By Robert Scucci
| Published
Before Peter Jackson had his epic run with the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, he cut his teeth on over-the-top horror comedies like Meet the Feebles, Braindead, and 1996’s The Frighteners. Channeling serious Ghostbusters and Crypt Keeper energy, the film is a paranormal romp through the afterlife with Michael J. Fox’s star power at the center.
Loaded with crass humor, chaotic hauntings, and the kind of charisma that horror comedy hasn’t seen in decades, The Frighteners was met with mixed reviews and fell short at the box office. Today, it’s celebrated as a cult classic and stands among Jackson’s best pre-LOTR efforts.
Michael J. Fox Steals The Show
The Frighteners follows Frank Bannister, an eccentric architect-turned-paranormal investigator-turned-conman. Traumatized by a car wreck that killed his wife, Frank really can see spirits, but uses his gift to scam victims by staging hauntings with his ghostly crew. He even tosses business cards at funerals, which raises suspicion when a string of murders tied to the 1960s resurfaces in the present.
As Frank grifts his way through town, he becomes drawn to one of his clients, Lucy Lynskey (Trini Alvarado), after her husband, Ray (Peter Dobson), dies under mysterious circumstances. The strange deaths share a disturbing signature: glowing numbers etched into victims’ foreheads, visible only to Frank. Way in over his head, he catches the attention of unhinged FBI agent Milton Dammers (Jeffrey Combs), who becomes convinced Frank is behind the deaths.
To clear his name, protect Lucy, and solve the decades-long mystery haunting Fairwater, Frank must face forces far darker than his con jobs ever prepared him for.
A Busy Plot With A Satisfying Payoff
The Frighteners sometimes looks like it’s about to collapse under its own lofty premise, but it never does thanks to the banter between Frank and his crew of grifting ghouls, Cyrus (Chi McBride), Stuart (Jim Fyfe), and The Judge (John Astin).
Frank’s habit of carrying full-on, seemingly one-sided conversations with the dead in broad daylight makes him look like he’s losing his grip, which only makes the murders following him feel that much more suspicious. The more Frank insists he is chasing down the real culprit, the less believable he seems. However, once whispers of Johnny Bartlett (Jake Busey), the town’s infamous mass murderer from the 1960s, start creeping back in, Frank becomes less of an unreliable narrator, and more of a man with a gift who finally decides to put it to good use.
A Top-Tier Horror Comedy
Unlike most horror films today, The Frighteners leans into its visual effects instead of hiding them in the shadows. While the CGI is very much of its era, the ghosts carry a surreal, dreamlike quality that makes the spectacle work. Coupled with Michael J. Fox’s commitment to Frank’s eccentricities, the result is a ’90s horror comedy that hits harder than its reputation suggests.
As of now, you can stream The Frighteners for free on Tubi.
