6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A 16 year old girl takes up with a charming young man who quickly shows his colors when he beats a friend simply for walking with her and then goes totally ballistic after she tries to break up with him.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon, William Petersen, Amy Brenneman, Alyssa MilanoRomance | 100% |
Psychological thriller | 19% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 2.0
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Before he was Mark Wahlberg, king of Hollywood, he was once Marky Mark. A flexing rapper with his group The Funky Bunch, Wahlberg enjoyed some degree of MTV-assisted success, but clearly there was no future in shirtless video dancing and the occasional modeling campaign. Acting was his big ticket out, and the industry welcomed him with open arms, feeding him supporting work in “The Basketball Diaries” and “Renaissance Man,” but the real test of Wahlberg’s skill as a potential leading man arrived with 1996’s “Fear.” Handed a role that required a certain level of insular emoting and broad display of serpentine brawn, Wahlberg was a perfect candidate for the part, guided by director James Foley, who was coming down from a career high working on 1992’s “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Cruelly, instead of creating a feature of sinister ooze, the production serves up a laughable thriller that’s one of the all-time goofiest movies, avoiding a tough inspection of troubling emotional speeds and stunted communication to sneeze out a confused, half-realized story of obsession and domination, with the layers of ultimate evil handed to a guy who can’t act.
The VC-1 encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation emerges from the Universal archives with some visible age, not quite up the HD standards we have today. Shadow detail is often murky, clouding evening sequences to a moderate degree, losing the subtleties of location and set design particulars, while contrast in a touch unsteady. There's some filtering in play here, diluting the presence of grain, also softening rigorous movement. Some mild haloing is detected. Colors are in fine shape, having the advantage of a gorgeously shot picture that utilizes the deep greens of northwestern woods, while Steven's blazingly red car makes a strong impact. Hues from costuming and neon lighting also remain stable and inviting. Skintones are natural, accentuating Nicole's virginal appeal and David's coldness. Detail is generally acceptable, making action within the frame easily surveyed, while close-ups capture the fresh feel of skin, highlighting satisfactory textures and emotional cues. Violence and gore shots also supply adequate punch.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix is truly a showcase for the soundtrack selections, which carry a pronounced circular hold as the alternative hits of the 1990s feed into the surrounds with ease, featuring crisp instrumentation and a pleasingly heavy bass. Dialogue exchanges are a little less electric, sounding firm but unremarkable, keeping to a center position that isn't always as commanding as hoped for. Voices aren't missed, but sound is a little buried at times. Scoring is responsive without steamrolling over the performances, nicely balanced and implemented throughout. Atmospherics sustain a presence, with welcome sounds of lakefront property bringing the location to life, while violence is appropriately amplified, offering controlled chaos once the final siege begins, absent a true sense of directional movement. No distortion was detected.
The home invasion climax of "Fear" is more depressing than exhilarating, watching the feature lower itself to a dog beheading (one doesn't have to be an animal lover to wonder what the heck the production was thinking with this idea) and child endangerment to keep viewers artificially unnerved, switching the tone from menace to madness, absent a welcomingly daffy exploitation touch. Coming at the end of such a silly movie, the leap into cheap shock value is to be expected -- a desperate act from desperate filmmakers. "Fear" could've been amazing, but it consistently refuses to take the premise seriously, looking to entertain teenage audiences with scares instead of selecting a more interesting route of unease, hitting them squarely in the face with the cold reality of bad decisions.
2005
1984
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Extended Version
1996
1966
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False Face
1977
Limited Edition to 3000
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