Primal Fear

Play trailer

2:19

Primal Fear

R

1996

2h 9m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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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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Critics Consensus

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

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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

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

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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

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It's part trial procedural but mostly the suspenseful unraveling of testimony and the realization of lies.

Rated: 7/10

Sep 24, 2020

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Kenzie C

It was a good movie and i enjoyed watching it. It didn’t drag much which is nice as most longer movies do. In my opinion, it’s a slow burn movie and the plot twist isn’t that surprising however I would recommend, especially to aspiring lawyers or judges.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/04/25

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Elena K

I adore this movie so much, and I think that the acting played a huge part in that

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/17/25

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Billy H.

Great ending and phenomenal job by Edward Norton.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/21/25

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Rachel B.

One of the best endings!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/03/25

Full Review

Mike V

Sooner or later, a man who wears two faces forgets which one is real. Primal Fear is a 1996 American legal mystery crime thriller film directed by Gregory Hoblit 🔪 Awesome! 😀 I’d totally recommend it 👍🏼👍🏼 One of my favourite movies of the year ⭐️ Great acting combined with an interesting and twisting screenplay makes for entertaining viewing… An arrogant, high-powered attorney takes on the case of a poor altar boy found running away from the scene of the grisly murder of the bishop who has taken him in. The case gets a lot more complex when the accused reveals that there may or may not have been a third person in the room.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/29/25

Full Review

Patrick G.

8/10 Only the ending was really what made it worth it really slow

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/22/25

Full Review

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Gregory Hoblit

Director

Richard Gere

Martin Vail

Laura Linney

Janet Venable

Edward Norton

Aaron Stampler

John Mahoney

John Shaughnessy

Alfre Woodard

Judge Miriam Shoat

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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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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