Cape Fear (1991) - The movie directed by Martin Scorsese and acted by Robert De Niro as this is their next film after Goodfellas (1990). This film is a remake of the same titled film in 1962. The plot journey is quite slower in the first half but things getting interested when then complex started with the character of Max Cady (Robert De Niro) is looking for his revenge. I am very impressed with Robert De Niro performance since Godfather II (1974) & Taxi Driver (1976). In this film, he is fully transformed himself to a psychopath murderer. Overall, I will give 7/10 for this crime, thriller and drama.

The original "Cape Fear" is a bone-chilling tale of pre-meditated violence. While all the elements of that original are indeed here in this remake, the new elements that director Martin Scorsese adds to the tale only cheapen that visceral sense of terror.For a basic plot summary, "Cape Fear" tells the story of lawyer Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte), wife Leigh (Jessica Lange), and daughter Danielle (Juliette Lewis). When Max Cady (Robert De Niro), an ex-con freshly released from prison who was unsuccessfully defended by Sam, begins to terrorize the family, they must make some difficult decisions in order to deal with such a terror.All the basic elements of the classic Peck/Mitchum thriller are present in this version of the tale, but its the new elements that downgrade the experience. I realize that Scorsese wanted to be his own little twist on the story, but unfortunately all the additions are negative rather than positive:For example (spoilers included):-Making the family a "troubled unit" does no service to the plot. Gregory Peck as the stout, unshakeable lawyer is better than Nolte's more ambiguous soul.-The subtle romantic hints between Danielle and Cady are utterly ridiculous. For this story to really work, the daughter character needs to be pure as the driven snow, not on the verge of being roped into a romantic relationship with him! Of all the changes made to the original in this effect, I found this change to be the most "unforgivable".Finally, though no fault of anyone's, the performance of Robert Mitchum in the 1962 version is un-matchable (e.g. iconic). De Niro gives it his best effort, but it just isn't quite as good.Overall, then, I will be steering people AWAY from this version and TOWARDS the original after this viewing. This isn't a bad movie, per se, but it clearly takes a back seat to the expertly crafted '62 version.

If you hang onto the past, you die a little each day. I was 11 years old when this movie came out and I remember all the "grown ups" talking about Cape Fear. Finally, at 37 years old I watched the movie since it was on Netflix. I thought it was great!I studied the characters in detail and how their daily lives where fear based (for obvious reasons.) But, the plot was great because it brought out some sins tucked away. Each day that passed, their fear grew stronger.Numbers 32:23, "Thy who chooses not to, behold, thy sinned against'd the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out."Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte did an excellent job going back and forth as lawyers.

In short, a bad man and convicted rapist (DeNiro) is released from prison after 14 years for a crime he probably did commit although it is open and questionable that he was guilty of that crime. The man who defended him (Nolte) is a criminal lawyer who withheld evidence because he didn't want to see this animal go free but he cheats on his wife and does a number of other questionable acts. So now DeNiro has come back to stalk Nolte and his family for revenge. Quite predictable and few surprises. And somehow, DeNiro's character is just super, super smart, savvy and able to accomplish anything so he can be creepy.Robert DeNiro's horrendous southern accent is horrendous, making what could be a serviceable but predictable thriller into a comedy in every scene he is in. Sometimes you have to question the decisions of directors to force actors to play parts that may not be necessary, such as that of a southern criminal. But if you're going to butcher it so badly that any American will laugh his/her ass off, you're never going to pull off a thriller. As it moves on, it becomes more preposterous and choppy editing and absurd ending that is more worthy of a first time director. It was hard for me not to get a good long laugh at the twisted, overly long ending. If this movie didn't have the cast and DeNiro's name it would probably rate a 3-5.This film is only redeemed by mostly excellent performances by the cast, a great Jessica Lange and a fantastic Juliette Lewis. DeNiro does what he can but that accent is truly cringeworthy and out of place. This is a "nothing to do what's on cable?" movie. Don't expect to be impressed, color by numbers and quite mediocre with a generous 5.