Bill Paxton has never really been known as an especially innovative performer. His r??sum?? consists mainly of supporting roles in action/adventure films, with a few dramas sprinkled in for good measure. It surprised this critic that he chose the religious thriller \Frailty"" as his directorial debut. Even more shocking, however, was how great the film turned out.
It is a rare treat to see a film that leaves a lasting impression beyond the theater parking lot. ""Frailty"" will leave you disturbed and chilled well beyond. The all-around quality can largely be attributed to Paxton, whose work is near flawless on both sides of the camera.
He plays the single father of two young boys in a small Texas town. One night he tells his sons that an angel spoke to him, revealing that their family has been chosen to enact God's will by killing the ""demons"" that walk among them in human form. They listen to his story intently, but dismiss the idea of him actually following through with the mission ... until he brings home the first victim. The boys witness'and eventually help'their father as he kidnaps, murders and buries these so-called demons at God's request.
As to whether their father is actually a soldier of God or a psychotic murderer, the two boys split votes. The oldest, Fenton, thinks their dad has lost his mind and refuses to participate in the killing spree, while the younger revels in the family's heroic calling, and eventually follows in daddy's footsteps. Told in flashback by Matthew McConaughey (as an adult Fenton), the story moves along quite smoothly between the past and present.
Horror movies scare the audience with monsters, gruesome deaths and unsuspecting moments when something jumps out of the closet. To classify ""Frailty"" in this genre does not do the film justice. The violence in the film takes place off-screen for the most part. Showing obvious Hitchcockian influence, Paxton chooses not to go for the cheap ""gross-out,"" opting instead to disturb us on a far more subtle level. He relies heavily on the performances to convey the fear and suspense that drives the movie. The cast comes through with flying colors. The child actors are brilliant, while McConaughey demonstrates how a 30-year-old would behave after the most disturbing childhood ever. To top off his behind-the-camera talent, Paxton somehow perfects the portrayal of a loving father, and a homicidal maniac in a single character.
The intense score and sound effects are without a doubt the unseen star of the film. The background music is chilling, while the sound effects during the murder scenes are far scarier than any amount of fake blood could ever achieve.
Even the toughest of moviegoers will be scared in completely new ways. It meets the very definition of a suspense thriller, keeping you in a petrified gaze until the very end. The title does not do the film justice. ""Frailty"" is one of the strongest films of the past year.
