Frailty

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Frailty

R

Released Apr 12, 2002

1h 40m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

154 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Set in present day Texas, "Frailty" centers on the FBI's search for a serial killer who calls himself "God's Hands." McConaughey plays Fenton Meeks, a young man who approaches the lead investigator, one night, claiming he knows the identity of the killer. The FBI agent is curious, but unimpressed until Fenton reveals that the killer is his younger brother Adam. This is a film about faith, family and the end of innocence.

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Critics Consensus

Creepy and disturbing, Frailty is well-crafted, low-key horror.

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Christy Lemire

Associated Press

Paxton steals the show. And O'Leary more than holds his own again here. Too bad it's in a movie that fails to live up to its potential.

Jul 30, 2013

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Violent and ultimately uneven and unsatisfying.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 24, 2010

Full Review

Robert Koehler

Variety

A resoundingly old-fashioned and well crafted study of evil infecting an American family, "Frailty" moves from strength to strength on its deceptive narrative course.

Nov 21, 2008

Full Review

Joshua Ryan

FandomWire

It's incredibly effective in its execution and remains one of the most unnerving horror films of the 2000s.

Rated: 8/10

Jul 19, 2025

Full Review

Cody Leach

Cody Leach (YouTube)

Frailty is a perfect exploration of childhood fear as it collides with religion. Bill Paxton's deliberately reserved direction makes the horror more effective in it's reliance on reactions and suggestion. Every twist delivers and sticks the landing!

Rated: 5/5

Mar 26, 2024

Full Review

M.N. Miller

Ready Steady Cut

[Frailty] still packs a chilling punch to the gut that stands the test of time today.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 17, 2022

Full Review

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Stoner J

Bill Paxton killed it in his directorial debut. Frailty is a super smart, and super disturbing horror thriller that’s excellent all the way through

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/30/25

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Craig W.

This movie is really good

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/29/25

Full Review

Jerod S

Turns out dad was right about the demons. McConaughey is a grown man that watched his dad slay demons growing up.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/21/25

Full Review

Filmgal G

The first time I saw this movie I was hooked on the storyline. It weaves an intricate tale not only of a family devastated by the loss of their wife and mother but also the fallout of a father who is suddenly commissioned by the Almighty to dispense Divine Justice. As you slowly watch the father descend into a complete mental breakdown you cannot help feeling for the two bewildered sons. The acting is superb and I thought Matthew McConaughey was outstanding in this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the twist at the end and I felt overall that this movie was an extremely dark tale told in a very intricate manner.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/24/25

Full Review

Christopher L R

Great movie with a horrible twist. But horrible in a horror sense. A must see!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/25

Full Review

Glen H

An unsettling film that uses a tight knit family as a backdrop for a thriller that keeps you guessing in all the right ways. The film, for the most part, holds on to the premise quite well and keeps things moving at the right pace. There are moments you may wish there was a bit more stylistic flair added to Paxton's arsenal, but overall it still works. And some may see the "twist" coming, but it doesn't take away from the overall impact of this tale about faith and righteousness.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/07/25

Full Review

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Bill Paxton

Director

Bill Paxton

Dad

Matthew McConaughey

Adam Meiks

Powers Boothe

Agent Wesley Doyle

Matt O'Leary

Young Fenton Meiks

Luke Askew

Sheriff Smalls

Frailty: Official Clip - God Knew

2:50

Frailty: Official Clip - You Can't Escape God's Wrath

2:50

Frailty: Official Clip - Killing a Brother

2:05

Frailty: Official Clip - Fenton's First Victim

2:59

Frailty: Official Clip - Sometimes Truth Defies Reason

1:47

Frailty: Official Clip - The First Demon

2:59

Frailty: Official Clip - A Vision From God

3:31

Frailty: Official Clip - The List

2:50

Frailty: Official Clip - You Gotta Believe Me!

2:42

Frailty: Official Clip - The Promise

2:21

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Synopsis

Set in present day Texas, "Frailty" centers on the FBI's search for a serial killer who calls himself "God's Hands." McConaughey plays Fenton Meeks, a young man who approaches the lead investigator, one night, claiming he knows the identity of the killer. The FBI agent is curious, but unimpressed until Fenton reveals that the killer is his younger brother Adam. This is a film about faith, family and the end of innocence.

Director: Bill Paxton
Producer: David Blocker, David Kirschner, Corey Sienega
Screenwriter: Brent Hanley
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: American Entertainment, David Kirschner Productions
Rating: R (Violence|Some Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 12, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $13.1M
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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