Primal Fear is a 1996 American neo-noir crime-thriller film, based on William Diehl's 1993 novel of the same name and directed by Gregory Hoblit.
The film tells the story of Chicago defense attorney who believes his altar boy client is not guilty of murdering an influential Catholic Archbishop.
Primal Fear was a box office success and earned mostly positive reviews, with Edward Norton making a strong showing in his film debut. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.
Martin Vail (Richard Gere) is a Chicago defense attorney who loves the public spotlight and does everything he can to get his high-profile clients acquitted on legal technicalities. One day, he sees a news report about the arrest of Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), a young altar boy from Kentucky with a severe stutter, who is accused of brutally murdering the beloved Archbishop Rushman (Stanley Anderson). Vail jumps at the chance to represent the young man pro bono.
If you like the jeopardy
And you have the guts
You think your life is boring
You say it drives you nuts
If this is the way
You think I've got a remedy
Your problems will be belong away
You'll go through agony
A boundless hyper energy
Will smash into your brain
There is no chance for you to stop
The force you can't restrain
Play to kill, play to kill
Can't you see that we play to kill?
No chance for you to conquer
No chance for you to flee
If you've once been beaten by
This machinery
The only way for all of you
To live the whole thing through
Is fight the fight beside us
There's nothing else to do
A boundless hyper energy
Will smash into your brain
There is no chance for you to stop
The force you can't restrain
Play to kill, play to kill
Can't you see that we play to kill?
A boundless hyper energy
Will smash into your brain
There is no chance for you to stop
The force you can't restrain
Play to kill, play to kill
Play to kill, play to kill
Can't you see that we play?
Can't you see that we play to kill?