Oddly enough, the late-stage psycho-thriller FEAR - shot two years prior to its release - is notable only for featuring very early performances from three names who would come to dominate the world of American film and television. Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon and Alyssa Milano are all present here and very fresh-faced in ther roles, although you wouldn't know it as they give assured performances that make you feel like they've been acting for yonks. A shame the plot that they're given is so hackneyed then, in which a tale of teenage love gradually develops into a murderous obsession. It's a distinctly average style of production, rather dated and lacking in credible depth; the only real drama comes at the STRAW DOGS-derived climax, and even that screams of cliche.

Nicole Walker (Reese Witherspoon) is a rebellious teen angry with his father (William Petersen) and particularly his new wife (Amy Brenneman). She parties with her best friend Margo Masse (Alyssa Milano) and falls for bad boy David McCall (Mark Wahlberg).

This is an afterschool special with sexed up Reese and Alyssa to hook the public. There is no surprises and no drama. This thing might as well be on autopilot. She goes out with the bad boy and the bad boy turns out to be a bad boy. What a twist! It's a mistake to start Mark Wahlberg off creepy. The character really needs a more innocent facade. I'm willing to buy the afterschool special storyline. But you've got to earn the drama. This didn't earn anything close to that.

The sixteen year-old teenager Nicole Walker (Reese Witherspoon) has moved to the house by the lake of her father, the architect Steve Walker (William Petersen),to live with her stepmother Laura (Amy Brenneman) and her brother Toby (Christopher Gray). Her best friends are Margo Masse (Alyssa Milano) and Gary Rohmer (Todd Caldecott) that study with her in the high school. When Nicole meets David McCall (Mark Wahlberg) in a night-club, she has a crush on and dates him. David becomes obsessed by Nicole and one day he sees her friend Gary kissing and hugging her and he hits him. Nicole breaks with him but David continues to follow her. Steve decides to investigate the young man and he finds that he is an orphan that has spent most of his life in reformatories. The hell breaks loose in Nicole's life when David kills Gary and trashes the Mustang of her father. Steve breaks in his house and destroys everything inside. Now David and his gang go to Steve's house to payback.

"Fear" is a good movie, with great story and performances. I saw this movie for the first time in the late 90's on VHS and last Friday I saw it again on DVD, and the plot seems to be more realistic in the present days of violence and fear in many worldwide cities. This is also a great opportunity to see Reese Witherspoon very young and cute, and Mark Wahlberg perfect performing a manipulative psychopath. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Medo" ("Fear")