Limp Bizkit Frontman Fred Durst Directed One Of John Travolta’s Worst Movies

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Fandom can be a really intense and personal thing, and sometimes that means fans can take things way too far. That’s the central premise behind “The Fanatic,” the 2019 thriller co-written and directed by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, which follows a neurodivergent man named Moose (John Travolta) who becomes violently obsessed with his favorite actor, Hunter Dunbar (Devon Sawa). Durst co-wrote the movie with screenwriter Dave Bekerman and loosely based it on his own experiences with fans who began to stalk him, though Moose takes things to truly terrifying places. Moose isn’t just the kind of obsessive fan who knows everything there is to know about someone, like hardcore Trekkies or the hilarious fictional “Galaxy Quest” fandom; he also starts stalking Hunter and even breaks into his home. 

“The Fanatic” is a bizarre film that never quite nails its tone, and though Travolta commits fully to the part, it’s both a good and bad thing because of the choices he commits to. Some audiences find the whole thing hilarious and view it like Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room,” where it’s “so bad it’s good,” but some of the moments people find funny can be really hurtful to neurodivergent audience members, especially those on the autism spectrum — which Moose is coded to be a part of — so it’s kind of complicated.

The Fanatic is a hot mess of a movie with some wild choices

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While Travolta’s son Jett, who died from a seizure at 16, was diagnosed with autism and many of Travolta’s big, bold performance choices in “The Fanatic” could be seen as his trying to pay tribute to his son, they’re unfortunately also playing into harmful stereotypes. Moose, who works as a street performer, has violent outbursts and even chokes a fellow street performer in a moment of rage. Moose is a movie obsessive and frequently references and quotes his favorite films, and while that can make for some moments that are kind of funny out of context, given Travolta’s 110% performance, they’re awful if you think of real people who share Moose’s passions and diagnoses but would never hurt anyone. 

Durst’s direction is surprisingly capable, though there are moments that remind you exactly what you’re watching, like Hunter turning on the radio in his car and playing Limp Bizkit for his son before declaring how much he loves the band. By the time this tonally confused thriller comes to a close, only one thing feels certain: “The Fanatic” is one of Travolta’s worst movies. And given his track record with truly terrible movies, that’s really saying something. At least it’s still better than “Staying Alive,” right?