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Cape Fear

Play trailer Poster for Cape Fear R Released Nov 13, 1991 2h 8m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 57 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
When attorney Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) knowingly withholds evidence that would acquit violent sex offender Max Cady (Robert De Niro) of rape charges, Max spends 14 years in prison. But after Max's release, knowing about Sam's deceit, he devotes his life to stalking and destroying the Bowden family. When practical attempts to stop Max fail, Sam realizes that he must act outside the law to protect his wife and daughter in Martin Scorsese's remake of the classic 1962 thriller.
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Cape Fear

Cape Fear

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Critics Consensus

Smart and stylish, Cape Fear is a gleefully mainstream shocker from Martin Scorsese, with a terrifying Robert De Niro performance.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Times (UK) Yet the grubby story is elevated by a superior cast in both the original and this grimly bloodthirsty remake. Aug 14, 2023 Full Review Victoria Luxford BBC.com (De Niro) had played a tough guy before, but never quite like this: a very sinister, very jagged, very dangerous character… put that together with Martin Scorsese at possibly the peak of his powers, and it’s a delightful if slightly scary film. May 6, 2022 Full Review Adam Nayman The Ringer Martin Scorsese wasn't supposed to remake the 1962 thriller, but when he did, he brought along his longtime muse and infused the story with an overwhelming amount of trademark chaos... Nov 20, 2021 Full Review Terry Francis Southern Voice (Atlanta) The picture's missteps are more than numerous. Rated: 2.5/4 May 8, 2023 Full Review Peter Keough Boston Phoenix Ever shot reminds you that a consummate artist is having a great time remaking a kinky minor classic. Apr 21, 2023 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) Everything is relatively dirty, and no one is truly good, except for this film, it's phenomenal. [Full review in Spanish] Jan 4, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
David M To get home from where I walked my date home after seeing this on its original release in the cinema (aged 18, my first year at university), I had to walk through a small, dark park which was badly lit and had plenty of places to hide. I ran through it, imagining Robert De Niro in every bush and behind every tree. The film got to me. Revisiting it now, I understand a lot more than I did then - and still the film haunts and dogs the viewer. Remaking a classic 1962 film, Nick Nolte is the lawyer whose family is stalked and tormented by the rapist he had defended at the trial that sent him to prison 14 years ago. Now he's out and wants revenge. It's a savage, disorienting, dizzying film - the effect of which is twisted further by the similarly dizzying cinematography and editing. De Niro is superb, but the standout is Juliette Lewis as Nolte's 16-year-old daughter. The extended scene between them in the school theatre is an unbearably creepy masterwork, and her whole performance is stunning. I wasn't fully convinced by Nolte, but he does come into his own in the final act, almost silent, reduced by De Niro's ex-convict to his base elements, slugging it out in the pouring rain, drenched and caked in mud. It's a film about how we lose humanity, and how we might try to keep it - and it's one that sits well in Scorsese's stellar filmography. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/15/24 Full Review Stephen H This is why Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro are some of the GOAT’s. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/19/24 Full Review Audience Member a horror film that really stands out, even by Scorcese's standards its bloody, violent, and downright unnerving DeNiro gives such an enthusiastic performance Nick Nolte really conveys the family man determined to protect his wife and daughter from the evils of the world even from a former ex-con he once represented it takes a while for things to get moving and the score at times is just so over-the-top but the climax is worth the wait your senses will be manipulated and the suspense keeps you in the dark never knowing when 'Cady' strikes gives off a dark and foreboding message about how strong the human being is and how weak it can become to the point of making us less than human this aint for everyone so buckle up and prepare to be strangled Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/09/24 Full Review Allen F This movie is amazing and brings fear to its viewers because of the acting. The humanity in this film of defending your family is real. The acting really is some of DiNero’s best. Chilling film that is a great watch Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/19/24 Full Review John M I watched this movie in 1991-92 and I remember I was not very impressed. Today I tried watching it again ... way way worse. Some movies have staying power. This is not one of those. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/14/24 Full Review NiB Y The original is still on my watchlist and i'm sure it's great, but i think it will be hard to top this. This was one of the most thrilling and anxiety inducing movies i ever seen, specially thanks to DeNiro's IMMACULATE performance. If it was not The Silence of The Lambs coming out on the same year, you can bet he would've won the Oscar. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/06/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Cape Fear

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Cast & Crew

Cape Fear

Cape Fear: Official Clip - Cady Kills Kersek Cape Fear: Official Clip - Cady Kills Kersek 2:43 Cape Fear: Official Clip - More Than Human Cape Fear: Official Clip - More Than Human 2:34 Cape Fear: Official Clip - Cady Drowns Cape Fear: Official Clip - Cady Drowns 2:22 Cape Fear: Official Clip - Leigh Offers Herself Cape Fear: Official Clip - Leigh Offers Herself 2:17 Cape Fear: Official Clip - Sucking Cady's Thumb Cape Fear: Official Clip - Sucking Cady's Thumb 2:58 Cape Fear: Official Clip - Strip Search Cape Fear: Official Clip - Strip Search 2:35 Cape Fear: Official Clip - Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are Cape Fear: Official Clip - Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are 2:58 Cape Fear: Official Clip - The People vs. Samuel Bowden Cape Fear: Official Clip - The People vs. Samuel Bowden 3:03 Cape Fear: Official Clip - Cady's Release Cape Fear: Official Clip - Cady's Release 1:18 Cape Fear: Official Clip - Smoking and Cackling Cape Fear: Official Clip - Smoking and Cackling 2:23 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis When attorney Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) knowingly withholds evidence that would acquit violent sex offender Max Cady (Robert De Niro) of rape charges, Max spends 14 years in prison. But after Max's release, knowing about Sam's deceit, he devotes his life to stalking and destroying the Bowden family. When practical attempts to stop Max fail, Sam realizes that he must act outside the law to protect his wife and daughter in Martin Scorsese's remake of the classic 1962 thriller.
Director
Martin Scorsese
Producer
Robert De Niro, Barbara De Fina
Screenwriter
John D. MacDonald, James R. Webb, Wesley Strick
Distributor
Universal Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Universal Home Entertainment
Production Co
Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Tribeca Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 13, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$76.4M
Runtime
2h 8m
Sound Mix
Surround
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