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It will forever remain a mystery to me why Bill Paxton's directorial debut not only went under the radar upon it's release but has firmly remained there ever since. Now, to be fair, this is not to suggest that it hasn't garnered a cult following of loving supporters but, even then, it feels like it is always flirting with any form of just recognition. The cast is bristling with talent, the direction is rock solid, and the script is clever and engaging. Despite having its feet firmly planted in the horror genre, the film hasn't ever been given a boutique label release which much lesser films have been granted. A damn shame, really.
Set in Texas and told through the voice of a sympathetic narrator (played by Matthew McConaughey), the film unveils a tale of two brothers whose simple life is dramatically overturned when their father claims they have been given a holy task by God himself. Alas, this task is so foul that familial bonds become the source of great despair and the very impetus for the narrator to speak out long after their gruesome deeds.
There is something of a melancholic and hauntingly isolated atmosphere to the film that does well to set the viewer firmly in the role of listener and, ultimately, proves to a great advantage when all is revealed. The movie deftly handles the various lanes it plays in (be that of a serial killer picture or a family drama/tragedy or a psychological horror film and so on), further leading its audience where it wants them. And where exactly is that? Well, to an ending that proves both satisfying and oddly unsettling in the way it conjures up some of the more disturbing elements of Biblical lore.
The less said, the better for any potential new viewers but, aside from some moments that might feel a bit repetitive, Paxton (who also takes on the role of the boy's father) and company offer up a film that proves quite versatile. It's worth mentioning that there's admirable restraint exhibited that lesser talents would have tossed aside in preference of more bloodthirsty trappings. Indeed, Frailty proves to be a measured piece which, unfortunately, might have been enough to render it largely ignored upon release. Yes, the cult is growing but it's due time that it grows further. Let's hope God demands it.
