Frailty | 
 enlarge | Actors: Luke Askew, Brad Berryhill, Powers Boothe, Vincent Chase, Derk Cheetwood
Studio: Lions Gate
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.98
Buy Used: $0.59
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Rating:  212 reviews
Sales Rank: 7403
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 99
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5
MPN: D8117D
ISBN: 158817624X
UPC: 031398811725
EAN: 9781588176240
ASIN: B00006AUJR
Theatrical Release Date: April 12, 2002
Release Date: September 17, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: **NO ARTWORK - NEW BLANK CASE** Guaranteed to play. Normal case wear with stickers, very slight scratches. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.
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Amazon.com
Steeped in gloomy atmosphere, Frailty locates its horror in the tyranny of religious fanaticism. Making an assured directorial debut, actor Bill Paxton costars as a Texas widower who believes God has recruited him to destroy demons in human form. Feeling divinely justified in committing a series of ax murders (discreetly unseen), he urges his two young sons to assist him in the killings--a living nightmare recalled in flashback by one of the now-adult sons (Matthew McConaughey) to the FBI agent (Powers Boothe) who's investigating the murders. But mystery is of secondary importance in Brent Hanley's cleverly twisting screenplay; Frailty suggests, with unsettling subtlety, that Paxton's mission may not be delusional, thus burdening his deadly wrath with spiritually disturbing significance. It's definitely not a feel-good film, but with celebrity endorsements by Stephen King and directors James Cameron and Sam Raimi (who both made films with Paxton), Frailty gets under the skin with insidious efficiency. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 207 more reviews...
 Frightening family of killers June 19, 2008
Frailty
As far as I can tell, this is a purely fictional movie, not based on any real case of the God's hand killer in Texas. But it's a chilling portrait of a killer, who believes he's doing God's work and cold-bloodedly kills and dismembers in front of his two impressionable young sons.
Fenton Meiks (Matthew McConaughey) shows up at the FBI's field office looking for the agent in charge of the God's hand killer, who turns out to be Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe). Fenton then tells Doyle that his brother Adam was the God's hand killer and is now dead. Then they drive to where Fenton believes his brother buried the missing bodies, in the Thurman Rose Garden.
The film is told largely through Fenton's flashbacks of his childhood. His mother died in childbirth and he's been basically raising his younger brother alone while his father (Bill Paxton) works. One day Mr. Meiks comes home claiming to have had a vision from God telling him he will be given three weapons to kill seven demons. The three weapons turn out to be a pair of gloves, a lead pipe, and an axe. While Fenton hopes his father will suddenly turn sane, his younger brother Adam falls for it hook, line, and sinker, even presenting his father with a list of classmates he wants dead because they're demons.
*****SPOILER AHEAD (to show the graphic nature of this film)*****
Mr. Meiks brings the first "demon" home and kills and dismembers her with the axe in front of his sons. You can only imagine the horror. Then he has the two boys help him bury the body parts in the Thurman Rose Garden, a public garden adjacent to their home. Mr. Meiks uses Fenton to lure the second victim. When he brings home the third victim, Fenton runs to the sheriff and brings him back home to stop his father. But the doubting sheriff is a little too slow-witted and ends up victim four. While Adam revels in the idea they are a family of superheroes, Fenton wants nothing more than to run away, but he won't leave Adam behind. Adam turns on him, and Mr. Meiks ends up locking Fenton away for weeks, nearly starving him to death, and then adding him to his "demons to kill" list. It's only when Fenton pretends to have a vision from God that Mr. Meiks lets him out. Only his vision is to kill his father. So when they get victim five to their home, Mr. Meiks expects Fenton to kill him, but he kills dear old psycho dad instead. As Fenton is trying to release their latest victim from bondage, Adam picks up the axe and kills him, taking over his dad's work. At this point, you're finally near the end of the film and you discover McConaughey is really Adam, not Fenton. And he's not there to inform Doyle, he's there to kill him because Doyle's name is on the new "demons to kill" list right behind his brother Fenton's (convoluted, yes I know). But the twist is that the real Fenton IS the God's hand killer. It's just that Adam's a killer also.
