SIMILAR PRODUCTS - Protagonist vs Antagonist

Primal Fear


Primal Fear is a 1996 Crime thriller staring Richard Gere and Edward Norton, and is directed by Gregory Hoblit. The film focuses around Martin Vail a Chicago defence attorney who trails to help a young stuttering altar boy known as Aaron Stampler who has been accused of murdering an archbishop. of which Vail believes to be innocent. This an interesting crime thriller to analyses the use of protagonists and antagonists, as the antagonist Stampler, is not known to be it until the end of the film, and thus is portrayed in a very interesting way.


Vail is the clear protagonist in the film however, we learn this because of his strong sense of character and his opinion on authority. For example he is determined to get hold of Stampler's case as soon as he sees him being arrested on the news. It shows he has a passion for his job. He also has a strange relationship with a the prosecutor known as Janet Venable as she is his former lover. His passion for his job and Stampler's case cause competitions between them both, of to whom can win the case with the best evidence and such.





Norton's character is a very interesting and he plays the role incredibly well in this film. To put it briefly Aaron's real name is Roy and he has been accused of the murder of the archbishop. Vail manages to find evidence of the archbishop using Stampler and Stampler's ex girlfriend in sexual videos, and he abused them regularly. It is revealed in one impressive scene that actually Aaron appears to have an alter ego named Roy who is angry and violent the complete opposite to the normal stuttering cowardly Aaron. He is diagnosed with a multiple personality disorder thought to have originated from child abuse. To appeal for insanity plea, they must show the court both sides oh his personality. They manage this and Roy/Aaron is declared no guilty due to mental insanity and is instead sent to a mental hospital. In the final scene it is revealed that Roy/Aaron is not actually insane, his split personality has been put on to get of trail. He reveals that Aaron was the made up person not Roy.


It interesting as Stampler throughout the whole film he is shown as innocent and vulnerable, so this twist at the end is a great shock to the audience. And does reveal that he is the antagonist of the film, the watchers could feel pity for Vail as he let him get away with it, or confusion.