ghosts of war movie review

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“Ghosts of War” is a B-movie that's not afraid to  go there —starting with WWII soldiers and their PTSD, leading them into a haunted Chateau, and ending on its most bonkers and heartfelt idea of all. It almost feels like writer/director Eric Bress (of " The Butterfly Effect ") built a story backwards starting from this twist, because even if certain supernatural elements can hold it back, they're not what you'll be thinking about after the film is over. 

One of Bress’ greatest strokes comes with casting—he’s collected five faces you might recognize from younger, more innocent roles, and who are compelling to see here as men who have matured rapidly due to the wartime experiences eating away at them. It’s strong enough that you don’t mind some archetypes, like how Skylar Astin's Eugene is the brains of the operation, as indicated by his glasses, and by how references he makes to philosophical concepts are then experienced right after he mentions them. Then there’s Brenton Thwaites as Chris, the main soldier we follow through this nightmare, whose biggest problem might be that he doesn't have a whole lot of background. All of them are good, especially Kyle Gallner ’s sniper Tappert, whose drawl and weary gaze hints at a full character, all during a long monologue about a gruesome memory. 

War has certainly been hell for them, and it's made these afflicted men in 1944 a bit ruthless. In an opening scene, they even let a cornered Nazi put up his dukes for some boxing before abruptly shooting him in the head, making for a beat that's more sad than triumphant. That cruelty lingers when they arrive at a large Chateau in France they've been assigned to hold, which was previously owned by the Nazis. And if the symbols in the attic are any indication, paired with scratches on the floor, and some occasional ghosts, the Nazis did some evil stuff there when it was under their control.  

Although this is a haunted house movie of sorts, as experienced by American soldiers who bond over their PTSD, "Ghosts of War" is not scary in the slightest with its typical ghostly imagery (white faces, tilted heads, ear-piercing screeches). And when it focuses on the guys trying to figure out the mystery of what forces are haunting the manor, all during some weak jump scares, it nearly writes itself into a corner. 

But the action certainly perks the movie up, especially when our five soldiers scramble to fend off around 50 Nazis. Along with the unsettling dark corners effectively engineered by cinematographer Lorenzo Senatore , the excitement of "Ghosts of War" is less from a ghost popping up, but in seeing these guys cautiously move around this space as it seems to close in on them. From the very beginning, Bress’ film has a strong dynamic of five soldiers that you want to see finish the mission alive, and as "Ghosts of War" starts to twist itself and go to weird places, you stick with them and the story.  

Bress has a bleeding-heart explanation for all of the on-the-nose dialogue, and the cheesy ghosts, and it comes at a third act revelation that is messy like other parts of "Ghosts of War," but effective. Using an idea that Bress clearly cares about more than anything else here, it’s admirable in how it deepens the themes and expands the scope of the story, while grappling with the cruelty of all that has happened. I'm being cautious to spoil it, because it's the script's full ride that truly helps this endpoint resonate. The twist will definitely impact some more than others, but I suspect it’s the emotional sincerity "Ghosts of War" proves to have from the start that’ll be its true hook. 

Now playing in virtual cinemas and available on digital platforms.

Nick Allen is the former Senior Editor at RogerEbert.com and a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Ghosts of War (2020)

Rated R for strong bloody violence, disturbing and grisly images, language and brief nude images.

Brenton Thwaites as Chris

Theo Rossi as Kirk

Skylar Astin as Eugene

Kyle Gallner as Tappert

Alan Ritchson as Butchie

Cinematographer

• Lorenzo Senatore
• Peter Amundson
• Michael Suby

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‘Ghosts of War’: Film Review

A haunted French chateau is caught between enemy WWII armies in this atmospheric but overloaded horror mystery.

By Dennis Harvey

Dennis Harvey

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Sadistic Nazis, PTSD-afflicted Allied soldiers, angry spirits and creepy dolls make for an already-formidable pile of scare factors in “ Ghosts of War ,” which then topples the stack by loading too many additional elements in the final stretch. This second feature from “The Butterfly Effect” co-director Eric Bress likewise has a trickily structured take on reality. But in this case, it’s closer to the realm of “The Cabin in the Woods” in that the initial, fairly straightforward horror tale is eventually reframed as part of something larger.

