Frailty (2001)

A mysterious man arrives at the offices of an FBI agent and recounts his childhood: how his religious fanatic father received visions telling him to destroy people who were in fact "demons."

Director:

Bill Paxton

Writer:

Brent Hanley

Stars:

Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Powers Boothe

5 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Paxton	...	Dad Meiks
Matthew McConaughey	...	Adam Meiks
Powers Boothe	...	FBI Agent Wesley Doyle
Matt O'Leary	...	Young Fenton
Jeremy Sumpter	...	Young Adam
Luke Askew	...	Sheriff Smalls
Levi Kreis	...	Fenton Meiks
Derk Cheetwood	...	Agent Griffin Hull
Missy Crider	...	Becky Meiks (as Melissa Crider)
Alan Davidson	...	Brad White
Cynthia Ettinger	...	Cynthia Harbridge
Vincent Chase	...	Edward March
Gwen McGee	...	Operator
Edmond Scott Ratliff	...	The Angel
Rebecca Tilney	...	Teacher

Storyline

FBI agent Wesley Doyle is startled by the declaration of youngster Fenton Meiks about how his father's delusions required him and his brother, Adam to become his 'demon-slaying' murder accomplices. But when Doyle accepts to be shown concealed victim graves, the plot twists in the present just as gruesome.

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Plot Keywords:

demon | religious fanatic | christian horror | sin | mass murder | 

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Taglines:

Like Father, Like Sons/Sins

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and some language

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 April 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dämonisch

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Center Studios - 450 S. Bixel Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,208,655, 14 April 2002, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$13,103,828, 9 June 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

David Kirschner Productions,American Entertainment,Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (FotoKem)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Directors James Cameron, Sam Raimi and author Stephen King all singled out Frailty (2001) for high praise. King considered it one of the best horror movies of its year.

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Goofs

In the title credits montage, we see a newspaper which reads SECOND VICTIM FOUND IN GOD'S HAND CASE at 02:03. In the next scene, Agent Doyle tells his visitor that of the 6 victims in the God's Hand case, only the first body was ever found, while for "all the rest, only notes were found, no bodies."

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Quotes

[Dad comes home and shows Young Fenton and Young Adam their first Demon out in the shed, Cynthia Harbridge]
Young Adam: Dad?
Dad: Come on out here, Adam.
[turns to Fenton]
Dad: Shine that light over here.
Young Adam: Hey dad, who is that?
Dad: That's a demon, son. Come on in here, boys, it's all right. Come on, don't be afraid.
[closes them in the shed as the boys stare, frightened and stunned]
Adam Meiks: [voice-over of Dad going to find the first demon] God had come to Dad earlier that day and told him that the time had come. After work he drove ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Directors Sam Raimi, Ivan Reitman and James Cameron, among others, are thanked at the end of the credits.

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Connections

Referenced in The Dead Zone: Cycle of Violence (2004)

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Soundtracks

(There Will Be) Peace In The Valley For Me
Written by Thomas A. Dorsey
Arrangement by Johnny Cash (as John R. Cash)
Performed by Johnny Cash
Courtesy of Mercury Records
Published by Song of Cash, Inc. (ASCAP)
Administered by Bug Music, Inc.

User Reviews

An excellent horror/thriller

Bill Paxton stars in and directs this highly original film. Having watched the first time I was by how good it was. The reviews I had heard were OK . As a result I was expecting an average thriller at most .However because of Paxtons excellent directing and acting the film is well worth watching , especially if you are a horror film fanatic.The film is also helped by the plot twists which keep coming until the closing credits . The films strongest point is the storyline which I have to say is highly original and is like I have ever seen before. Well done also to the 2 young leads which perfectly convey the emotions if these confused boys. I give this film 9/10 and I highly recommend that everyone catches it.