A Fantastic Fear of Everything

Simon Pegg stars as a paranoid crime writer haunted by a fear of being murdered as well as launderettes. This is a wonderfully surreal film and a welcome change from the usual bland 'comedies' churned out ten to the dozen these days. The script is sharp and veers wildly through a number of weird and very funny scenarios which are milked brilliantly by Pegg.

This is a very British film and quirky film and therefore unlikely to find mass or foreign appeal. However for fans of Simon Pegg and his movies this will be a real treat.

Reading some of the previous reviews and looking at the rating I wasn't expecting to like this film quite as much as I did. Hopefully this film will become a cult classic as it really does stand out.

It's really great seeing Simon Pegg playing it as straight as possible, because it enhances the horror part of the movie. There still is comedy bits in there (the whole idea is kind of crazy to begin with), but it gets mixed well with those really great shocking moments throughout the movie.

An important character gets introduced very late in the movie, which can be viewed as a mistake or something bad, but even that sort of works for the movie. And it works because it is mainly a one man show. Heavy lifting that Mr. Pegg is able to do. The audio commentary on the disc of course showcases his sense of humor again. Not only for his fans, but for everyone who likes quirky and weird movies.

This film will find its audience among fans of dark comedy. Don't expect the broad appeal of "Shaun of the Dead" or "Hot Fuzz", and comparisons to other Simon Pegg films miss the point. This is a film deserving attention, especially for writers and the "cult" audience who enjoy quirky, unique dark comedies/mysteries.

Reviewers forget that some films are not for everyone, and their opinion is worth nothing in the evaluation of such films. This one may be very much enjoyed by a smaller audience, even after several viewings. "Fantastic Fear" ranks among the "love it or leave it" types; you may find it annoying or too odd, like "Dark Shadows", or it's tremendous fun.

"Burke & Hare" also divided audiences, yet this film has more in common with murder-mysteries, like a cross between "Clue" and a spoofy take on say, the recent "The Raven (2012)". Better than both films, IMO, this will live on with DVD and Blu-ray releases, thankfully.

Box office numbers and critical "consensus" are ultimately short-lived, and very deceptive. Give this a chance if you like dark comedies. And it must be said that Simon Pegg's acting resume becomes increasingly impressive. Regardless of the final product, you have to give him props. And here, the final product is better than you might expect.

The script is intelligent, the direction is smart, the "camera move" is supreme and Simon Pegg's performance is outstanding. It's a black comedy with a rather 80's touch that renders the whole atmosphere so mystical and hysterical. The humor is totally "black" orchestrated with extreme behavioral moods, spastic grimaces, and unbelievable dream sequences that you'd love to watch over and over again. The character Simon Pegg is playing, is a kind of paranoid intelligent looser that is trapped between 2 worlds. The fears and insecurity he has carried over from the past (as a kid) have reached a point where they've become phobias, projecting outwardly in schizophrenic behavior. The character believes or rather is obsessed with the idea that he is going to be murdered. I am not going to say anything more about the plot as it's worth seeing it afresh.

This film captures some amazing ingredients of good black comedy films: mystical atmosphere, sound/music synchronization with sudden camera moves, funny faces (extreme), smart script, dream sequences and spontaneous direction. It's British humor, which I personally love, with a few deeper meanings (behind the whole phobia thing projected from a traumatized subconscious which tries to come to peace with the past).

Having read a few other reviews before watching it, I must say that I find it sad that people expect American style productions and high budgets in order to like a film. How rare good comedies are these days? I loved the film and if you like black comedy and other Simon Pegg's movies I suppose you'll at least like it, since it carries a cinematic seriousness in its humor.

I bought tickets to this movie for its premier at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival based on the trailer alone and went in with some trepidation after checking its IMDb rating and reading some critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Having seen the movie tonight, I can honestly say I feel like I'm from another planet then those reviewers. I absolutely loved this film! It was hilarious, creepy, intelligent, and unique. I was roaring through the whole thing, and it wasn't just me! The entire theater was rolling in their seats! The directer, Chrispian Mills was there and I stayed afterwords to shake his hand and tell him I am now a fan. There was a line of people wanting do the same thing.

I made an IMDb account specifically to tell you to pay no attention to the negative critic ratings. If you've seen the trailer and you think it looks like something you'd enjoy, then for God sakes go see it!