It’s the kind of narrative leap that can make or break a film. But here it overcomplicates a narrative that should’ve better developed its basic elements, rather than lunging for a big-picture profundity it falls short of. Beautifully atmospheric to a point, handsomely produced, “Ghosts” gradually disappoints because its thematic ambitions add more clutter than depth to a story that’s most effective at its simplest. Vertical Entertainment is releasing to U.S. virtual cinemas, on demand and digital July 17, after being available exclusively via DirectTV for a month.

It’s 1944 in Nazi-occupied France, and a quintet of American soldiers are tasked with holding a private countryside residence recently utilized by German high command. After what Lt. Goodson (Brenton Thwaites) and his unit — bookish Eugene (Skylar Astin), all-brawn Butchie (Alan Ritchson), straight-arrow Kirk (Theo Rossi) and borderline-psychotic Tappert (Kyle Gallner) — have already been through, this assignment is practically a vacation. All they need to do is babysit the sprawling, spectacular chateau until replacements arrive, taking advantage of plush beds and a full larder after long hardships. Their enthusiasm is barely dampened by the inexplicable eagerness of the company they themselves are replacing to get the hell outta there.

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Their first night is a restless one, disturbed by phenomena like phantom footsteps on the floors above and doors that open by themselves, not to mention all those blankly staring dolls. A journal is discovered that reveals the original family residents (who’d hidden refugee Jews here) died horrible deaths at the hands of Nazis. Soon the Yanks concede this house is haunted, and are ready to decamp to the surrounding woods. But a regiment of Nazis turns up, making immediate escape impossible — and then, it seems, the house itself won’t let them go.

Shot in Bulgaria, “Ghosts of War” does a first-rate job establishing an environment of real-world as well as supernatural unease, with a very impressive look dominated by DP Lorenzo Senator’s complexly lit widescreen compositions and Antonello Rubino’s plush-yet-decrepit production design. The house has great personality inside and out, lending plenty of preparatory dread to some well-engineered jump scares.

But all too quickly we’re in the realm of chalk-faced, black-mouthed ghoulies simply lunging at the camera, and a sense of time-locked entrapment whose quest for resolution grows ever more frenetic. While Bress sprinkles a few telling anachronisms throughout, the eventual big reveal still feels like an overreach. Too action-oriented and dependent on genre tropes for the weight of moral and political questioning it takes on, “Ghosts” is never again as compelling as when just soaking in eerie mystery early on. The first half hour is so promising, this is the rare horror exercise you wish were longer, if only to let those rich atmospherics dominate longer before they’re crowded out by an excess of plot mechanics.

Though Thwaites’ nominal lead seems too boyish to command his fellow grunts, the cast is generally strong. Michael Suby’s original orchestral score strikes a note a bit conventional for a war movie that so quickly strays from robust, old-school combat adventure terrain.

Reviewed online, San Francisco, July 13, 2020. MPAA rating: R. Running time: 95 MIN.

• Production: (U.K.) A Vertical Entertainment release of a Miscellaneous Entertainment production, in association with Highland Film Group. Producers: D. Todd Shepherd, Shelley Madison, Joe Simpson. Co-producer: J.E. Moore. Executive producers: Adrian Jayasinha, Andrew Mann, Colleen Camp, Billy Zane, Matthew Reese, Delphine Perrier, Arianne Fraser, Simon Williams, Hiroshi Mikitani, Josh James, Mike Clark, Henry Winterstern, Jonathan Bross, Alastair Burlingham, Charlie Dombek.
• Crew: Director, writer: Eric Bress. Camera: Lorenzo Senatore. Editor: Peter Amundson. Music: Michael Suby.
• With: Brenton Thwaites, Theo Rossi, Skylar Astin, Kyle Gallner, Alan Ritchson, Billy Zane, Shaun Toub, Vivian Gray, Laila Banki. (English, Arabic dialogue)

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Ghosts of War Reviews

Ghosts of War may not be great cinema or even a particularly good horror thriller, but it does offer plenty of entertainment value for the hungry horror fans with its cast and impressive production design.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Aug 10, 2021

When the inevitable twist does come, it's so lame it'll make most viewers roll their eyes for the remaining 20 minutes of the runtime...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 22, 2021

British supernatural horror taking place largely in France towards the end of World War II, alternately tense and quite a rush.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 10, 2021

Its lackluster writing, uninteresting characters, and dull performances add up to a true waste of potential.

