Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bloody, cliched "cabin-in-the-woods"-style horror movie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Fear
What's the Story?
In FEAR, best-selling writer Rom (Joseph Sikora) invites his girlfriend, Bianca (Annie Ilonzeh), to a weekend getaway at a remote lodge in hopes of proposing to her. He's also invited their best friends, Russ (Terrence Jenkins), Kim (Tyler Abron), Meg (Jessica Allain), Benny (Andrew Bachelor), Serena (Ruby Modine), and Lou (Tip "T.I." Harris), as well as Rom's agent, Mike (Iddo Goldberg), to help celebrate. Over a campfire, they all reveal their deepest fears, and then they open a bottle of complimentary wine. Not long after, some of the friends start seeing things. Worse, the news reports a deadly airborne virus, and Lou, who's begun coughing, seems to be getting sicker. Then, Rom finds clues in the basement that suggest the true nature of the lodge. He and his friends must master their fears if they want to escape.
Is It Any Good?
Despite a diverse cast and a nifty location, this soggy, inert horror movie unfolds with a most unimaginative collection of worn-out genre staples, starting with its bland title. Fear begins with its hero failing at his marriage proposal, despite the fact that he's a best-selling author with movie superhero-like looks, and the unusual-yet-invincible-sounding name of "Rom." From there, the friends somehow decide to tell each other their deepest fears, a checklist that will of course come into play later in the movie. When it does, it's with flashing lights, rumbling noises, jump-scares, spooky mirrors, twitchy video, CG tentacles, distorted old songs, clunky exposition, and just about anything else lifted from any number of other horror movies. (One character mutters, "I feel like we're in Get Out." If only.) Characters blunder around the lodge with no sense of time; while the action cuts away to certain characters, it takes others an absurdly long time to get from one room to another. This lack of rhythm makes it feel like Fear takes forever to get started, and when it finally does, during the final third, you may find yourself eager for it to end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Fear's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like to be scared?
How does the movie depict the COVID-19 pandemic? Is it interesting to see it in movies, or would you rather not think about it? Why?
Did the movie inspire you to think of what your own deepest fear might be? How might you approach that fear should it arise?
Did you notice positive diverse representations in the movie? Why is that important?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 27, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : April 25, 2023
- Cast : Joseph Sikora , Annie Ilonzeh , Tip T.I. Harris
- Director : Deon Taylor
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Hidden Empire Releasing
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : bloody violence and language
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate