FEAR X

Year: 2003
USA: Silver Nitrate Releasing
UK: Verve Pictures
Cast: John Turturro, James Remar, Deborah Kara Unger, Stephen McIntyre, William Allen Young, Gene Davis, Mark Houghton, Jacqueline Ramel, Liv Corfixen, Nadia Litz, Amanda Ooms
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Countries: Denmark / Canada / UK / Brazil
USA & UK: 91 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for intense thematic material
UK Certificate: 12A contains moderate violence
USA Release Date: 28 January 2005 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 26 March 2004

Synopsis

FEAR X tells the story of Harry Cain (John Turturro), a security guard from Wisconsin, whose wife is murdered in a shopping mall where he works. The police have no leads on the murderer and are baffled by the presence of an additional victim, a police officer, also shot at the same time.

Harry's life is destroyed and his obsession in discovering why increases until he can think of nothing else - he keeps on reminding himself that he is not after revenge, he just wants to know "Why". He starts investigating, but with little success. However when the police discover new evidence, Harry realises he is much closer to the truth than he could possibly imagine. Prompted by visions and paranoia - he begins to believe that the house across the street is somehow connected.

Discovering that the house is leased to a corporate account rather than individually owned and therefore has no name attached to it, he decides to break in and search for clues. The house is deserted, but he finds a photo of a woman and a child in front of a restaurant. He becomes increasingly obsessed with the photo, believing that the woman is somehow involved in the murder. On closer inspection he discovers that the restaurant in the picture is in a town in Montana. Determined and with only his abstract lead, he sets out to find the mysterious woman.

Once he reaches the small town in Montana, he begins to ask around about the woman on the photo.

Whilst Lieutenant Peter Northrup (James Remar) is being decorated for his outstanding police work, he is tipped off that a mysterious man from Wisconsin is inquiring about his wife Kate (Deborah Kara Unger). Peter is filled with dread, becoming nervous and paranoid - obviously struggling with a dark secret. Fearing the worst he sends his wife and their young son to his sister's house for safety.

It is revealed that Peter is a member of a secret group within the Police, whose goal is to clean up corruption and crime within the Force. Though their intentions are good, they are forced to take actions that are not always within the law. He meets up with two of the group's leaders and breaks down, overwhelmed by guilt of having shot an innocent woman on his last mission to Wisconsin. The leaders, not willing to take any chances, order Peter to eliminate the stranger.

Peter contacts Harry, promising information on the woman in the photo, but when both men's destiny finally cross, they are forced to act out their darkest fears...