Primal Fear (1996)
Directed by Gregory Hoblit
Defense attorney Martin Vail takes on jobs for money and prestige rather than any sense of the greater good. His latest case involves an altar boy, accused of brutally murdering the archbishop of Chicago. Vail finds himself up against his ex-pupil and ex-lover, but as the case progresses and the Church's dark secrets are revealed, Vail finds that what appeared a simple case takes on a darker, more dangerous aspect.
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4 films that influenced Primal Fear
What critics say influenced Primal Fear
It's gorgeous, truth be told, with the overbearing DVNR of The Pelican Brief arguably more justifiable in a movie from the director of the film version of The Phantom of the Opera musical, who would expect nothing less than this deeply-affected perfection.
In that respect, the script by Steve Shagan ("Save the Tiger") and Ann Biderman is an improvement.
The stage is niftily set by scripters Steve Shagan ("Save the Tiger") and Ann Biderman ("Copycat") for an investigation of not only truth, but justice and the American way.
Director Gregory Hoblit, a TV veteran of shows like "Hill Street Blues," "L.A. Law" and "NYPD Blue," handles the material in a straight-forward manner, but the script, by veteran screenwriter Steve Shagan (whose work ranges from the Oscar-nominated "Voyage of the Damned" to the vampire-bat exploitation flick "Night-wing") and Ann Biderman ("Copycat") is replete with problems.
The title, "Primal Fear," is one of those come-ons (like "Basic Instinct") that only a marketing executive could love.
All these movies, and many more, have tried to capitalize on the success of Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct by using similar titles.