Fear came out during a time when dark thrillers were all the rage. Violence was commonplace when a relationship turned sour and it didn’t matter who it was in the lead roles, there was going to be blood.
Personally, I am so glad that Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon both rebounded from this movie. Both have gone on to star and win an Oscar. But even the most gifted stars need to start somewhere. Their two characters fall in love and when one discovers how crazy the other is, all bets are off. I don’t think Wahlberg has ever played such darker more psychotic role than he did in Fear. Most of us know about his past troubles with the law, so this role seemed perfect for him. Whether it was that sinister look in his eye or the physical abuse he put everyone through, he was so believable as the jealous ex-boyfriend.
Reese has that innocent girl look and that came in handy here. One minute she is a princess and the next she’s the damsel in distress. Young love is not always sunshine and rainbows, and sadly for her, she experiences the rarest case of the trouble of falling in love with the wrong person.
It is really hard to believe that the group of thugs who ambush house would be able to get away with such a crime in 2019, but in 1996 anything was possible. When the rich decide to branch themselves off from the rest the world in seclusion, that silence can sometimes come back to haunt them.
Overall I can’t believe that two people I’ve come to know and love for various roles would find themselves in such a film, but it was the beginning. You may have never heard of Fear or vaguely remember how terrible it was. The story and violence fit the time period, but times have changed. 3/10
Ten Stars or Less 