In 1962 a crew and passengers aboard a cruise ship were accidentally killed when the electrical system in the main hall malfunctions. With only a single survivor, a young girl, the ship is eventually lost at sea without even a trace. Forty years later a group of salvagers come across the vessel and take it upon themselves to explore what’s on board. As they navigate the deserted Ghost Ship, they soon learn that the deceased crew may cause them more trouble than they initially expected.
Horror films don’t necessarily have to develop enjoyable characters that viewers are able to connect with, however, creating characters that resonate with audiences can allow them to better appreciate what is taking place in the film. Similarly, the absence of relatable characters in horror can often be overlooked as jumpscares and suspense can be enough to lead a scary story and genuinely entertain audiences. Ghost Ship attempts to completely forgo the development of any characters and attempt to scare viewers into appreciating the story. The failed attempts at finding a way to intrigue audiences through horror coupled with Ghosts Ship’s less than appealing characters ultimately leads to audiences feeling disenchanted with the film as a whole.
With the failed attempts at horror viewers fall further and further from the cast and they begin to rely heavily on the story. While Ghost Ship’s story takes some time to develop, it does eventually evolve into something with depth and excitement. As the eventual twists and turns expose themselves to the audience, they begin to appreciate a bit more what has led to this point. Sadly, as quickly as the excitement arises it vanishes into thin air. As director Steve Beck and writers Mark Hanlon and John Pogue attempt to grow on the allure of their somewhat stellar plot twist, they move too quickly, abruptly ending what they worked so hard to create. With a story that initially moves at a snail’s pace and ends too quickly, Ghost Ship feels very much like a horror film that is just going through the motions rather than actually working toward anything of purpose.
From the moment Ghost Ship opens, audiences feel a chill of inexperience, the fright of below average acting and the terror of a story essentially going nowhere. Other than this, Ghost Ship fails to scare in any regard, and ultimately fails to entertain. Viewers feel downtrodden and turned off by the unappealing nature of the characters. While there are glimpses of genius present in the ever-changing storyline, it doesn’t provide enough spark to allow the rest of the film to be worth suffering through. Even with the potential that it presents to audiences, Ghost Ship is one horror flick that you can avoid during the holiday season.
Directed by Steve Beck. Written by Mark Hanlon & John Pogue. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Julianna Marguilies, Karl Urban, Desmond Harrington, Emily Browning, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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