Most comedy-horror films really suck. The Frighteners doesn't ... much.
The premise:
An architect, after a car accident that killed his wife and almost himself, now can see and talk with the spirits of the dead who have not yet left Earth. He's also become a bit of a con man, working with spirits to trick people into thinking he's a ghostbuster.
As with the boy who cried wolf, people don't listen to him when he discovers the source of mysterious deaths in their sleepy little town. He becomes a suspect, and just to really flog a tired old premise, the woman he falls in love with is in mortal danger, and only he can save her.
Nothing new here. It's been done before.
Okay Pinhead, but you said you liked this film
What I liked about The Frighteners is how this old storyline is executed. We're kept in the dark about who the real villain is as long as possible. The final battle between good and evil keeps moving our hero between eras in time. The transitions are seamless and remind me of the excellent transitions in Highlander. What I liked about this film was the craftsmanship of filmmaking.
"And They Lived Happily Ever After ..." The Most Sucky of Endings
What I could have done without is the last scene in the film. We're back to the tired old premise that we have to have a "happy" ending. The truth is, the film would have been much better if it ended one scene before. There would have been a tragic ending, but one with meaning, and reward for sacrifice.
I could have done without the psycho FBI agent who does nothing but confuse the audience. I don't believe in him, and neither will you.
Overall, we have an overcooked storyline well produced into a movie. Rent it, but don't pay top dollar.
