A lawyer walks in on a benefit where all the players are, an altar boy (Edward Norton) who will be accused of killing the archbishop, the prosecutor who will try the case, the judge who will hear the testimony and the District Attorney who is contemplating a deal with one of the lawyer's clients. The altar boy runs from the crime scene with blood all over him yet the lawyer believes he didn't do it since he seems like a simpleton and stutters. The prosecutor and the lawyer have had a relationship for months before the case begins yet he still longs for her. Tail chaser or love? The judge does not give the lawyer much leeway on showing that the altar boy has insanity issues but the lawyer tries to sneak it in anyway. PRIMAL FEAR becomes a courtroom flick for awhile yet at the heart is the lack of evidence that we the audience have in determining guilt. There are other elements brought in about the real estate and the sexual preferences of the deceased that now begin to create doubt that the altar boy did it. The lawyer is sympathetic and so we become sympathetic. Now for the kewl part. Something has been going on under our noses, while we watched, that changes the complexion of this film completely. It's this turnabout that makes this worth watching, otherwise it is a bland movie and you and I would wonder why they made this. [4.2 stars]
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