Primal Fear

Thrilling to the very last second, Primal Fear is a carefully constructed courtroom drama that tends to exceed the confines of its otherwise stock genre. In most Law dramas there is a one-sided victory it seems until *gasp* a surprise witness?!?!?! OH MY GOD, NO WAY! Primal Fear offers a refreshing respite from this stereotype by having perpetual suspense highlighted by the phenomenal acting efforts of Edward Norton and Richard Gere.

Fear tells the story of Richard Gere as a high-powered attorney in Chicago Defending a murderer (when first describing this to my brother, he was certain the title of the movie was "Chicago" (not quite the same)). Gere's character, Martin Vale, has conflicted interests: he wants the notoriety and fame of being a defense attorney which is why he accepted the case of an archbishop being murdered by a choir boy named Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), but by the end he becomes ambivalent about his feelings towards the fame of his position and even his feelings about the justice system in general.

As if the phenomenal acting and script weren't enough, Gregory Hoblit does an exquisite job of directing. Utilizing the juxtapositions of just and evil to show who are truly the righteous law abiding people in our society.

Ed Norton is really the standout of this film, as the psychologically distrubed Aaron Stampler, accused of murdering an archbishop he is trying to prove himself to his very own attorney. What makes his character so incredible, is the stutter. Each scene of this movie is excrutiatingly tense and suspenseful, but any scene with Norton makes every word suspensful - because you are never sure what may or may not come out of the quivering lips of the disturbed Aaron Stampler

For once, we come apon a drama that doesnt only make you want to know what happens next, but also makes you think.

Thank you Olivia Zhao for making this article happen.