History YMMV / PrimalFear

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments: Vail [[spoiler:exposing Shaughnessy's unscrupulous and downright evil political actions in court while also accusing him—falsely—of Rushman's murder]]. While Shoat ultimately strikes it all from the record as irrelevant and whether or not [[spoiler:Shaughnessy faces consequences for any of it isn't addressed later]], that Vail managed to so throughly ruin his image though is still a win in spite of that. Even better: in the sequel to the book, [[spoiler:Vail gets his job]].

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Given the sequels weren't made into movies, would [[spoiler:this version of Aaron still develop into the more murderous and depraved one that Stampler was in the books]]? While it is left to the AbortedArc angle either way, one one hand, it's potentially implied at this point that [[spoiler:he already started murdering all the other altar boys who were also Rushman's victims]] and thus would go in the exact same direction as a result. On the other though, [[spoiler:while Aaron here]] also does have the background of [[AbusiveParents his father being abusive]], he's showing Vail way more VillainRespect in the end than he did in the book and therefore, this version at least comes off as [[AdaptationalNiceGuy a far more graceful person]] as a result too.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Given the sequels weren't made into movies, would [[spoiler:this version of Aaron still develop into the more murderous and depraved one that Stampler was in the books]]? While it is left to the AbortedArc angle either way, one one hand, it's potentially implied at this point that [[spoiler:he already started murdering all the other altar boys who were also Rushman's victims]] and thus would go in the exact same direction as a result. On the other though, [[spoiler:while Aaron here also does have the background of [[AbusiveParents his father being abusive]], he's showing Vail way more VillainRespect in the end than he did in the book and therefore, this version at least comes off as [[AdaptationalNiceGuy a far more graceful person]] as a result too.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Given the sequels weren't made into movies, would [[spoiler:this version of Aaron still develop into the more murderous and depraved one that Stampler was in the books]]? While it is left to the AbortedArc angle either way, one one hand, it's potentially implied at this point that [[spoiler:he already started murdering all the other altar boys who were also Rushman's victims]] and thus would go in the exact same direction as a result. On the other though, [[spoiler:while Aaron here also does have the background of [[AbusiveParents his father being abusive]], he's showing Vail way more VillainRespect in the end than he did in the book and therefore, this version at least comes off as a far more graceful person as a result too.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments: Vail [[spoiler:exposing Shaughnessy's unscrupulous and downright evil political actions in court while also accusing him—falsely—of Rushman's murder]]. While Shoat ultimately strikes it all from the record as irrelevant and whether or not [[spoiler:Shaughnessy faces consequences for any of it isn't addressed later]], that Vail managed to so throughly ruin his image though is still a win irregardless of that. Even better: in the book sequel, [[spoiler:Vail gets his job]].

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: It’s a great movie but at the same time it leaves a lot people feeling like they just got punched in the gut considering how dark and depressing the storyline is and because [[spoiler:the “victim” in this case planned the whole thing and got off scot-free with murder.]]

** Edward Norton losing the Best Villain award at the MTV Movie Awards as well.

!!The Band
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Take your pick. Here's some hints:
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT46iFFi91A "Iron Fist In A Velvet Glove"]], the AntiLoveSong of the band, has a melancholic vibe in the middle of a powerful mid-tempo instrumentation. It's sad and awesome in equal parts.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19q3lC9X6uA "Visions of Fate"]], from ''Devil's Ground''. Take the lyrics, add the band's already awesome instrumentation, and you've got an awesome piece of music which makes you headbang while saying ScrewDestiny!
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tZ-CUQRSJA "Everytime It Rains"]], from ''New Religion'' combines Ralf's powerful voice with the beautiness of Music/{{Epica}}'s Simone Simmons for a powerful ballad.
* FandomEnragingMisconception: In some fan circles you will get blasted for calling Ralf Sche'''pp'''ers instead of Sche'''ep'''ers.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute:
** The band has been accused of being the German equivalent to Music/JudasPriest.
** Inverted. Listen to "Promised Land", from ''Primal Fear'' (1996), then listen to the beginning of the solo in Music/IronMaiden's "The Legacy", from ''A Matter of Life And Death'' (2006).

