The Frighteners

Decent fun, but if Jackson had gone easier on the special effects and left the comedy aspect aside, I can imagine that this story could be nicely scary. Instead, it looks as if Marty McFly had gone to New Zealand to fool around with ghosts, instead of seriously taking care of issues related to time travel. (29/08/2011)

"Ghosts" don't belong among my very favorite movies, I think it's one of those movies that I'm glad I've seen, but once is enough. However, it doesn't change the fact that I had a great time, that Michal J. Fox has enchanted me once again, and that it's still a movie with great horror elements that work, even in contrast with the relatively humorously conceived story, which fits perfectly with Peter's early horror classics. (04/07/2014)

A cross between Ghostbusters and Natural Born Killers. If it was made by another director, I'd buy it, but I didn't expect such a mediocre film from Jackson. There are some brilliant moments (e.g. the scene from the Egyptology museum), but the mixed feelings prevail. (30/07/2002)

Promo reel for Jackson's newly formed CGI factory WETA Digital. Unfortunately, almost everything is subservient to this, and the whole film, in its incoherence, feels like a good-natured drunk who's been allowed to talk for too long. Not helped by an obviously bored Michael J. Fox. But Jackson's directorial hyperactivity is otherwise still impressive (that camera just won't stand still! It just won't!), and Combs' creature feature with a tragicomic Mansonian backstory written all over it is one of the more memorable ones. Anyway, from today's perspective, The Frightenersis above all yet another reminder of the how digital special effects rapidly deteriorate over time. Whereas with Dead Alive you still end up thinking "Wow, how did they do that?", here you often just smile indulgently at the limits of computer graphics back then. On the other hand, if it weren't for this movie, LOTR wouldn't look the way it did, so some recognition is still in order. (25/06/2020)

One of those films in which everything is just right. Peter Jackson brims with both fierce directorial and screenwriting ideas. The Frighteners is constantly entertaining, and black humor lovers are sure to really enjoy it. Michael J. Fox starring and music from Danny Elfman and the fantastic special effects of the Weta Studio make all those fiery dead and flying spirits a joy to behold. (20/02/2021)