Review of Primal Fear (1996) by Ben F — 28 Feb 2010

The best thing about "Primal Fear" is how original it was. It's execution, and it's premise are both creative and entertaining. It's always great to see something like that in a film like this.

Basically the arch bishop of Chicago is brutally murdered, and Edward Norton is accused of it. Richard Gere becomes his defense attorney, and he struggles to figure out what actually happened. Though this doesn't seem very original, it actually is because the way the film gradually progresses is different than you would expect. It seems that the initial belief of what happened in the viewers eyes, constantly changes, just as it changes in Gere's eyes. This is something I didn't expect, and it's like we are there trying to figure out what went on as well. Really brilliant.

The acting in the movie is pretty good as well. Richard Gere does a good job at his roll, and Edward Norton plays a good "innocent" kid. Francis Mcdormand kind of startled me when she popped up in the movie, because I didn't know she was in it, and she did a good job as well. None of the acting was anything special, but it got the job done.

"Primal Fear" is also really good, just for the overall feel of the movie. It's simplistic, but at the same time, confusing. The movie really keeps you guessing, and I was very impressed by how well they were able to do that. I good view, and a good movie.