Upon its release on , Fear received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, many of whom dismissed it as a "sensationalist" or "formulaic" thriller. Despite this, it was a sleeper hit at the box office, grossing $20.8 million against a modest $6.5 million budget.
: Leonardo DiCaprio was originally considered for the role of David but declined, famously recommending his Basketball Diaries co-star Mark Wahlberg for the part. Fear Movie -1996-
: For many, Fear is a quintessential "guilty pleasure" that encapsulates the specific aesthetic and cinematic tropes of the 1990s thriller genre. Upon its release on , Fear received mixed-to-negative