Cape Fear (1991)
Stars: Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange
Runtime: 128 minutes
Synopsis: When he is released from jail after serving a 14-year sentence, Max Cady, a psychopath/rapist begins to stalk the family of the lawyer who defended him.
- Performances: 8/10
Why? 4 main characters had the difficult task of carrying the movie on their shoulders. And they all did a pretty great job at it. De Niro was absolutely magnificent in the first two-thirds of the film, but I felt that his character became over the top in its last act. Nick Nolte was for me the most consistent of the bunch and gave a terrific performance as Sam, the lawyer Max is after. His role wasn't as eccentric as De Niro's but was much deeper, as he played a terrified man literally haunted by his past who's doing his best to face his demons in order to save his family. His wife, played by Jessica Lange, didn't have as much to do as De Niro and Nolte, but still found a way to shine in the scenes she appeared in. Finally, the character of Danielle, daughter of Nolte's Sam and Lange's Leigh, was played by Juliette Lewis which I felt gave the weakest and most forgettable performance of the lot, but still managed to shine in a couple of scenes.
- Screenplay: 7/10
Why? I have yet to see the original "Cape Fear", but I can already confirm that Scorsese's take is a respectful remake worthy of your time. The film is not perfect and is far from being Marty's best project, but still contains countless chilling scenes, especially in its first two acts. The tension is handled beautifully and the characters are given a depth that made them feel very human. Even De Niro's Max Cady, who could've tanked the movie by himself if not handled with absolute care, instead elevated it and made the interesting sort of character study it ultimately became. My issues with the movie came in a dragging last act that felt rushed disconnected from the rest of the picture. In it, I strongly felt that Cady turned into a parody of himself and became what everyone feared he would turn out to be. There were also a couple of clichés here and there, but they didn't have that big of an impact on the events that were unfolding.
- Costumes/Makeup: 8/10
Why? I absolutely adored Max's look. His tattooed body, cigars, oily hair, and Hawaiian shirts perfectly translated his psychopathic persona all the while giving him menacing vibes. I immediately knew from the very first scene what we were going to deal with, and it was mostly thanks to the costume and makeup department.
- Editing: 6/10
Why? Way too long. A lot of scenes dragged, and a lot of other scenes felt rushed. The editing is what I disliked most about the movie.
- Cinematography: 8/10
Why? Yes, the movie looked beautiful, but it's its framing that most stood out to me. The camera played a key role as to the presence of tension throughout this remake.
- Score/Soundtrack: 8/10
Why? Menacing but not overdone or overused. A great score to accompany a great villain.
FINAL GRADE: 7/10
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