The Frighteners - 10th Anniversary review

These are user comments written August 2006
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Frank Bannister(Michael J. Fox..great as always)has a good thing going with his partnership with two ghosts as they con poor innocents to "exorcise" and replenish homes of ghoulish forces. What Frank doesn't see coming is a grim reaper type taking should from humans. He can see what victims will be chosen next by way of a number that forms on their foreheads. The reason behind Frank's unique ability to see and communicate with ghosts who didn't "go into the light" is that he went through a devastatingly traumatic experience when his wife was killed in a car crash caused by something he can't recall. She was found with a number cut into her forehead for which Frank can not recall. Frank's life will change forever when he "exorcises" the home of Ray and Lucy Lynskey. He sees a number appear on Ray's forehead and Lucy remembers this when her husband is taken from her thanks to a cardiac arrest. Frank can now communicate with Ray and this brings him to Lucy. Her belief in Frank is his anchor when all hell breaks loose as death stalks his next victim..Lucy! The film might be very interesting for Peter Jackson completists desiring to sample earlier works before his "Lord of the Rings" films. This film marks his American debut and you can see Peter's ability to use computer visual effects in such harrowing and awe-inspiring ways. The ghosts and how they move{well, particularly death as he "moves" through walls and such within the house of a woman named Patricia who was the partner-in-crime with serial killer Johnny Charles Bartlett(Jake Busey)}are especially impressive. There's a major twist towards the end that is excellent and it deals with the identity of Death, the soul sucking reaper. Death's mission and a particular partner of his bring much suspense to the climax as Frank and Lucy must stop him at all costs. We watch as Frank tries to rescue humans before Death takes their souls and that also provides some thrilling moments. The whole film is one long wild roller-coaster as problems arise worse for Frank as he has a nemesis in an agent for the FBI named Milton Dammers. Dammers is at the brink of complete breakdown and we can see in how he approaches people & is effected by certain behaviors(such as women screaming..it ails him). Dammers has been a part of varying cults, working for the FBI, all his career and we see the horrors of this job etched in his entire being. Dammers has this will so strong it's boundless to put an end to Frank's practices. He uses Lucy in many ways to do just that. I feel Dammers is in this film mainly as a fork in the road to Frank and Lucy's quest to stop Death and there are many moments where he causes complete conflict. Combs plays him quite freakish and he's memorable in every scene he's in. Dee Wallace as Patricia stretches madness and terror, but this particular character is much more to the inner story of Death's quest than meets the eye. Jake has that sinister, twisted chagrin that works well in his scenes as Johnny, the killer. But, the film's dynamic is Fox's energy and Trini Alvarado's(Lucy..I couldn't take my eyes off her she's so beautiful)serene face..they gel so well in their scenes together. I do feel that many might look too hard at the angles regarding the abilities for people to jump in and out of death by unusual ways(particularly Fox's hero..his ability to do this might be a bit of a stretch), and one might could dissect how Death does what he does and how he does it. But, if you just go with it, I'm sure many horror fans will be very entertained.