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Primal Fear

Play trailer 2:19 Poster for Primal Fear R Released Apr 3, 1996 2h 9m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
77% Tomatometer 47 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Defense attorney Martin Vail takes on jobs for money and prestige rather than any sense of the greater good. His latest case involves an altar boy, accused of brutally murdering the archbishop of Chicago. Vail finds himself up against his ex-pupil and ex-lover, but as the case progresses and the Church's dark secrets are revealed, Vail finds that what appeared a simple case takes on a darker, more dangerous aspect.
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Primal Fear

Primal Fear

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Critics Consensus

Primal Fear is a straightforward yet entertaining thriller elevated by a crackerjack performance from Edward Norton.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: 3/5 Jun 28, 2005 Full Review Peter Stack San Francisco Chronicle Rated: 4/4 Jun 18, 2002 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times The plot is as good as crime procedurals get, but the movie is really better than its plot because of the three-dimensional characters. Rated: 3.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews The tense crime procedural thriller has a twist in its last act that fails to do it justice. Rated: B- Sep 22, 2023 Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight A presumably innocent man and a justice-seeking defense lawyer delve into a complex tangle of crime and murder in Primal Fear, a sometimes grating, sometimes invigorating courtroom drama mixed with investigative police procedural. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 12, 2022 Full Review Kat Halstead Common Sense Media A tense psychological thriller rich with shadowy menace and a sense of confidence that allows the impressive cast to shine. Rated: 4/5 Jun 23, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Igor S Solid thriller all around. Just ignore a few things that would make the movie fall appart and you will have fun for sure. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/04/25 Full Review Olivia J A tense psychological thriller rich with shadowy menace and a sense of confidence that allows the impressive cast to shine. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/02/25 Full Review Yannis M Great film with a great twist Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/27/25 Full Review Glen H Norton really elevates the otherwise standard procedural to new heights. And the rest of the cast are equally in top form, including Gere at his charismatic best. The conclusion is a bit rushed, but effective nonetheless. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/26/25 Full Review Paul S This movie was incredibly thrilling and really fun to watch. All of the twists and turns this movie took were mind boggling, and I still think about it to this day. I definitely recommend it for legal-drama fans! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/24/25 Full Review 21 - Priyan B A gripping, fast-paced thriller. Rating: 7.8/10 Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/22/25 Full Review Read all reviews
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Primal Fear

Primal Fear: Official Clip - Playing Rough Primal Fear: Official Clip - Playing Rough 2:13 Primal Fear: Official Clip - Good For You, Marty Primal Fear: Official Clip - Good For You, Marty 2:13 Primal Fear: Official Clip - Just One Juror Primal Fear: Official Clip - Just One Juror 1:47 Primal Fear: Official Clip - Powerful People Primal Fear: Official Clip - Powerful People 2:05 Primal Fear: Official Clip - Meeting "Roy" Primal Fear: Official Clip - Meeting "Roy" 2:11 Primal Fear: Official Clip - How Can You Do What You Do? Primal Fear: Official Clip - How Can You Do What You Do? 2:05 Primal Fear: Official Clip - The Tape Primal Fear: Official Clip - The Tape 2:11 Primal Fear: Official Clip - Prepping Aaron Primal Fear: Official Clip - Prepping Aaron 0:57 Primal Fear: Official Clip - A Woman With a Brain Primal Fear: Official Clip - A Woman With a Brain 1:45 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Defense attorney Martin Vail takes on jobs for money and prestige rather than any sense of the greater good. His latest case involves an altar boy, accused of brutally murdering the archbishop of Chicago. Vail finds himself up against his ex-pupil and ex-lover, but as the case progresses and the Church's dark secrets are revealed, Vail finds that what appeared a simple case takes on a darker, more dangerous aspect.
Director
Gregory Hoblit
Producer
Gary Lucchesi, Robert McMinn
Screenwriter
Steve Shagan, Ann Biderman
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 3, 1996, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 2, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$56.1M
Runtime
2h 9m
Sound Mix
Stereo, Surround
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