There are some movies that defy description. “Frailty” is not a typical horror film by any stretch of the imagination. Like the trailers have proclaimed by the great Sam Raimi (director of “Superman”), it is much like “The Shining” in how it shows the instability and the falling of man when put in certain circumstances. It’s also one of those Southern Gothic tales that get under your skin in the “Jacob’s Ladder” psychological sense. The violence in “Frailty” often takes place off-screen, inside your head, and becomes more intense by the sound of the killings taking place. The plot is one of those that magically combines social commentary, questions of the human condition, religious devotion, and a serial killer story not unlike “Seven.” For years, I’ve been complaining about how they’re aren’t any good horror films made like they did in the 70s or even in the earlier days. Sure, last year’s “The Others,” was a partial reminiscence of how a good horror film is made, but it really didn’t offer anything new, and somehow I managed to predict the ending way in advance. But now here comes “Frailty,” that when it takes its surprise turn, it’s not just a horror film anymore, for it has so many levels that bring up issues that it demands to be seen and talked about by any and all.

Bill Paxton is a guy, like Dennis Quaid, that I always root for. Come on, you can see these two alongside Kurt Russell, in a bar, hanging out, playing darts and having a beer together. They’re extraordinary, but under-acclaimed talents, that eventually deserve to have an Oscar to place on their mantle. Paxton has been doing consistently great work even if he stumbles. He can make a great indie like “One False Move,” and jump right into a summer blockbuster like “Twister” and carry his own weight each time. But the moment I knew he was the real deal was in “A Simple Plan,” a film in which I thought every performance was worthy of some kind of award. I always await what Paxton will do next and was anticipating his directorial debut.

The trailers make “Frailty” a bit impenetrable. All you see is Paxton with an axe while blurbs by Paxton’s buddies appear from time to time. There is mention of some demons, which made me think we were in for some graphic, disgusting, “Evil Dead” homage, that hasn’t really scared the socks off of anybody in a long time. But my friend and I were beside ourselves sitting in a near-empty theater. It was much like the unsettling feeling I got after both “Seven” and “The Blair Witch Project,” but to me, and it’s hard to tip-toe around its social significance without divulging too many details, “Frailty” is a step-up from any other “horror” film you’ve seen. In terms of what message it might be trying to convey, it could hearken to two real serious events that have plagued our country: one which is not AS significant is that of the West Memphis Three trailer which were exposed and examined in “Paradise Lost” and its sequel. (These are two of the very best documentaries ever made). Finally, the other, and this may be stretching the ideas and plausibility of Paxton’s film, are the lengths that people go to, to justify their beliefs… much like the kamikaze missions of the Taliban. The film is about the extremity of some people’s faith and devotion, and how far they’re willing to go when they believe in something so strongly.

Setup a tad bit like “The Usual Suspects” we meet Mieks (Matthew McConaughey), a somber young guy who insists he knows the whereabouts of the The God's Hand Killer. He sits in an FBI office, willing to tell his story of how he knows, and there begins the sense of uncertainty. FBI Agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe) is initially quite unconvinced like we might be, but Mieks’ tale slowly begins to unfold and make sense to the agent. Mieks claims that his alienated brother is responsible for a series of brutal slayings and that he can take him to where the bodies are.

He elaborates on his claims with a detailed explanation of the warped childhood experienced by himself and his brother Adam. The bulk of the film takes place in 1979 Texas, in which we see Mieks and Adam, being raised by their good-natured and very loving Dad (Bill Paxton). Mom died giving birth to Adam. In the film’s only minor setback, the overused voiceover narration explains however, that the family is safe, sound, and content. The father and sons live a pleasant life until one dark night when Dad wakes the boys up with some disturbing news.

Dad tells his young sons that an angel has spoken to him; that the three of them have been blessed with a sacred duty; and that their next step would be to help rid the world of demons disguised as humans. Mieks is mortified by the incident, while his younger brother, Adam, simply takes the news at face value, certain that Dad would not make something like this up. The older brother holds out hope that Dad's late-night visit was just a hallucination, but those hopes are eradicated when his father arrives home one night with an axe, a lead pipe, and some gloves, which are the three weapons that the angel has provided.

There are some scenes that are eccentric enough to make you cringe as well as slightly chuckle at the younger brother’s naïveté. “Oh Dad, why can’t I see God too?” Adam says with a Brady-Bunch-like mannerism. But it’s unbelievable to watch Paxton go from likable Dad to axe-wielding maniac. It’s his convictions that give the film its power. He is absolutely convinced of what he sees, and although there are scenes that echo other horror films like “The Dead Zone,” Paxton gives the film an original tone that is clearly his own, and by the final act, in which everything is put into perspective, you realize and discover things that you would never deem possible. It leaves questions, but wraps things up beautifully. With all the mind-numbing shocking twists that a lot of movies seem to overwhelm us with these days, the ones that explode in “Frailty” are the best of the bunch. It all ties together, but in quite the pessimistic tone that will definitely turn some of the average-moviegoer off.

However, if you’re willing to take the ride, then “Frailty” will be downright hypnotic. It doesn’t play like an “X-Files” episode although just the reading of the plot could make it sound that way. But this is an intoxicating film that compels you to watch and listen carefully, and examines the actions of the characters we’re focused on. Dad walks a very fine line between his own ideology and the deterioration of his sanity. Is he imagining the whole thing? And why on Earth would such a loving father subject his two songs to such an ordeal, which divests their innocence at such a young age, and gives them the kind of nightmares that no young boy should ever have. Here is a thought-provoking horror film that is inviting, yet blinding by the shocking truth it contains about the human condition. You may in fact walk out numb, but I was also riveted that Paxton chose such a dark and intense script for his directorial debut. He has always been an immense talent as an actor, but here, he balances both directing and acting with the assurance of the pros that he’s worked with in the past. “Frailty” is the best film of 2002 so far. With any luck, more great scripts like these will be made into great films like such as “Frailty.”

GRADE: A+


Recommended:
Yes

Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age