Frailty

2002

Frailty

Critics Consensus

Creepy and disturbing, Frailty is well-crafted, low-key horror.

74%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 151

78%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 53,173
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Movie Info

Actor Bill Paxton made his directorial debut with Frailty. The bulk of the story is told through flashbacks, as a mysterious man (Matthew McConaughey) tells a terrible tale to an FBI agent (Powers Boothe) investigating the "God's Hand" serial killer case. The man grew up in a small town in Texas, where he and his brother lived a bucolic life with their kindhearted widower father (Paxton). One night, the father awakens the two boys, Fenton (Matthew O'Leary) and Adam (Jeremy Sumpter), and tells them he's had a vision, and God has chosen him and his sons to help Him slay demons who walk the earth in human form. He tells the boys they can never tell anyone about this task. Before long, he comes home from work with a list of names that he claims an angel has given to him. He then begins abducting people, bringing them home, one by one, and having the boys watch while he lays his hands on them. After having proven, to his mind, that they are demons and not human, he chops them up with an axe while the boys look on. Young Adam is eager to participate, seeing his family as "kind of like superheroes," while the older Fenton is distraught, believing that his father has lost his mind. He contemplates running away, but is reluctant to leave his little brother behind. Eventually, he goes to the authorities, which results in disaster. As he tells the story, McConaughey takes Boothe out to the public rose garden near his old home, where he claims his brother, the "God's Hand" killer, buried the bodies. Paxton dramatizes the mayhem while leaving almost all of the gore offscreen, and Brent Hanley's script leaves the true motives of several characters unclear until the very end. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

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Cast

Bill Paxton
as Dad
Matthew McConaughey
as Fenton Meiks
Matt O'Leary
as Young Fenton
Jeremy Sumpter
as Young Adam
Powers Boothe
as Agent Wesley Doyle
Levi Kreis
as Adam Meiks
Edmond Scott Ratliff
as The Angel
Luke Askew
as Sheriff Smalls
Derk Cheetwood
as Agent Griffin Hull
Missy Crider
as Becky
Alan Davidson
as Brad White
Cynthia Ettinger
as Cynthia Harbridge
Edgar Davis
as FBI Agent No. 2
Vincent Chase
as Edward March
Gwen McGee
as Operator
John Paxton
as Janitor
Blake King
as Eric
Rebecca Tilney
as Teacher
Brad Berryhill
as Teenage Demon
Greg Serano
as FBI Agent No. 1
Edgar L. Davis
as FBI Agent No. 2
Jim Flowers
as FBI Agent No. 3
Lance E. Nichols
as FBI Agent No. 4
Richard A. Bell
as Curtis
Chelsea Blain Butler
as Little Girl
Jennifer Drake
as Teacher's Aid
Betty Gurule
as Doyle's Mother
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Critic Reviews for Frailty

All Critics (151) | Top Critics (40)

View All Critic Reviews (151)

Audience Reviews for Frailty

  • Jun 15, 2019
    Powers Boothe and Matthew McConaughey cross swords in a tense game of cat-and-mouse while on the hunt for a mysterious serial killer known as "God's Hand". There's some backstory to go through at first in this offering, Bill Paxton's directorial debut, and therein is the real meat of this story about a simple blue collar man who believes that God wants him - and his young sons - to destroy demons. Fans of "The Usual Suspects" will recognise similar patterns in the technique and presentation but the central story is interesting enough to maintain interest.
    Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
  • May 24, 2018
    Bill Paxton and the guy from those lincoln car commercials? What an incredible duo. Hard not to feel blessed seeing 2 titans on the industry doing what they do best
    Spencer M Super Reviewer
  • Apr 24, 2017
    Excellent film. This is an absolute gem.
    Stephen S Super Reviewer
  • Oct 03, 2016
    This movie had such an obvious Usual Suspects feeling that I pretty much knew what was going to happen about a 1/3 through the film. McConaughey was effective in the lead role and Bill Paxton did a great job playing an unhinged religious father. As far as if this is worth a watch? Game over, man. Game over.
    Patrick W Super Reviewer
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