of emotional hope toward the end, and the brilliance of Wētā, The Frighteners would have completely failed to entertain me. 

Directed by Peter Jackson. 

Written by Peter Jackson & Fran Walsh. 

Starring Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace, Jake Busey, Chi McBride, etc. 

5.5/10 = WORTH WATCHING, BUT YOU’VE BEEN WARNED