Full Review | Original Score: 5.5/10 | Oct 21, 2020

...definitely a film that is tailor-made for watching at home, on a Friday night when your critical faculties have slightly failed you...

Full Review | Aug 18, 2020

Sometimes trying to be twisty and different just doesn't work. This movie is example A of that premise.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/10 | Aug 7, 2020

With the benefit of some time having passed...I've come to better appreciate what Bress was trying to achieve and how everything fits together in hindsight. (Full Content Review for Parents - Violence, Profanity, Nudity, etc. - also Available)

Full Review | Aug 7, 2020

A dreary and bewildering WWII ghost story that eventually twists into something stupid, preposterous, and morally suspect.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Jul 30, 2020

The tone is compelling, and the actors add terrific edges to their roles.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 30, 2020

This is the kind of film that manipulates the characters in ways to respond to these supernatural elements in a manner fitting for the scene rather than the movie as a whole.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Jul 25, 2020

Ghosts of War falls short of its inspired premise, but credit to writer/director Eric Brees for offering a uniquely brazen adventure that packs a plethora of gratifying moments.

Full Review | Jul 24, 2020

The smartest thing Eric Bress did in Ghosts of War was to cast Billy Zane, and the dumbest thing he did was keeping Billy Zane off screen for 90% of the movie.

Full Review | Jul 23, 2020

Ghosts Of War wants us to think it's a psychological thriller but, truth be told, there's not a lot of depth here.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jul 20, 2020

A by the numbers haunted house story with generic scares and standard black-eyed, long mouthed apparitions. Baffling tonal shifts exacerbate these moments of trope horror.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Jul 20, 2020

Overall, it's a good film, but not great. It has a few great scenes peppered throughout and a couple of scares, so it works okay.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 20, 2020

benefits from well-paced thrills and an engaging story, however its final-act revelations do prove to be too clever for its own good.

[Director Eric Bress's] overly ambitious attempt to expand beyond a simple haunting tale implodes Ghosts of War's ending - when it most deserved being kept simple.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 19, 2020

Bress has outdone himself yet again with Ghosts of War, and I'm excited for all of you to see it.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Jul 18, 2020

It thinks it's imparting some profound lesson, but I walked away from it only 50 percent sure of what it was trying to say. The only satisfaction I felt at the end was "Thank God it's over."

Full Review | Jul 18, 2020

It's a horror movie and a war movie, and I really appreciated the war movie.

Ghosts of War (2020)

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‘ghosts of war’: film review.

A group of WWII American soldiers guarding a French chateau encounter supernatural phenomena in Eric Bress' horror film 'Ghosts of War.'

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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If you’re old enough to remember a time when Nazis were scary enough all by themselves, you may be a bit flummoxed by Ghosts of War . Combining war and horror movie tropes in an awkward manner more silly than scary, this belated sophomore feature from writer/director Eric Bress (2004’s The Butterfly Effect ) makes you long for the days when American G.I.s didn’t have to fight supernatural beings as well as German soldiers.

The genre mash-up begins conventionally enough, with five American soldiers dispatching a group of Nazis, including one played by Billy Zane. That such a familiar actor dies within the first few minutes provides a pretty reasonable clue that things are going to get pretty strange, and indeed they do.

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Release date: Jul 17, 2020

The soldiers, led by Lt. Goodson (Brenton Thwaites, D.C.’s Titans ), encompass a group (Sklyar Astin, Theo Rossi, Kyle Gallner, Alan Ritchson) whose extremely disparate personality traits seem to have been designed by a character-defining algorithm. That was apparently by design, as Bress, in a Director’s Note, admits, “Not going for subtlety here.” He’s not kidding.

The quintet’s next assignment is to position themselves in a lavish chateau in the French countryside, previously used by high-level Nazi officers and currently occupied by American soldiers whose shell-shocked demeanors and extreme rush to move on indicate that their stay there hasn’t been a pleasant one.

The same holds true for Lt. Goodson and his men, who soon discover things very much going bump in the night in the chateau, which, we eventually learn, is haunted by the French family who once lived there before being murdered by the Nazis for hiding refugee Jews. The same Jews, presumably, whom the soldiers encounter more than once during their wanderings, many wearing concentration camp uniforms. 

