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Movies / On DVD / The Frighteners
The Frighteners

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The Frighteners (1996)

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Reviews Counted:24

Fresh:17

Rotten:7

Average Rating:6.2/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Synopsis: Offbeat horror director Peter Jackson goes Hollywood with this follow-up to his acclaimed 1994 feature, HEAVENLY CREATURES. THE FRIGHTENERS, part horror-comedy, part supernatural thriller, stars... Offbeat horror director Peter Jackson goes Hollywood with this follow-up to his acclaimed 1994 feature, HEAVENLY CREATURES. THE FRIGHTENERS, part horror-comedy, part supernatural thriller, stars Michael J. Fox as psychic investigator Frank Bannister. Bannister is able to see and communicate with spirits as a result of the trauma of witnessing his wife die in a car accident. Now a series of mysterious deaths in Frank's hometown has left authorities at wit's end. The deaths appear to be caused by heart attacks, but eventually it is revealed that they are actually the work of a menacing, Grim Reaper-like phantom. Bannister becomes a suspect after several deaths occur in his presence, and in order to prove his innocence, he and a team of three friendly ghosts attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding the murderous specter. But what emerges is far more than they bargained for, and soon a psychotic killer's lust for revenge from beyond the grave threatens the lives of both Bannister and his new love interest (Trini Alvarado). THE FRIGHTENERS is a fun and fast-paced cinematic romp with plenty of stunning computer-generated special effects. [More]

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin, Dee Wallace Stone, Jeffrey Combs, Jake Busey, Chi McBride, Jim Fyfe, Troy Evans, Julianna McCarthy, Elizabeth Hawthorne

Director: Peter Jackson

Director: Peter Jackson

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Sep 13, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region [unknown]
 
 
 
 

Reviews for The Frighteners

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating)
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Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
04/12/02
Globe and Mail

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Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
04/17/01
Ben Falk
Ben Falk
BBC

An incredibly underrated scare-comedy from Peter Jackson that deserves a much wider audience.

comment Comment
07/14/03
Blake Davis
Blake Davis
KFOR Channel 4 News

The talented director of “Heavenly Creatures” has pulled together a film that wants to be everything to everyone simultaneously.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Asylum | comment Comment
12/26/02
Brandon Judell
Brandon Judell
Entertainment Asylum

Quirky Peter Jackson film that's half comedy and half horror/gore-fest. Mostly enjoyable results, although Fox a bit miscast.

comment Comment
03/18/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus

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Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

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Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
11/07/03
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
05/30/03
Jeffrey Westhoff
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Joey O'Bryan
Joey O'Bryan
Austin Chronicle

It actually works up till its last few minutes.

comment Comment
12/04/03
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Woulda been five stars, but the cop-out ending smacks of the test-screening process.

comment Comment
03/07/03
Luke Y. Thompson
Luke Y. Thompson
New Times

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Full Review Source: Cinematter | comment Comment
01/01/00
Madeleine Williams
Madeleine Williams
Cinematter

Every frame drips with Jackson's moviemaking fever.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Scott Renshaw
Scott Renshaw
rec.arts.movies.reviews

For every weak moment there is a directorial flourish that compensates

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Shane Burridge
Shane Burridge
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Ted Prigge
Ted Prigge
rec.arts.movies.reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
02/21/03
Brian J. Arthurs
Brian J. Arthurs
Beach Reporter (Southern California)

Despite being awful in almost every respect, The Frighteners does offer one small pleasure: R. Lee Ermey parodying his Full Metal Jacket drill sergeant character.

comment Comment
01/23/06
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

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Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
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ComingSoon.net shares with us a press release from the workaholics over at Walden Media, and the newest news is this: Production has already begun on Walden & Disney's... More...

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