Such a frustrating disappointment

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I love getting back to the movies I've seen as a kid. You always find something new, something good or bad, some missed details, hidden messages and stuff. After watching this approximately 20 years after the first viewing I feel a little confused. It was interesting to see early Peter Jackson, see how some of his visual ideas have evolved, his love for cameos and stuff. It's interesting to see what changed inside him and what remained the same. This movie is a lot of things, it's very tonally different and this is one of the good things it has. However, this kind of draws the focus out of this movie. It drops additional plot lines half-way, forgetting about some characters and situations, introducing others and not developing those either. It keeps you wanting to see more, but never gives you enough to fully enjoy the moment. Starts like a Ghostbusters like movie, boom, now it's a comedy with bizarre characters, boom, now it's an action adventure, boom, now it's a drama about life and death, boom, it's a serial killer thriller... I'd still recommend you give this a try if you love cross-genre movies, 80's horror comedies , Ghostbusters and Michael J. Fox. It will, however, disappoint you at times, as well as leaving with a rushed unsatisfying ending as well.

I just rewatched the Frighteners years after having seen it in the theaters. I remember being disappointed when I left the theater way back in the day. But I thought I'd give it another chance. I enjoyed the first hour immensely and figured that has misjudged the movie all these years. Then the second half kicks in and the whole thing devolves into a mess of too many characters, too many ideas (there is such a thing in a story), and too much frantic, teen-minded violence. Part of the problem is the change from strictly spooky stuff to the more "serial killer" tropes. It turned on a dime from a clever twist on "GhostBusters" to "let's joke about slicing people up." The tonal shit was jarring for me. Another part of the problem was the performance of character actor Jeffery Combs. Don't get me wrong--he is GREAT in the film, like a uber-creepy, coked up Tony Perkins. It is such a vivid characterization, so bizarrely powerful, that it throws everything off--he's just too crazy, intense and interesting to be the plot device his character is. He deserved his own movie. As it was in this one, though, the point where his character takes center stage also marks the point where the film starts to collapse under its own weight (especially considering he is neither the hero or the real villain). Anyway, the set up of the Frighteners was SO good. It's too bad the punchline was such an overwrought mess.

Overblown and noisy, but a clever comedy ghost story with a serial killer element.The cast plays it well, with Fox nice and laid back, and the direction keeps the pace and plot bubbling over. One flaw I guess is that the scary reaper is defeated and replaced with a lesser menace well before the final conflict - I'd reserve the best till last. Also the FBI guy is a bit of a plot convenience.The effects are very good, but one thing that annoyed me is almost every minute is filled with dramatic music. I suppose it was the last fling for '80s cheese so no way to avoid it.Overall it's a bit long and busy, but amusing and entertaining all the same.

This movie only becomes a kind of horror movie towards the end of it. Even then there is humor. I find this to be a rather funny show. Michael J. Fox does his usual fine job of acting, Trini Alvarado is cute as the widowed love interest, John Astin is good as a spirit named the Judge. There are a couple of things that do not hang together though. Why can the spirits go through walls, doors, etc but a vehicle that runs into them carries them along? Why did the murderer spirit's hand pass through Lucy's head and then he could punch her and Frank in the face and bodies? How about that FBI agent? Talk about a whack-a-doodle!! And how about that haircut of his? The sheriff is played by a long character actor Troy Evans. the mouth that roars "R. Lee Emery" appears here as the cemetery control freak sergeant and as usual about all he does is rant and rave.