Ghost
Ship is another in long line of horror movies that aren't scary. Even more disheartening
is the cast of this dumb little ghost story has managed to attract. Gabriel Byrne
(yes, one of The Usual Suspects) is so beyond this, but I suppose this isn't the
first time he's made a mediocre thriller (see Stigmata).
Ghost
Ship weaves it's tale around a deserted luxury liner that's been lost at sea for
forty years. A professional salvage team is enticed by a pilot (who believes he's
spotted the liner) to find the vessel and tow it back to shore so they might make
millions off their little find. When they do find the ship, all does not go as
planned, for strange things are afoot on board.
I'm
first to point out that events occurring in supernatural thrillers don't always
make sense (the idea that this boat has just been floating around for years, is
absurd). But if the premise is intriguing enough, the audience will be willing
to follow the characters on their journey. The Ring is a good example of this.
While watching that film you may have questions, but the trip is so entertaining
that you can put those questions on the back burner. Ghost Ship, however, is so
lacking in intrigue that I constantly found myself questioning it's gaps of logic.
Forget
the performances because their hardly memorable. Of course, these roles are all
underdeveloped and while the cast has proven to be talented, they are unable to
do much to liven things up here.
Director
Steve Beck is more interested in mood and showmanship, but unfortunately, he can't
even get that right despite some spooky art direction and what looks to be a pretty
big budget. And this isn't the first time that Beck has told a ghost story. He
had the honor of making what I considered to be the worst film of last year, the
annoying and dismal Thirteen Ghosts (that film actually tied Domestic Disturbance
for the dubious honor.)
Thankfully,
Ghost Ship isn't as awful as Thirteen Ghosts. Beck has the good sense to avoid
using the MTV style editing that made that picture so annoying. Also, the opening
sequence in Ghost Ship is quite creative and surprisingly bloody. What follows,
however, is pretty boring.
Ghost
Ship could have been fun had it gone in more interesting and unpredictable directions.
Instead, we're treated to a fairly dull movie experience with one dimensional
characters and very few scares. And it's all capped off by a sequel-ready ending
complete with an obtrusive hard rock tune that offsets any sense of terror Ghost
Ship might have had to offer.
