Cape Fear Reviews

Never Got It

Never recieved it and it said i did

Don't bother

Absolutely dreadful film - Not sure how we sat through it, other than to see how the baddy eventually got killed off - which took forever. As horror movies go, this one was just plain silly and we eventually decided it was meant to be a comedy. Pity - it started off looking promising.

To add insult to injury, in the post the next time came Cape Fear 'bonus features'. We did not bother to watch it and sent it straight back. Be warned, if you don't want two doses of rubbish, don't rent this movie.

Your gonna learn about loss...

I saw this three times at the cinema on it?s release and it was very much one of the films that got me into 'serious' film makers. On repeat viewing all these years later, I would say it?s actually got better.

Scorsese in a ?Hitchcock? style makes one of the most tense, unnerving thrillers ever. De Niro as Max Cady is probably one of the most outwardly unbalanced characters he's ever played.

Dismissed at the time as Scorsese doing his 'director for hire' thing, this is possibly one of his most underrated films.

I won't add any spoilers except to say the finale is one of the most gripping pieces of cinema ever. This man is capable of anything..!

Fantastic remake

If the original 'Cape Fear' hadn't existed, the fact is this one might well be regarded as a classic. I recently saw it appear on a list of the top ten worst remakes of all time, but then films like the clearly superior 'Ocean's Eleven' also appeared on there. Most people who don't like it are probably those who take offence at the mere fact that a classic is being remade.

This movie obviously delves much deeper into the dark territory hinted at in the 1960's original ... Robert De Niro is brilliant as the psychopathic rapist who harrases a typical american family, although saying that he's better than Robert Mitchum may be going a little far.

The meaning of the film is different from the original, as here it is the story of an average man being brought downward (or upward, you might argue) to the same level as Max Cady. It's not up to the standard of Scorsese's best films (i.e. Taxi Driver, Goodfellas), but it's still superb.

Disappointment

Not nearly as good as the sequel

Look! Don't Look!

De Niro puts in another stella performance as a psycho with a grudge, intent on revenge from the lawyer who saw him imprisoned. Gritty, gorey and damn right violent, not one for a romantic night in but definately one to be watched.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Creepy

He is a pure psycho - but what an actor. This is a classic psychological thriller with a superb cast.

think about it

These are fantastic films. Although I'm not sure the second is really a remake so much as an exercise in the director's art (which seems a little bit like showing off to my mind, but nevertheless). Watch every light, angle and plot development and think very hard how many times you've seen a thriller where the family pet gets it .. then remember where they got the idea from ... Fatal Attraction ? amateur !

Nothing spectacular but enjoyable nonetheless…

‘Cape Fear’ isn’t the type of film you’d usually expect to see from Scorsese and as a result it isn’t to his usual high calibre either, with some parts feeling cheep and over the top, but these are only minor areas of complaint. Overall, it’s very good, with superb acting and a brilliant, although slightly overpowering, musical score. It isn’t anything amazing by any means, but it is an entertaining watch, the last few scenes especially.

To me ‘Cape Fear’ just feels dated. It’s the type of film we’ve all seen before and it doesn’t try to do anything new, it jus does it all very well and hopes that that will be enough, and in some ways it is. It’s enough to create a film that will keep its audience gripped till the end and ultimately satisfied with their purchase. Unfortunately this is all it will achieve, and over time it will no doubt be forgotten.

Excellent role by Deniro

Deniro plays the bad guy excellently in Cape Fear, a fresh out of jail thug with all the characteristics of a hardman but also verges on the psychotic at some points. Thoroughly well directed, packed with close ups which creates great high tension moments. An edge of your seat film which makes you genuinley feel/fear for the characters.