** In the court scene when Venable rants about how she would have stabbed the archbishop 78 tines, etc, she is actually making the case for Aaron/Roy to be let off with a short sentence for manslaughter or even acquitted for justifiable homicide. Aaron/Roy is highly intelligent and can obviously see that. So why did he go into open Roy mode and assault her?

** In the court scene when Venable rants about how she would have cstabbed the archbishop 78 tines, etc, she is actually making the case for Aaron/Roy to be let off with a short sentence for manslaughter or even acquitted for justifiable homicide. Aaron/Roy is highly intelligent and can obviously see that. So why did he go into open Roy mode and assault her?

** In the court scene when Venable rants sky how she would have cstabbed the archbishop 78 tines, etc, she is actually making the case for Aaron/Roy to be let off with a short sentence for manslaughter or even acquitted for justifiable homicide. Aaron/Roy is highly intelligent and can obviously see that. So why did he go into open Roy mode and assault her?

** Edward Norton losing the Best Villain award as well.

** When asked what Aaron looks like, Martin replies "like a Boy Scout." Norton later goes on to playing the Scout Master to the Khaki Scouts in ''Film/MoonriseKingdom''.

** When asked what Aaron looks like, Martin replies "like a Boy Scout." Norton later goes on to playing the Scout Master to the Khaki Scouts in ''Film/MoonriseKingdom''

** How a decent number of viewers see Creator/EdwardNorton losing the Oscar.

* MagnificentBastard: [[spoiler:[[TeenGenius Aaron Stampler]] is an orphaned altar boy who was forced into performing sexual acts on camera by Archbishop Richard Rushman. [[TheDogBitesBack Brutally murdering Rushman for his abuse]]—and apparently murdering Rushman's likely accomplice Linda too, Aaron then conceives of [[ObfuscatingInsanity faking a multiple personality disorder]] to cast doubt on his own guilt. In doing so, Aaron acts like his regular self is a timid and stuttering kid while his more aggressive personality "Roy" is the strong defensive one who committed the murder to protect him—with Aaron supposedly not remembering any of this due to blackouts. Fooling both his own defense attorney Martin Vail and psychiatrist Dr. Molly Arrington, Aaron then stages a mental break in court by means of Roy attacking prosecutor Janet Venable and the judge finds he's not fit to stand trial as a result. Purposely [[INeverSaidItWasPoison letting the truth slip to Vail]], Aaron then tries to graciously get a horrified Vail to share in his victory with him.]]

* RootingForTheEmpire: [[spoiler: After TheReveal, some may still support Aaron getting away with murder considering that he murdered a pedophile and his likely accomplice.]]

* AwardSnub: How a decent number of viewers see Creator/EdwardNorton losing the Oscar.

** When asked what Aaron looks like, Martin replies "like a boyscout". Norton later goes on to playing the Scout Master to the Khaki Scouts in ''Film/MoonriseKingdom''

* MagnificentBastard: [[TeenGenius Aaron Stampler]] is an orphaned altar boy who was forced into performing sexual acts on camera by Archbishop Richard Rushman. [[TheDogBitesBack Brutally murdering Rushman for his abuse]]—and apparently murdering Rushman's likely accomplice Linda too, Aaron then conceives of [[ObfuscatingInsanity faking a multiple personality disorder]] to cast doubt on his own guilt. In doing so, Aaron acts like his regular self is a timid and stuttering kid while his more aggressive personality "Roy" is the strong defensive one who committed the murder to protect him—with Aaron supposedly not remembering any of this due to blackouts. Fooling both his own defense attorney Martin Vail and psychiatrist Dr. Molly Arrington, Aaron then stages a mental break in court by means of Roy attacking prosecutor Janet Venable and the judge finds he's not fit to stand trial as a result. Purposely [[INeverSaidItWasPoison letting the truth slip to Vail]], Aaron then tries to graciously get a horrified Vail to share in his victory with him.

* HilariousInHindsight: [[spoiler:Here, Edward Norton fakes a split personality. In ''Film/FightClub'', he really does have a split personality.]]

* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: [[spoiler:You have to give credit to Roy for managing to construct a "nice guy" persona and masterfully trick people into thinking that one is the real personality for years.]]

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: It’s a great movie but at the same time it leaves a lot people feeling like they just got punched in the gut considering how dark and depressing the storyline is and because [[spoiler:the “victim” in this case planned the whole thing and got off scot-free with murder.]]