The proceedings quickly devolve into standard horror movie clichés, including horrific visions that turn out to be nightmares and jarring noises that are revealed to be nothing more sinister than a tea kettle going off (“Earl Grey?” a soldier asks his fellow grunts, unaware of their terror). There are mysterious clanging sounds that turn out to be ominous messages in Morse Code, the revelation of an elaborate pentagram symbol drawn underneath a rug, apparitions that seem to have been left over from a haunted house attraction, and a children’s room filled with creepy porcelain dolls and a music box that starts by itself. You begin wondering when Annabelle and Chucky will show up.

Not surprisingly, the soldiers make the wise decision to vacate the premises, one declaring, “Fuck the court-martial, this place has bad juju.” But the strangeness doesn’t end after they leave, prompting one of them to compare their situation to Ambrose Bierce’s classic short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge , a reference that doesn’t exactly come off as organic.

It’s at this point that Ghosts of War delivers the sort of whopping, out-of-left field plot twist that you’ll either find extremely clever in a Rod Serling sort of way or make you simply throw up your hands. Chances are — especially if you happen to be, or know, a war veteran suffering from PTSD — you’ll be inclined toward the latter. Although the final scenes do provide the opportunity for Zane, whose bald pate makes him resemble Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now , to make a reappearance.

Available in virtual cinema screenings, on demand and digital Production companies: Miscellaneous Entertainment, Highland Film Group Distributor: Vertical Entertainment Cast: Brenton Thwaites, Theo Rossi, Skylar Astin, Kyle Gallner, Alan Ritchson, Billy Zane, Shaun Toub Director/screenwriter: Eric Bress Producers: D. Todd Shepherd, Shelley Madison, Joe Simpson Executive producers: Andrew Mann, Colleen Camp, Alastair Burlingham, Charlie Dombek, Billy Zane, Jonathan Bross, Adrian Jayashina, Simon Williams, Josh James, Hiroshi Mikitani, Mike Clark, Matthew Reese, Arianne Fraser, Delphine Perrier, Henry Winterstern, Director of photography: Lorenzo Senatore Production designer: Antonello Rubino Editor: Peter Amundson Composer: Michael Suby Costume designer: Irina Kotcheva Casting: Brandon Henry Rodriguez

Rated R, 94 min.

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Ghosts of War review – very tense wartime horror, despite the clichés

Ghosts of War is an uncommonly atmospheric and clever film. I watched it on the edge of my seat, while mentally just sitting back to take everything in, and then a time came when writer/director Eric Bress grabbed my comfy chair and spun it right round. I had thought I was excusing a few odd, minor flaws because I was so engaged with the story, but it turns out those weren’t flaws after all.

(There were a couple of other flaws, but never mind those for now.)

Five jaded American soldiers receive orders to look after a French chateau before the Nazis could return to try and claim it again. They arrive a day late to relieve another small party, who are simply itching to leave the place. But our team is relieved to put their feet up, at last, look forward to real beds, and enjoy a reasonably stocked kitchen… until they start to hear inexplicable noises and see some very sinister shadows.

Eric Bress wrote two of the Final Destination films, but – despite what my description may suggest – there is nothing hammy about the horror; nor, indeed, anything exaggerated about the gory images. There are ghosts, curses, and spooks aplenty in Ghosts of War , but the majority of said gory images are due to the horrors of war itself, rather than anything supernatural. We get to know the band of soldiers and see just enough of life in their uncomfortable shoes to feel their anxiety with them after the first night in that chateau, and sympathize when none of them quite know how to talk about it the next day.

Bress was also responsible for The Butterfly Effect (the only film he has directed until now), and that may give you a better idea of the style to expect: tense, rather than exciting; and protagonists who refuse to give in to hopelessness. The main protagonists are a believable bunch, who support each other, regardless of how well they get along. They are Chris (Brenton Thwaites, Titans ), Kirk (Theo Rossi, Luke Cage ), Tappert (Kyle Gallner, Veronica Mars ), Eugene (Skylar Astin, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist ) and Butchie (Alan Ritchson, Blue Mountain State ). They have all seen a bit too much war for anyone’s good (most notably Tappert, through whom Galler seems to channel a tightly wound Matthew McConaughey), but none are either slackers or squeaky clean patriots.

