Fear (2023 film)

Fear is a 2023 American horror film directed by Deon Taylor,[4] co-written by Taylor and John Ferry, and starring Joseph Sikora, Andrew Bachelor, Annie Ilonzeh, Ruby Modine, Iddo Goldberg, Terrence Jenkins, Jessica Allain and Tip "T.I." Harris.[5]

Fear
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDeon Taylor
Written by
  • Deon Taylor
  • John Ferry
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyChristopher Duskin[1]
Edited byPeck Prior
Music byGeoff Zanelli
Production
company
Hidden Empire Film Group
Distributed byHidden Empire Releasing
Release date
  • January 27, 2023 (2023-01-27)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2.1 million[2][3]

The film was released in the United States on January 27, 2023. It received generally negative reviews and grossed $2.1 million in its entire box office run.

Cast

Production

The film, originally titled Don't Fear, was shot in 17 days in Kyburz, California,[1] during the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2020.[6]

The film's score was composed by Geoff Zanelli, who scored several of Taylor's previous films.[7]

Release

In August 2021, it was reported that the film had been retitled Fear, and was originally set to be released on Valentine's Day weekend in 2022, as the first release of Hidden Empire Film Group's new distribution company, Hidden Empire Releasing.[8] The film was released in the United States on January 27, 2023.[9] It released via video on demand on April 25, 2023.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 21% based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 3.9/10.[10]

Matthew Monagle of The Austin Chronicle wrote, "It is frustrating to watch Fear carelessly oscillate between creature feature, haunted house movie, and folk horror... In the end, the scariest thing about Fear is its stock video opening montage – not a compliment any director wants to hear."[11] Katie Walsh of the Tribune News Service praised the cinematography, score and sound design, but criticized the script as "prov[ing] that it is possible to have too many ideas for just one film." She added, "Deadliest of all, Fear is just not scary. The jump scares don't land, the fears themselves are all a bit silly and it feels like Taylor is holding back for the majority of the run time."[12] Common Sense Media's Jeffrey M. Anderson gave the film 2/5 stars, writing, "Despite a diverse cast and a nifty location, this soggy, inert horror movie unfolds with a most unimaginative collection of worn-out genre staples, starting with its bland title."[13]

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3/4 stars, writing, "There's nothing subtle or deeply original about Fear, though it does feature some impressive albeit low-budget special effects, first-rate production design and strong performances from the cast; it knows we've seen a dozen other movies about a group of friends who meet up in the country for what they hope will be an idyllic weekend, only to see things quickly go from mildly disturbing to truly weird to deeply concerning to horrifying bloody."[14]

References
  1. Tangcay, Jazz (August 12, 2020). "How Filmmaker Deon Taylor Shot a Film in 17 Days During Quarantine". Variety. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  2. "Fear (2023)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  3. "Fear (2023)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  4. Valadez, Eloise Marie (December 19, 2020). "Rolling out cinematic magic: Gary's Deon Taylor directs another thriller with 'Fatale'". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  5. Hermanns, Grant (August 4, 2020). "Deon Taylor Filmed Ensemble Horror Pic Don't Fear in Quarantine". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  6. Barnas, Tom (August 11, 2020). "Gary native Deon Taylor on making a movie during quarantine". WGN-TV. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  7. Douglas, Edward (January 7, 2021). "Artist Profile: Composer Geoff Zanelli Adds Thrills to Deon Taylor's Fatale". Below the Line. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  8. Jackson, Angelique (August 5, 2021). "Deon and Roxanne Avent Taylor Launch Hidden Empire Releasing Distribution Company (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  9. Billington, Alex (November 22, 2022). "Confronting Fears in a Creepy Lodge in First Trailer for 'Fear' Horror". FirstShowing.net. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  10. "Fear". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  11. Monagle, Matthew (January 27, 2023). "Movie Review: Fear". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  12. Walsh, Katie (January 27, 2023). "Review: Deon Taylor's pandemic thriller 'Fear' prioritizes style over scares". Los Angeles Times. Tribune News Service. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  13. Anderson, Jeffrey M. "Fear Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  14. Roeper, Richard (January 26, 2023). "Don't be afraid of the horror-movie cliches in 'Fear'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
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