Martin Scorsese's remake of the classic 1961 thriller. Tattooed psychopath Max Cady (Robert De Niro) has spent his 14-year prison term fermenting his bitterness towards attorney Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte), whom he blames for his incarceration. Upon his release Cady sets out to destroy the already troubled home life Sam shares with his beautiful wife Leigh (Jessica Lange) and teenage daughter Danielle (Juliette Lewis).
When the law proves unable to protect his family, Sam is forced to fight back in self-defence.