Cape Fear (1991)

Robert De Niro's Max Cady treats proximity as a weapon, making the lawyer he pursues conscious of being watched even in apparently public, respectable places. His exaggerated physical confidence fits Scorsese's feverish framing and sound. Cape Fear is the choice for a revenge thriller pushed towards Gothic nightmare rather than plausible procedure. Sexual menace and brutal violence are central to its effect, with the family itself offering little stable refuge.