Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? If you like horror.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Secret ending? Bloopers and extra scenes throughout the credits.
Running time: 95 minutes (~1.5 hours)
“Ghost Ship” is a Thai horror film. It features a group of sailors who discover that the ship they’re working on is haunted. It stars Bhuvadol Vejvongsa (Kala), Timethai Plangslip (Solui), Pongsatorn Sripinta (Yola), Nutcha Jeka (Miah), and Day Thaitanium (Tao).
“Ghost Ship” is a worthy addition into the Thai horror genre, with a variety of frights that have you on edge throughout the movie. It may start with a simple premise, but that doesn’t dampen the horror of the movie in any way at all. Horror fans should check this out to get their scare fix this holiday season.
Highlights
Traditional but effective scares
The horror techniques in “Ghost Ship” are of the usual variety, but they’re used skilfully to generate a sense of tension throughout the film. The frights come in some very unexpected ways, and the movie does a good job of keeping you nervous about what’s behind every door and cupboard. The ghosts also get into uncomfortable proximity of the camera and characters, leaving you cringing at what they might do next.
Lovable characters
The main characters are such innocent, straightforward people that you can’t help but root for them in the film. They really only want to escape the circumstances that they’ve found themselves in, and mean no harm to absolutely anyone else. In contrast, the supporting cast and antagonists are unpleasant and manipulative, which causes us to empathise with the protagonists even more.
Touches of humour
In addition to being good people, the core trio are also very human in their quirks and foibles. This leads to many humourous interactions between them, especially when they get in each other’s way in the confines of the ship. The other characters’ exasperated reactions to them also add another layer of funnies to the film, which blends well with the inevitable horror that greets them later on.
Letdowns
Scares taper off towards the end
The first half of the film keeps you in suspense since you’re not sure what is haunting them or why. But once the supernatural creatures are fully revealed, the film just doesn’t seem to be scary anymore because the fear of the unknown has been removed. The revelation of the human antagonists of the story also dilute the sense of tension, because the threat now comes from both human and otherworldly sources. It’d have been scarier to have focused on the unfathomable horror of the ghosts instead.
Love story doesn’t work
There’s an awkward love story that evolves into a full blown romance that’s supposed to heighten the stakes and provide the impetus for the heroes to escape the ship. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work since the backstory behind their love comes rather late in the story, so you don’t have the opportunity to build up feelings towards the couple. There’s also no need to provide more motivation for the characters to escape the ship, since basic human survival instincts already drive their need to do so.
“Ghost Ship” does its horror well and delivers a truly frightening experience to its audience, even though it has some slightly awkward elements.
“Ghost Ship” opens in cinemas 7 January, 2015 (Thursday), with sneak previews over the New Year weekend.
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