Review of Cape Fear (1991) by Lace — 23 May 2009

A recently released rapist stalks the defense attorny that wronged him in this poor mans' Cape Fear, as it features acting that can't even rival the first one in the least. Robert DeNiro, usually a VERY capable actor plays Max Cady as so catoonish and over-the-top ANY true suspence evaporates like so much cigar smoke Robert Mitchum made a much more fitting Cady. Same with Nick Nolte's slicker, but not as fully realized as Gregory Peck's original Sam Bowden. Don't even get me started on Juliette 'Willing to go down on the director as I have absolutly NO talent whatsoever' Lewis. The one thing this version has going for it is that there's more of a reason for Max Cady to want vengence against Sam Bowden in this one, but that's not enough to overlook that this version is extremely inferior. Especially when this version is devoid of any soul or emotion other then hatred and cruelty, no matter of slickness and sheen the film can polish itself with can ultimately overcome that. It's not a bad movie (well the end is), just pales greatly to the original.

My Grade: C-2-Disk DVD Extras: 80 minute Making Of documentary; 9 minute, 14 seconds of Deleted Scenes; Behind The Scenes Of The Fouth Of July Parade; On The Set Of The Houseboat; Photograph Montage; Matte Paintings; Opening Credits; and Theatrical Trailer.

DVD-rom: Script to screen comparisions.

Reviewed by Kevin O'Keefe on IMDB.