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A Bill Paxton directed chilling tale about the nature of evil and murder that will have you wanting to discuss the whiplash ending for days.

Like most good noir films, this one opens on a dark and stormy night. FBI Agent Doyle (Powers Boothe, Deadwood) has a man in his office, a man who just might hold the secret to a mystery he’s been trying to solve: who is the God’s Hand murderer?

Flashback to 1979: they seem like a perfectly normal family; brothers Adam and Fenton Meiks are very close, and their father is a blue collar man who dotes on his sons. And then the unthinkable happens: Daddy Meiks (Bill Paxton, Big Love) has a vision, and in his vision an angel informs him that he and his sons are special, that God has a purpose for them. They will destroy demons, and God will send them three magical weapons to help in their task. He immediately wakes the boys and tells them the news. Adam is thrilled to be a part of his father’s mission, but Fenton thinks his father has gone around the bend, and is about to drag them into something awful.

His suspicions are confirmed the night his father brings home a woman he claims is a demon, and takes the boys into the shed to watch him destroy her with an ax. But before he does, Daddy Meiks lays hands on her, claiming her sins will be revealed. Though the family patriarch clearly sees something, the vision is lost on Fenton who is sickened by what his father has done. But there’s no stopping; the woman is killed, and the body dragged out to a public rose garden adjacent to the family home and buried. It is all done very much in the spirit of a family picnic or outing of some sort, with Adam and father happy to have done their Godly duty; only Fenton seems to be aware of the truth: his father has gone mad, and is a murderer.

And naturally, it is Fenton who tells the tale to Agent Doyle, Fenton (Matthew McConaughey, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) who says that he knows who the God’s Hand killer is - his brother, Adam. He can see that he has the agent’s attention, and he volunteers to take him to the victim’s bodies. As Agent Doyle loads him into the police car, the story continues, and Fenton tells of his father’s continuing stalking and abducting of the so-called demons, the slayings, and his own growing disbelief at what is happening. Finally, tensions between father and son come to a head, and Fenton is forced to confront his father’s beliefs - and the nature of demons, of murder.

Frailty is a helluva film - you know that there’s a twist coming, because years of watching thrillers like this one have taught us that there’s always a nice twist at the end (thanks for that, M. Night). But when this one hits, it won’t be something you saw coming - it will hit you like a freight train, leave you dazed as little clues from throughout the film come back like flickers of your life before you die, and it is wonderful.

McConaughey’s performance hearkens back to a time before he was the pseudo-sleazy romantic lead - indeed, all the awful chick flicks fall away, and we get a quick glimpse at the actor McConaughey could have been: gritty. Somber. Deceptive. Paxton, too, is fantastic here; his direction brings new life to the noir genre, and though a lot of his storytelling method is highly reminiscent of an older storytelling method, one that has fallen out of style. And yet, this film isn’t outdated or cheesy; it is, instead, an homage, a love letter of sorts.

There are plenty of bonuses on this Blu-ray release; multiple commentaries are just the tip of the iceberg. There is also the Sundance Channel featurette, ‘Anatomy of a Scene’, as well as a ‘Making Of’ featurette. Deleted scenes, storyboards and photo galleries - and did I mention that the deleted scenes also have director commentary? The only downside to the Blu-ray release is that these bonus features are the exact same features that you’ll find on the 2002 DVD release, so those who already own this DVD won’t rush to purchase it on Blu-ray. But for those who don’t own the film, take the plunge. The film is better the second time around, when you’re in on the secret.

So where is the line between insanity and religion? After watching this film, you’ll think about it all night long.

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