*****END OF SPOILER*****
This is one of those disturbing movies that's interesting the first time, but I certainly couldn't sit through it again. There is a moment in the end when Doyle asks Adam how he knew (that he'd killed his own mother), and Adam says "God put you on my list". So you leave the film wondering if these three actually were the hand of God, in some sick vigilante sort of way. Especially when every piece of evidence against Adam mysteriously goes awry--videos turn fuzzy, a witness can't remember, and other little things.
Quite possibly one of the best Pyschological Thillers out there! March 4, 2008
What can I say about this about this movie but it is one one of the best thillers I have seen in a long time. Everything about this movie was great, the cast, the story line, how it keeps your attention from begining to end. Here is a short explanation about this movie, it basically deals with a father of 2 who one night claims that an angel came to him to tell him God has a plan for him. There are demons walking among us disguised as humans and it is his job to destroy them and send them back to hell with special tools that God will provide. Needless to say He also drags his boys along for the ride because he beleives what he is doing is Gods work. The movie just spirals from there, you see how it consumes him and his boys lives right untill the end. Great movie 5 Stars, a much watch.
Happily disturbing February 17, 2008
Nothing creates a disturbing movie like religious fanaticism. Full of twists and an ending that is unexpected and disturbing.
Bill Paxton fits into his part perfectly and much of the dialog raised the hairs on the back of my neck.
"Only demons need to fear me, you aren't a demon are you?"
A must watch for fans of religious thrillers.
Outstanding thriller January 19, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Fenton Mieks (Matthew McConaughey) goes to the FBI one night and calmly tells the agent (Powers Boothe) that his father and brother were mass murderers known as the "God's Hands Killers." In flashbacks, we see young Fenton and little brother Adam sharing a good life with their father (Bill Paxton), until the night Dad claimed he was visited by an angel and told to destroy demons. Dad received the names of his victims from God, brought them home to be killed, and then buried them in a nearby rose garden with the help of his sons. Little Adam thinks this is all great, but Fenton thinks Dad is crazy. For his disbelief, Dad puts Fenton down in the "dungeon" and leaves him there...
This is quite a creepy, intense, and effective thriller that has kept me glued to the screen for five viewings. The first time, I was confused about what I saw, but my questions have since been answered. The script is terrific - the father commits horrifying acts in an almost serene way, because he is convinced he's doing the right thing; this keeps you wondering: Is he really divinely called to kill demons, or is he just insane?
Star/director Bill Paxton is completely convincing and scary as the father, and Matt O'Leary gives a heartbreaking performance as young Fenton. This is an unusual and unforgettable horror story.
Provocative, Suspenseful, Cunning, Shocking January 2, 2008
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
My friends and I viewed this movie for the first time last night and I must confess that it exceeded all of our expectations and more!
It is truly a masterpiece as the story is so tightly woven it unravels with such precision that keeps the audience guessing to the very end. Not only is the storyline riveting and incredibly compelling, but it also leaves its viewers intellectually fulfilled and in suspense all of the way to the end where the pieces of the shocking puzzle fall into place.
The film contains flawless performances by many well-known actors. Bill Paxton gave not only an excellent performance, but his attempt at directing the film was proof of his true creative and artistic talent. Matthew McConaughey gave a great performance as always in his role as a Meiks brother. Also, the actor who played Fenton as a young boy captured the mental and emotional state of the character so well that the audience can do nothing but sympathize with him.
The score is truly original and beautiful. It added so much power to the mysterious atmosphere and dark events which took place. The film would not be the same without it.
From the many 1 star reviews this film received, it is obvious it sparked such great controversy as it set forth to do to make a powerful statement. It takes an open mind to enjoy this film and certainly a more independently developed one to view this movie on an intellectual level... religion will only hinder one's ability (as always) to understand or appreciate such an artistic endeavor.
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