Frailty

R

Released Apr 12, 2002

1h 39m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

List

75%

Tomatometer

156 Reviews

79%

Audience Score

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.

Read Critics Reviews

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

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

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Paxton creates a memorable story that, while supplying too many answers about its own ambiguities, offers the chance to find multiple readings.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 12, 2022

Full Review

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John D

Amazing I can't believe in 2024 I am just now seeing this. Wonderful. Telling everyone I know who hasn't seen it to watch

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/15/24

Full Review

D. M

Critically underrated movie. Bill Paxton leads a great cast. Sunspensful movie that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. And that final twist is supurb. Worth a second watch or worth picking up if you haven't watched it in a while.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/24

Full Review

mark g

One of the best twists in movie history

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/26/24

Full Review

Logan D

A mysterious man (McConaughey) goes to the FBI to tell them a serial killer is his younger brother. But he refuses to reveal his location until he recounts their childhood with their religiously abuses father. Paxton does a decent job directing but I found it difficult to believe him in portraying the dad whom God give directions. One is sympathetic to the plight of the boys and their relationship to each other an their father. The ending is predictable but I did enjoy contemplating the morality of most of the characters.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/13/24

Full Review

Giselle F

It was fine but then the ending? My God what an atrocity of an ending. I feel like slapping the writers.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/17/24

Full Review

Eilian N

What's a purpose of that?

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/15/24

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

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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: David Kirschner Productions, American Entertainment
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 39m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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