Frailty (2001)

Bill Paxton has long been a dependable presence in some of the most popular films of the 80’s and 90’s. He starred in Aliens and Near Dark in the 80’s as well as two of the biggest hits of the 90’s; Titanic and Twister. Whereas most actors put on a beret and dramatically announce ‘What I really want to do is direct’ and then produce some over worthy Oscar bait, Paxton quietly released this cracking horror he directed in the spring of 2002, Perhaps too quietly.

Frailty opens with some newspaper headlines following the ‘Gods Hands’ killings. Then moves to the FBI building in Dallas, Texas where Fenton Meeks (Matthew McConaughey) walks in to confess to Agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe) that he knows who the ‘Gods Hands’ killer is and its his brother Adam who has just killed himself.  Sceptical of his motives Doyle listens as Fenton recounts the events that lead to this.
 
The film then flashes back to 1979 where young Fenton (Matt O’Leary) and Adam (Jeremy Sumpter) live a carefree existence in the small town of Thurman, Texas with their widowed mechanic father (Paxton himself) only worrying about school and what movie to sneak into next. This existence is shattered one night when their father comes into their room and says that an Angel has visited him and told him that he and his children have a mission from God; to rid the world of demons that have taken human form. Adam believes unconditionally as his father is his life and he is so young, Fenton is sceptical and thinks his father had an intense dream or has lost it. Its not long before their father is bringing home specially selected magical weapons (an axe, a lead pipe, some gloves) and then a list of names given to him by the angel who continues to visit him. Then finally he brings home the first supposed demon. To say anything else about where the story goes would give too much away, Suffice to say it builds towards a chilling climax that makes you question everything that has come before.

The best thing about Frailty is its subtlety. There are no special make up effects or unnecessary CGI when the children’s father lays his hands on the supposed demons revealing their true forms, just sound effects. When the victims are hacked up there is no gratuitous blood and gore instead it cuts to the shock on the children’s faces, which is where the true horror in this tale comes from. The kids are the centre of this film and both put in fantastic performances especially Matt O’Leary as young Fenton who goes through hell in the story and has his innocence completely corrupted. Matthew McConaughey finally justified the hype and showed a side to him that we rarely get to see, playing a cold calculating man who may not be what he says he is.

Special mention should also go to Brian Tyler, whose moody evocative score underscores then tension and sustains the gothic mood perfectly.

It’s a shame this didn’t get a wider release as it’s a film that draws you in as effectively as any twisty suspense/horror film that’s been released in the last 20 years and is one of the best of the decade so far. If you like films like Seven and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre then chances are you will love this, its another great film about the evil that people are capable of. It’s a great shame as with a proper marketing campaign this could have been just as big as either of those.

Trivia: In the original cut of the film, the crimes of the "demons" were shown when Dad first laid his hands on them. James Cameron, a friend of Bill Paxton, viewed this cut of the film and suggested Paxton wait to reveal the crimes until the end of the film.