So in case it’s not obvious, I admired Ghosts of War a lot; and I’m not even sure why I went for it, as war films as a rule are not for me (perhaps it’s because I got a lot out of Overlord ). The flaws that got to me though were around the explanation of what was going on in the story and the ending in general. I felt that things were explained a little too thoroughly and in a rush (a bit like some have said about Hereditary , though I don’t quite agree there). And yet the ending itself was not as decisive or as clear as it could have been. These issues are kind of fundamental, but they weren’t deal-breakers by any means: the quality of the rest of the film was still with me after the credits had faded away.

The atmosphere was simply that strong. Mike Suby’s music was a major contributor: somewhere between subtle and “classic haunted house”, and never trying too hard to be retro. The use of sound, in general, was very effective: sometimes, if the five soldiers just heard tapping from an upstairs room that was enough to feel their fear. The few genre tropes that were used were mild, and used to good effect, never teasing or gratuitous. Lorenzo Senatore’s cinematography was also spot on. I had expected it to be too gloomy but there was enough daylight to contrast well with the nighttime interior scenes. He also managed to capture the soldiers’ confusion and claustrophobia with the camera.

I should warn you that Ghosts of War is a distinctly grown-up film: I have no argument with its R rating. It’s a psychological horror film set in wartime, so of course, nasty things happen, and some of those nasty things are shown on screen. Towards the end, there was even one image that encapsulated the “real horror” of war, so that everything before it lost meaning for a moment. And interestingly, there was very little judgment in Ghosts of War : the five young Americans had plenty of opportunities to declare hatred against the evils of Nazism, etc, and they did debate (inconclusively) the nature of evil at one point. The enemy was not evil, in this film, but rather war itself and what it can do to people.

That said, Ghosts of War is not heavy going throughout. It also features Billy Zane…

Article by Alix Turner

Alix joined Ready Steady Cut back in 2017, bringing their love for horror movies and nasty gory films. Unsurprisingly, they are Rotten Tomatoes Approved, bringing vast experience in film critiquing. You will likely see Alix enjoying a bloody horror movie or attending a genre festival.

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Ghosts of War

Ghosts of War Movie Review

Written by Shane D. Keene

Released by Vertical Entertainment

Written and directed by Eric Bress 2020, 95 minutes, Rated R Released on July 17th, 2020

Starring: Brenton Thwaites as Chris Theo Rossi as Kirk Kyle Gallner as Tappert Skylar Astin as Eugene Alan Ritchson as Butchie

I went into Director Eric Bress’s new film, Ghosts of War , with pretty high expectations. I love a good war/horror movie mashup when it’s done well, which is rare, but there are few gems to be found. Films like Overlord and Dead Snow do a good job of delivering solid, scary entertainment with war as a backdrop; there are a couple of others, but they are few and far between. So, I grabbed this one at the first opportunity and hoped I’d love it. And you know what? I didn’t hate it. It kind of took me a minute to come to that conclusion because of a problem my funny bone couldn’t get around – I’ll explain – but I finally did. So, read on and let me tell you some great things about it and what made me love it upon assessment.

The two things that most often detract from, or outright destroy, these types of films are shoddy storytelling, and/or unforgivably bad acting. Most of the time you get a whole lot of blood and guts and gore, oh my, but they never get around to justifying it with the plot. They rely on action and practical effects to carry the day and it just doesn’t get me there. This one, I’m delighted to tell you, breaks that sorry mold. The story and characterizations give you something to really sink your incisors into. In WWII, five American soldiers, veterans of hardcore brutal warfare, are holding a German outpost toward the tail end of the war, waiting for their backup. While they are waiting, they’re beset by vengeful spirits. Terrifying ones that make the ghosts of The Conjuring seem like pizza delivery drivers by comparison. It is a fast, fun, brutal bloodfest, chock full of gore and comes complete with an insane battle scene between Americans, Nazis, and ghosts.

