Michael J. Fox,
Trini Alvarado,
Peter Dobson,
John Astin,
Jeffrey Combs
... see more 
Charlatan Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) has genuine psychic powers, but he doesn't use them to help people. Rather, he generates cases for his supernatural private-eye firm by harassing a group of ... read more
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Release Date: July 19, 1996
DVD Release Date: August 18, 1998
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Stats: 2,599 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (2,599)
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July 9, 2011A good ghost story, it's exciting, dramatic, and funny. I don't think I would have picked Fox for the leading man, but the rest of the cast is pretty good. Overall this is an enjoyable movie.
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July 9, 2011Peter Jackson's The Frighteners is departure from his previous films. Those familiar with Peter Jackson's first cinematic outings, know what I'm talking about. Jackson conjure's up a visual feast for the eyes as he tells the story of charlatan Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) wh... read more
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June 25, 2011A very good comedy/horror I've been wanting to see for years. That poster always intrigued me! It has some pretty good SFX for the ghosts, for the time, the CGI is a bit basic for the reaper, and Ghostly wall images but it doesn't matter too much. With a good cast, including a gr... read more
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October 20, 2010Paranormal investigator Michael J. Fox had an accident that enables him to communicate with the dead, a skill he had been using to fleece the recently bereaved until he crosses paths with a ghostly serial killer who frames him for murder. One of Peter Jackson's early forays into ... read more
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December 13, 2009Death is a "you can count on forever" Boss! Death is the best way to make a living! You ll never die hungry.
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December 2, 2009Really bizarre and fun at the same time. While I don't think it's that good of a movie, I definitely find it very entertaining and worthwhile. The campy style works well and it has some outrageous performances from Jeffrey Combs and Jake Busey. The plot was sort've different and ... read more
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November 3, 2009Zany horror comedy which crosses Beetlejuice, Death Becomes Her and the kooky fantasy elements of a huge number of light hearted spook flicks. This film is atad different in the fact its actually alittle scary in places and even alittle gruesome or serious, Busey being a quite na... read more
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September 22, 2009It?s not bad, a bit of fun! I still like Jackson?s old stuff better though!
Critic Reviews
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today
December 15, 2010
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media
Violent, frenzied, foul-mouthed ghost comedy. Full Review
January 23, 2006
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily
Despite being awful in almost every respect, The Frighteners does offer one small pleasure: R. Lee Ermey parodying his Full Metal Jacket drill sergeant character.
December 4, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
It actually works up till its last few minutes.
July 14, 2003
Blake Davis, KFOR Channel 4 News
An incredibly underrated scare-comedy from Peter Jackson that deserves a much wider audience.
March 18, 2003
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
Quirky Peter Jackson film that's half comedy and half horror/gore-fest. Mostly enjoyable results, although Fox a bit miscast.
March 7, 2003
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
Woulda been five stars, but the cop-out ending smacks of the test-screening process.
December 26, 2002
Brandon Judell, Entertainment Asylum
The talented director of "Heavenly Creatures" has pulled together a film that wants to be everything to everyone simultaneously.
January 1, 2000
Shane Burridge, rec.arts.movies.reviews
For every weak moment there is a directorial flourish that compensates
January 1, 2000
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Every frame drips with Jackson's moviemaking fever. Full Review
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The Frighteners
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