Robert Englund stars as a doctor whose expertise and study is of fear and how to locate and defeat it so that those suffering phobias can overcome them. Finona Dourif (daughter of the legendary cult actor, Brad Dourif) was one of several who endured trauma after a gunman in black mask walked into a diner and started shooting people. There were others in the diner needing Englund's help including a patient unable to eat (Angelina Armani) and a brain trauma victim (Thomas Dekker) in a wheelchair unable to speak. Friend (Cleopatra Coleman) of Fiona's has a fear of bugs, her mind manufacturing back itch, and one of Englund's colleagues (Felisha Terrell) was helped to overcome a fear of being buried alive. Englund has created a "fear chamber" that requires patients to lay in them with a face device involved. Englund guides them into a fugue state where they face whatever caused their phobia, having them address their fear and conquer it. However, those "cured" are starting to hallucinate again, returning to Englund for help, realizing that he has become an emotional wreck after one of his patients (Bonnie Morgan) dies while in the chamber.Gathered together in the fear clinic, Englund starts to recognize what happened to Morgan, and that his fear chamber was "starving" a "fear monster" that thrived on those suffering horrible trauma and phobia. In order to be set free and actually manifest itself from outside the mind/dream, gaining form and becoming an even more dangerous threat, the fear monster needs to "acquire" Englund, cocooning on a wall in a room of the clinic. In order for that to happen, it needs Dekker to remember what happened in the diner the day of the shootings. Fiona is the sturdy rock that Englund will stand in need of in order to combat the fear monster, while Dekker, after a fear chamber visit, has regained brain function lost to the gunshot wound that caused his mental crippling…this disturbing to Englund as his machine wasn't built to heal physical brain trauma but assist in curing phobic terror. I think the plot, which is admittedly out there, might be a bit much for some horror fans, but I thought it had a rather compelling presentation. It doesn't altogether work, but there's plenty of abrasive, shocking content to hold the attention.Englund is very good in a rare sympathetic role, going to battle for patients, rocked by the loss of a patient. Unlike other scientists dedicated in experimental procedure to help cure or offer a breakthrough for patients who might put their work above their subjects, Englund is agonized and melancholy about hurting instead of helping them. The weight of the chamber posing a threat instead of help leaves Englund embattled with guilt and disappointment. Fiona, along with Felisha (his main assistant), tries to motivate him not to stop.The film also emphasizes the hallucinations caused by the fear monster's phobia. The monster emerging from the cocoon and manufacturing an Englund "face mask", re-introducing to cured patients a "fear loop" that is toxic to their mental state. The diner shooting and the black mask the killer wore "beckoning" to be worn again serving as the catalyst the fear monster uses to gain advantage. Fiona will have to be one step ahead and use something Englund told her (close your eyes) in the hopes of "putting fear in its place". Dekker is equal parts tragic and eerie. Ickiest scene has Cleopatra succumbing to her fear of bugs, a sac on her back shoulder containing black fluid (also vomited by Angelina upon her return to the clinic (the black fluid is an indication to Englund of the fear monster's gain in strength)) sliced open, with spiders spilling out. Corey Bauer and Kevin Gage are employees at the clinic offering their services to maintain the everyday functions of the place, eventually endangered themselves. This has, in my opinion, one of Englund's best roles in years. Armani's deteriorating condition puts a strain on her marriage and clearly indicates the fear monster has a meal with her. A unique take on fear, anchored by good performances.

Fear Clinic, loosely based on a series of shorts that appeared on the now defunct Fearnet, stars horror legend Robert Englund in his best role in years as a once celebrated doctor obsessed with curing humans of fear. But when an early, seemingly successful test group comprised of traumatized survivors of a mass shooting begins to not only regress but get worse, he begins to seriously doubt the validity and even safety of his methods.However, this doesn't stop his test groups' faith in him. They all return to his clinic for further treatment, being locked up in a weird, sensory deprivation tank and forced to face their fears. But something evil, even supernatural, is lurking in the abyss he thrusts his patients into. It is fear itself, hence the title.Feart Itself is fairly above average for low budget horror, but you really have to be patient with it. In fact, I have to say the filmmaker, the man behind the middling Laid to Rest movies, requests an unreasonable amount of patience from his viewers. It does not help that movie's production design is atrocious, all neon green lights and phony looking scientific equipment that reminds of the worst elements of 80's horror.That's the bad part. The good part is that movie has a really good cast behind it. Robert Englund, in a role very different from his mad scientist portrayal in the original Fear Itself series, does a really good job as the benevolent but uncertain doctor. The female lead, Fiona Dourif (who was last seen costarring with her father Brad Dourif in Curse of Chucky) is an outstanding and unconventional horror heroine, more believably smart and capable than most of the female leads in these types of movies. Thomas Dekker also does a fantastic job portraying a troubled young man with a traumatic brain injury. Rounding out the cast are mostly adequate, if not entirely impressive, supporting players like Kevin Gage (Strangeland, Heat) as a crotchety maintenance man, Corey Taylor (that's right, the lead singer of Slipknot and Stone Sour in his first film, and he probably shouldn't quit his day job) as the hotheaded chief orderly, and several vaguely familiar actors as the other patients.The cast, along with a really solid third act that includes a genuinely surprising twist and some cool creature FX from Robert Kurtzman, make this worth watching for horror fans, but just barely. The movie has major pacing problems, a weak first half, and can never overcome its low budget trappings but it shows glimmers of promise from almost everyone involved making this a more or less entertaining, watchable low budget horror movie.

