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Chilling pseudo-superhero film--"Frailty"

Started by fantastic_four,

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fantastic_four

fantastic_four

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If you haven't seen it yet, check out the movie "Frailty" on VHS/DVD. Stars Bill Paxton (Aliens, Twister) and Matthew McConaughey (A Time To Kill, The Wedding Planner). I was pleasantly surprised. Or perhaps a better way to put it is that I was UNpleasantly compelled! It's a mildly disturbing film! Extremely unique, with a down-to-earth superhero kind of feel.

 

I swear the characters in the film feel exactly like ones Garth Ennis would have created! The style of the storytelling was much less edgy and gritty than Ennis, though. Bill Paxton plays an axe murdering "hand of God." I wasn't sure whether to be uplifted by the spirituality of the film or shocked by its brutality! It got largely positive critical reviews. Ebert and Roeper loved it, calling it "one of the year's best films"; here's their audio review:

 

http://apps.tvplex.go.com/ebertandthemovies/audioplayer.cgi?file=020415_frailty

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fantastic_four

fantastic_four

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I absolutely loved Unbreakable until Shyamalan abruptly ended the film before it was finished. The understated power and striking uniqueness of the rest of the film left me with a largely positive overall opinion...but it's hard to forget that crappy ending! It's rare that a film ends that badly; I've gotta think there was some kind of a fight between the director and producers that never got resolved.

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BronzeBruce13

BronzeBruce13

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Hey... I saw "Unbreakable" again last night. It just poped up on Encore. I remember thinking the ending was a bit abrupt too initially, After watching it again the only thing that really bothered me was the text explanation of what happend to the characters...not very climactic (seemed like Porky's or some stupid comedy). I suppose when BW touched SJ's hand and saw his crimes...that was supposed to floor the viewer... it did a bit, but was not as strong as the climax to Sixth Sense.

 

How would you have ended it?

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comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

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Children circle a young black boy, taunting him and threatening physical violence. One in particular is extremely aggressive and punches the boy repeatedly, while the victim screams for help that never comes. As the boy falls, almost blinded by pain, his tormenter yells "On your feet Glass, get up.. get up... get up..."

 

"Yo Glass, get up"

 

Night time, present. A startled Glass wakes. Hs is laying in a prison bunk, covered in sweat, with the bars playing an eeerie light across his body. A monstrous cellmate is prodding Glass roughly, and looks to be enjoying it.

 

"Hey Glassman, gimme a cigarette, and don't make me ask twice"

 

Mr. Glass extracts his arm from under the blankets and we see a long cast and several smaller finger splints in evidence. He gingerly hands over the cigs, and is greeted with a swift, bone-shattering punch to the shoulder.

 

Glass curls up in a fetal position, with an intermingling look of both intense pain and dread.

 

THE END

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nearmint

nearmint

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Hey... I saw "Unbreakable" again last night. It just poped up on Encore. I remember thinking the ending was a bit abrupt too initially, After watching it again the only thing that really bothered me was the text explanation of what happend to the characters...not very climactic (seemed like Porky's or some stupid comedy). I suppose when BW touched SJ's hand and saw his crimes...that was supposed to floor the viewer... it did a bit, but was not as strong as the climax to Sixth Sense.

 

How would you have ended it?

 

Unbreakable was supposed to be a trilogy. That's why it ends so abruptly.

The movie is basically a first act stretched out to a full length feature. All we get is the secret origin of the hero.

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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Hey... I saw "Unbreakable" again last night. It just poped up on Encore. I remember thinking the ending was a bit abrupt too initially, After watching it again the only thing that really bothered me was the text explanation of what happend to the characters...not very climactic (seemed like Porky's or some stupid comedy). I suppose when BW touched SJ's hand and saw his crimes...that was supposed to floor the viewer... it did a bit, but was not as strong as the climax to Sixth Sense.

 

How would you have ended it?

 

Unbreakable was supposed to be a trilogy. That's why it ends so abruptly.

The movie is basically a first act stretched out to a full length feature. All we get is the secret origin of the hero.

 

I never knew that before, and always felt it was left like a follow-on story was possible.

 

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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A trilogy? Really? I'd love to see the second one come to be, I liked the first one quite a bit.

 

I actually did too, though like it was pointed out about the ending. It just seemed to - well - end, like it needed to fit into a certain length of time.

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nearmint

nearmint

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A trilogy? Really? I'd love to see the second one come to be, I liked the first one quite a bit.

 

I actually did too, though like it was pointed out about the ending. It just seemed to - well - end, like it needed to fit into a certain length of time.

 

Shyamalan has been asked about the sequel for years, and Bruce Willis has often said he's anxious to do it. Shyamalan has been quoted as saying that he was so dismayed by the initial negative reaction to the film, that at the time he felt like a total failure. Over time, people's opinion of the film has changed for the better, but no solid plans for a sequel have been announced.

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NewEnglandGothic

NewEnglandGothic

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Hey... I saw "Unbreakable" again last night. It just poped up on Encore. I remember thinking the ending was a bit abrupt too initially, After watching it again the only thing that really bothered me was the text explanation of what happend to the characters...not very climactic (seemed like Porky's or some stupid comedy). I suppose when BW touched SJ's hand and saw his crimes...that was supposed to floor the viewer... it did a bit, but was not as strong as the climax to Sixth Sense.

 

How would you have ended it?

 

Unbreakable was supposed to be a trilogy. That's why it ends so abruptly.

The movie is basically a first act stretched out to a full length feature. All we get is the secret origin of the hero.

 

I never knew that before, and always felt it was left like a follow-on story was possible.

I have to admit, I was surprised how it ended, in a good way. Granted a "Dragnet" ending seems like a cop-out (a play on Dragnet's theme and another Bruno movie that was directed by Kevin Smith :baiting: ), but at least it did something different other than giving us a few useless false endings. It left you wanting more not in a bad way, like with the TV movie of the week epilouges like "Suzzanne Rocco is now serving two life sentences for committing matricide...".
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Bosco685

Bosco685

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A trilogy? Really? I'd love to see the second one come to be, I liked the first one quite a bit.

 

I actually did too, though like it was pointed out about the ending. It just seemed to - well - end, like it needed to fit into a certain length of time.

 

Shyamalan has been asked about the sequel for years, and Bruce Willis has often said he's anxious to do it. Shyamalan has been quoted as saying that he was so dismayed by the initial negative reaction to the film, that at the time he felt like a total failure. Over time, people's opinion of the film has changed for the better, but no solid plans for a sequel have been announced.

 

:wishluck:

 

The part when he finally reveals himself to his son is one of the coolest father-son secret scenes. I consider it one of the high points in the movie.

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