Primal Fear

Play trailer

2:19

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

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

21 - Priyan B

A gripping, fast-paced thriller. Rating: 7.8/10

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/22/25

Full Review

Cecilia S

standout performances with a great story twist

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/10/25

Full Review

selen g

I was in search of a good unpredictable thriller, and finally came across Primal Fear. I dont know how I havent watched this movie until now. A rare movie that has lived up to my expectations this quality thriller has twists on top of twists:) A must watch with Edward Nortons marvellous acting, and great soundtrack btw. Up on my top 10 now:) dont want to comment much to not ruin it for the ones that didnt watch this movie, everyone deserves to experience this

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/22/24

Full Review

Ralph R

Primal Fear is a masterclass in tension, turning a courtroom drama into a high-stakes thriller under Gregory Hoblit’s sharp direction. Then there’s Edward Norton, in his very first role, who makes such an impression it’s no surprise he went on to win over 15 awards including a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. Playing Aaron, a timid altar boy with hidden depths. Richard Gere holds his own as the slick defense lawyer, Norton’s layered acting and the intense chemistry between them make this movie unforgettable. Primal Fear goes beyond a typical courtroom drama, serving up suspense, stellar performances, and production.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/20/24

Full Review

Don T

Great actors, soundtrack, director! SO, I'LL AIR MY BEEF HERE. SINCE WHEN DID YOU FEEL THE NEED TO REMOVE STARS FROM AUDIENCE. OF COURSE, WHEN I TRY TO CONTACT YOU I GET FANDANGO, WHO WON'T EVEN RESPOND TO A SIMPLE EMAIL I KNOW YOU ARE IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE, WITH THEIR OTHER COMPANIES, BUT HOW ARE YOU SAVING MONEY???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????/

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/23/24

Full Review

Fer S

It is kind of predictable but you still want to know the truth. It is just not enough to make it a very good movie. While the plot is not that interesting, the acting and pacing is very good.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/23/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

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

View more videos

A Simple Plan

91%

81%

A Simple Plan

Watchlist

TRAILER

for A Simple Plan

Night Falls on Manhattan

72%

64%

Night Falls on Manhattan

Watchlist

Collateral

86%

84%

Collateral

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Collateral

Internal Affairs

79%

58%

Internal Affairs

Watchlist

True Crime

0%

41%

True Crime

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Tom Holland’s Five Favorite Films

Camryn Manheim’s Five Favorite Films

Primal Fear: Trailer 1

2:19

View more videos

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now