‘Cape Fear’ Revives Classic Thriller as a Guilty Pleasure Powered by Javier Bardem’s Diabolical Presence 

Alci Rengifo

Apple’s “Cape Fear” understands that there is little point in trying to recreate step by step the work of its predecessors. Creator Nick Acosta is not simply adapting John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel “The Executioners,” but following on the heels of two widely known films. The first take on MacDonald’s book came in J. Lee Thompson’s 1961 thriller, best known for the memorable performances of Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. Martin Scorsese did his own version in 1991 with Robert De Niro. That film is a feverish ride that combines classic thriller elements with Scorsese’s own obsessions with guilt and morality. Much of the story’s appeal is in its grabbing premise of a family’s life being interrupted by the presence of a menacing criminal. Acosta’s limited series borrows from both versions while updating and pumping up the violence and menace through a scene-chomping performance by Javier Bardem.

There is a fun gender swap in casting Amy Adams as Anna, a Savannah lawyer working at a justice initiative that helps wrongfully convicted prisoners go free. Seventeen years ago, she represented Max Cady (Bardem), a restaurateur accused of killing his pregnant wife. When the trial ended and Cady was given life after pleading guilty, Anna ended up marrying the prosecutor, Tom (Patrick Wilson). Now Anna, a recovering alcoholic, is trying to keep her career stable while Tom micro-drops acid and gets tempted to cheat with a colleague. Oh, and they have a troubled teen son, Zack (Joe Anders) and resentful daughter Natalie (Lily Collias). Just as Anna is preparing to attend a major fundraiser for her office, Cady is released from prison. A woman claiming to have been the convict’s mistress has killed herself, leaving behind a suicide note confessing to the murder of Cady’s pregnant wife. Like demonic clockwork, Cady appears with a menacing presence as Anna gives a speech at the fundraiser, and he doesn’t plan to stay far away.

If you have seen the other two movies, you might have already noticed just how much Acosta has changed the narrative. Martin Scorsese and, oddly enough, Steven Spielberg serve as executive producers here, so they might be having fun playing with how this story can be updated for any era. The 1961 movie found Cady (Mitchum) stalking a picture-perfect American family led by a lawyer played by Peck. By 1991, Robert De Niro’s memorably feral Cady (a performance parodied for the rest of the decade) was seeking revenge from a defense lawyer (Nick Nolte) who had violated his code of ethics to get him locked up. This “Cape Fear” basks in lurid entertainment with occasional social commentary. The kids like Zack are dealing with social anxiety and medications. He also has an online girlfriend. Despite Cady being clearly threatening, Anna is encouraged at first to use him to promote her office by boss and social justice warrior Noa (CCH Pounder). One key update is turning Cady into a public celebrity upon his release. Fame is now added to the mix after the last two versions made the conflict between lawyer and criminal a private nightmare. Noa is one of those clueless characters who doesn’t realize she is making deals with the devil, even getting Cady to do major media interviews. 

Above all else, “Cape Fear” stands apart from its predecessors by just getting more preposterous. As entertainment this is not a flaw, since the material is clearly designed to be the equivalent of a trashy paperback. A new approach is warranted since J. Lee Thompson’s premise is perfect for features. Ten episodes require plenty of new tinkering. Yet, it isn’t like the show operates like a slow burner. Right from the first episode, we get a few shockers like Zack disappearing and being found drugged and with a severed toe. It is no coincidence he reappears just as Cady is found snooping around Anna’s house. More is on the way including dead animals in the pool, Cady getting creepy with Natalie and obvious revelations discovered by listening to a true crime podcast. Tom will eventually be in serious danger when he has a bad trip and the bottle will keep tempting Anna. Along the way we also get some Southern stereotypes, like weirdos living by the swamp who know Cady and ask Kathy for a kiss. Jeff Russo’s score gives everything a menacing tone. He also borrows Bernard Herrmann’s theme from the 1961 film, which was transferred by Scorsese over to his remake. The series also uses Scorsese’s visual technique of having moments switch to the look of photo negatives.

The performances finish selling the material because these seasoned actors know how to make their characters believable, even urgent, amid the chaos. Overshadowing them all is Javier Bardem’s diabolic take on Cady. He’s not imitating Mitchum or De Niro, but re-creating the character to his own strengths. Bardem has played truly great villains before in films like “No Country for Old Men” and “Skyfall.” We sense a darkness here to a heightened degree that can be truly fun in moments like when Anna comes across Cady at a hospital and a tattooed Bardem smirks, “speak of the devil and he shall appear.”  The cinematography by Eben Bolter and Celiana Cárdenas enhances the effect by giving the show a cinematic, humid feel. Instead of pondering the moral implications of the plot, we just want to see how far the seductions will go and how bloody the final standoff will become. For the purists it can be confirmed that this “Cape Fear” cannot possibly be ranked next to the films, but as TV it’s a strong summer entertainment. 

“Cape Fear” begins streaming June 5 with new episodes premiering Fridays on Apple TV+.