Primal Fear

R

Released Apr 3, 1996

2 hr. 9 min.

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

TRAILER

for Primal Fear: Trailer 1

List

77%

48 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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Critics Consensus

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

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Audience Member

A fantástica atuação de Edward Norton diferencia o filme de outros do mesmo género, elevando-o para um patamar mais alto do que o que ele poderia estar.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/21/24

Full Review

Kyle C

Tense, gripping legal thriller. The young Edward Norton is so great in this role, conjuring sympathy and frustration equally as the movie goes on. Richard Gere is, of course, charming as ever. Honestly, all of the supporting cast did a really solid job too. There's nuance in every performance, no matter how small. The twists start comin' and they don't stop comin', but some of them feel a little cheap and like they undermine the rest of the movie, so I'm taking off half a star for that. But it's still an excellent movie that has really held up well.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/10/24

Full Review

Moon B

Amazing movie! Norton deserves 100 oscars just for this movie alone, and this was his first movie? Omg 😲 😱

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/08/24

Full Review

The Great John A

Aaron is a boy toy, but then there's Roy... Primal fear is a nearly 27 year old court thriller about an altar boy who brutally murders a priest, but he has multiple personality disorder. Quite a intriguing plot here, and is it good? Well... It's not bad. I mean some scenes are really good (the best being when they activate his disorder in court and the ending) but unfortunately the film is ludicrously riddled with cliché dialogue and Richard Gere has the character depth of a thin plank. I think though, it's worth it just to see Edward Norton and how he commands a lot of his scenes that got him an oscar nomination (for his first ever role!!). Also there are the decent supporting cast necessary for a film like this and it does that well. Overall, at the right points, Primal Fear is a good enough court watch, and while deliverance can be saved for another review, it does it's job at making the average, yet satisfying steps to the conclusion. Grade: B

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/24

Full Review

Alec C

In the eyes of God, guilt is seen in the eyes of the beholder! A defense attorney defends a boy convicted of killing an archbishop, only to learn that the boy has got some demons of his own. Stellar acting from Edward Norton and Richard Gere make this film a stand out in cinema and in our minds!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/24

Full Review

Gigs V

Watched this AGES ago (maybe between 10 and 12 years ago?), and rewatched it recently. Had a real tough time placing this one. Was thinking is this... ***... **** ... ***1/2? Definitely not a *****... I was surprised, on second-watch, just how bored I was watching this. And yet, I have watched trash before, and this movie, isn't that. There's enough here to warrant a watch. I just, sadly, think there's a few things wrong with it. If you're a fan of acting, watch the movie. Ed Norton is the reason to watch this IMO. Absolutely fantastic performance. The film, aside from that, is...fairly bland. Uninventive shots. Looks very dated. But, Ed Norton is so compelling. And I genuinely got chills (more than once), even knowing how things were going to play out. Incredible performance by him. And, definitely worth a watch on that alone. Was the story predictable? Fairly. Good character development re: Richard Gere and the shot of him at the end, which encapsulates a lot without words. I just think the film takes TOO much time to get exciting. It's fairly slow for the first whole hour. Laura Linney is good as well. Credit to her. As is her boss (the guy from Frasier).

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/19/24

Full Review

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Gregory Hoblit

Director

Richard Gere

Martin Vail

Laura Linney

Janet Venable

Ed Norton

Aaron Stampler

John Mahoney

John Shaughnessy

Alfre Woodard

Judge Miriam Shoat

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Primal Fear: Official Clip - Playing Rough

2:13

Primal Fear: Official Clip - Good For You, Marty

2:13

Primal Fear: Official Clip - Just One Juror

1:47

Primal Fear: Official Clip - Powerful People

2:05

Primal Fear: Official Clip - Meeting "Roy"

2:11

Primal Fear: Official Clip - How Can You Do What You Do?

2:05

Primal Fear: Official Clip - The Tape

2:11

Primal Fear: Official Clip - Prepping Aaron

0:57

Primal Fear: Official Clip - A Woman With a Brain

1:45

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Primal Fear: Trailer 1

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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

Mike Clark

USA Today

As a forum for its actors and for the big-screen directorial debut of multi-Emmy winner Gregory Hoblit, the film is up to the job.

Rated: 3/4

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

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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
Executive Producer: Hawk Koch
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
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround

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