A doctor (Robert Englund) works to cure patients suffering from crippling phobias by placing them inside his invention which induces and controls hallucinations.We Got This Covered panned the film as "underwhelming", writing "Fear Clinic is an ambitious project stitched together by unsteady hands, as the threads holding everything together threaten to unravel". Somehow in the recent past, WGTC has risen to the level of Dread Central as an authority on all things horror, but they tend to be very wrong. Other than correctly calling this "ambitious", they missed the mark.This is horror film 101, with a great director (Robert Hall), great effects artist (Robert Kurtzman), and a handful of horror stars: Robert Englund, Fiona Dourif and Corey Taylor. Even if the film was a failure, just watching this team do their thing would be worthwhile.Hall goes dark, and he brings the nastiness. While this might not pack the punch that "Laid to Rest" did, it offers plenty to admire: a clever concept, some cool looking medical gadgets, and more than enough blood and bile to coat the screen red and black. What more could anyone want? And, for fans who have to have the best-looking version out there, Best Buy is exclusively offering the blu-ray for a very reasonable price. Well worth picking up for anyone who enjoyed this on Chiller and wants to catch the fear again and again.

First, I want to state I have never written a formal review on any movie however I watch movies daily, and if times allow twice a day if not more. I enjoy all films but mainly suspense/horror/Sci-fi and mystery. What drew me to watch this movie was the 100% the cast. The plot seemed funky and unrealistic but that's another point. As I stated before, I've seen a lot of films, so I see compare a lot. Warning: Spoilers! Movie takes place with a back story of undetermined number of patients(Survivors) have been cured from the fear from a horrific act of violence where a masked gunman enters a small town dinner and shoots it up, killing countless people. The survivors eventually start having their fears return and they can't function without having panic PTSD episodes. Plot: First, I cannot say this plot is anything original in the sense of "survivors coming together after dramatic experience." I immediately thought " O, this is like Final Destination." With that said, it does branch away from that scenario towards the end and has a completely different ending from what I was thinking. Each person added their own "factor" to what was the underline cause of the fear. I mentioned spoilers but I'm attempting to stay away from great spoilers. Acting:*Note, I'm only mentioning the actors worth mentioning in my person thoughts. Thomas Dekker. He was epic and enjoyed what he brought to the movie. Played the PTSD victim perfectly and convincingly (Spoiler). I would love to see him in more stuff. Robert Englund: As a fan from his work in the Freddy series, I can't say I was 100% sold on this character. Either I find it hard to see him be scary outside of Freddy or just seemed too staged, either way, Robert plays the Doctor that invented a machine that's supposed to cure phobias and the cliché "Doctor obsessed with one failure and questions his life's work and does unexplained things." Doesn't play well. Robert himself is an amazing actor and I enjoyed seeing him. Kevin Cage: First time ever noticing him in a film although he has been in a lot that I have seen. His character was awesome and he played it to the T. I liked him and his character. 10/10 Corey Taylor: As a HUGE Slipknot and Stone Sour fan and HUGE Corey Taylor fan of his bands, books, and just all around person and family, he as an actor seemed off, either from lack of acting or because I can't see him as an actor. I enjoyed when he yelled and screamed but everything else seemed like they just told Corey to say something fitting and he ad libbed the lines. Towards the end of the movie when he (spoiler) was freaking out, I think instead of whimpering into a ball, he should have been yelling and screaming and going nuts (like at his shows) and personally I wanted him to yell out "You can see California without Marlon Brando's eyes." But again, I will watch Corey do Opera or Soap drama movies just to watch Corey. He is amazing person, and I highly respect everything. All other actors, were just funky and hard to watch, and at times, dull.After reading you may wonder why I gave it a 7, and not anything lower, and it's simple. The sets were basic yet used realistic fears to get your blood pumping. Mirror images, flashing lights, loud noises, everything that we are normally fearful of is in this movie. I enjoyed this movie very much in the sense of "Hey, I'm scared of my closet at night." Or "I feel spiders crawling down my back" Kind of fears that this movie makes you feel. Now, for the major spoiler. No idea what happened at the end of the movie. I've re-watched it twice and I still have no idea. The evil demon thing is only real if you are awake? Is the movie trying to say that everyone is hallucinating it, and you can't hallucinate with your eyes shut? Was anything real? Was the killer making it up? Was he ever sick? So many questions! Makes me want more! 10/10 recommend but understand a 1 million dollar low budget film.