It’s been 16 years since Eric Bress directed The Butterfly Effect, his first and only time at the helm. Though it wasn’t a hit with critics it has built up a following and its time bending antics are at least intriguing. Since then, Bress, has created the likes of TV show Kyle XY, and written the screenplay for The Final Destination. Ghosts of War sadly is an unfortunately clunky mess that tangles itself up before ending unsatisfactorily with a message that could only be met with sharp intakes of breath between gritted teeth.
But like Bress’ last film, let’s jump back to the beginning. A beginning that actually starts out very interestingly. A group of five soldiers trek through Normandy in 1944 on their way to relieve another group of soldiers who are inhabiting a chateau that was once a Nazi base. It’s a group of very basic stereotypes; leader Chris (Brenton Thwaites), muscle Butchie (Alan Ritchson), brains Eugene (Skylar Astin), loose canon Tappert (Kyle Gallner), and the one new ingredient to the mix, pathological liar Kirk (Theo Rossi). On their way to the chateau they kill a car full of Nazis and we’re made (purposefully or not) to feel sympathy for the SS soldiers. It’s a brave and conflicting way to start proceedings, and one that is never capitalised on nor explored. After that the soldiers reach the chateau and are gradually haunted by some kind of presence.
The horror elements range from unnerving to laughable, which gives the film a bizarre sense of excitement as you wonder whether the next scare will make you jump, cower, or burst into hysterics. Unfortunately it’s the laughable attempts, whether that be down to cliches or execution, that stay with the viewer. One thing worse than uninspired cliches is putting so many into a film and not using them effectively. For example, we hear about an incident from Tappart’s past, which could make us suspect him of being the force of the ghoulish goings on. The problem however is that we have already seen Tappert being haunted himself. Tell us that story early on, and hell, have Kirk embellish the story so we don’t know who to trust.
Kirk isn’t the only character wasted though, if in fact you can see any of these soldiers as characters. Chris basically gets the others into position, while Eugene at one point finds a Nazi diary and gradually translates it when convenient to the plot. He becomes an audiobook of exposition. When it’s not exposition its generic lines you’ve heard hundreds of times before. Thwaites isn’t commanding enough to seem like a leader, and none of the group seem to have chemistry (despite a line later in the film specifically mentioning the brotherhood of soldiers).
It’s clear very early on that Ghosts of War is trudging along towards a twist ending, and it’s so clearly telegraphed that, although you may not guess it exactly, you’ll certainly be somewhere in the ballpark. The film rushes its conclusion and dedicates around ten minutes to wrap things up. Funnily enough, it’s the twist that finally makes the film interesting. Sure it’s bonkers and mad, but it’s also just getting interesting as the credits roll. Ghosts of War has a few eerie shots and set pieces, but is completely let down from all other sides. It leaves you wondering “What was the point?” Before finally laying itself to rest by clumsily examining morals that doesn’t make a lot of sense, nor is in good taste.
Ghosts of War arrives on Digital HD from Friday 17th July 2020.
Ghosts of War
Summary
A mess that is let down from all sides. After a sixteen year hiatus Ghosts of War is sadly not the feature it could have been.