Then there are the five actors, some, like Theo Rossi (Shades, Luke Cage ), are immediately recognizable, others, not so much, but still bring solid performances. The two most remarkable, though, are Rossi and Kyle Gallner. Rossi for a few reasons, but mostly because he’s really good at convincing you he’s scared shitless. But when the action is waning, he also brings that wiseass air of aloof confidence that he’s known for. As acting jobs go, his and Gallner’s are both B-movie gold, managing to show real emotion and quirky personality traits that make them appealing and memorable. Every one of them play their roles well and deliver solid story-driving performances.

Now, the fun stuff. Remember those old Scooby-Doo cartoons? Well, there are a few scenes in Ghosts of War that would do Scooby and the gang proud. And once I flash-burned that idea into my head, I had difficulty not laughing at a lot of the movie that I probably wouldn’t normally find humorous. But it didn’t make me hate the film, and although unintentional, in a way it just makes it more fun. The film made me laugh, terrified the hell out of me in spots, and is gloriously bloody and packed with wall-to-wall brutality. All the sorts of things that draw me to these movies in the first place.

So, rest assured, the Mystery Machine never makes an appearance, but the camera work, acting, directing, and lighting all stellar. And best of all, it’s a damn good story with an almost not nonsensical plot to it, and it comes bearing all the traits of a good time. Not great, but worth your time.

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[Movie Review] GHOSTS OF WAR

• July 14, 2020
• Devin March

One thing I really appreciated about GHOSTS OF WAR was the casting. All of our five primary characters hold a wide variety of acting experience from films like Pitch Perfect , to shows like “Letterkenny”. Tappert, played by Kyle Gallner has had roles in several horror films and that experience shines through firmly in this film. I also felt surprised seeing Alan Ritchson (Butchie) in a role as serious as this considering most things I’ve seen him in have been comedies or family films (“Blue Mountain State”, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ). I think that he really brought a strong contribution as a character to the squad of soldiers in this film, even if it was brief. The casting for GHOSTS OF WAR was unique and very suitable. Plus they brought in Billy Zane! Who doesn’t love him!?

With the current state of the world, I will say I had a blast watching soldiers kill some Nazis, even if I thought it might be a bit over the top for most viewers in some scenes. However, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love gore in movies. Although the bloodshed in the film was very present, it did feel appropriate considering the time period the film is set. War is savagery and I’m quite sure what I saw on film was extremely mild compared to reality. The heartbreak and trauma have to be worse than anything we could ever see on screen.

Now let’s get into the “scare” component of the film. There are a lot of stories about Nazis dabbling in the occult and that is one thing this film strongly taps into. For those who have seen Overlord , we caught a taste of the twisted Nazi experimentation during World War II. But I felt that is only an ankle-deep exploration of what these bastards did during the war. GHOSTS OF WAR gives us another look at what these sick and arrogant people did to further their reach of power. The haunting presence of Nazi occultism generated the jump scares throughout the film. Typically, I dislike jump scares because I find them to be a very cheap way to scare audiences. However, GHOSTS OF WAR creates a chilling ambiance that made the scares incredibly effective and actually made me tense up periodically during my viewing. There’s a particular scene involving a bathtub, a drill, and some Nazi soldiers in gas masks that gave me quite a fright. Despite these impactful scenes, there were a few scenes with ghosts that appeared a bit hokey to me but it didn’t make the scares any less effective.

GHOSTS OF WAR did an amazing job of playing on the fear of the supernatural and occultism and nailed the time period aspect of World War II.  I had a blast watching and it furthered my love for period piece films. Out of all of the new films I’ve watched during this real-life horror movie we’re all living in, GHOSTS OF WAR has to be my favorite film of 2020! There’s a major twist that I don’t want to spoil but it honestly dropped my jaw.

If you’re a fan of war movies and haunted houses, look no further because GHOSTS OF WAR is the movie for you! I would love to see this in a double feature at the drive-in with Overlord , Dog Soldiers , or even We Are Still Here . Please don’t sleep on GHOSTS OF WAR because it’s one hell of a ride!

GHOSTS OF WAR  will be available On-Demand and on Digital on July 17, 2020.

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Film review: ghosts of war (2020).

Damien Riley 10/04/2020 Film Reviews

Five American soldiers assigned to hold a French Chateau near the end of World War II. This unexpected respite quickly descends into madness when they encounter a supernatural enemy more terrifying than anything seen on the battlefield.

Review: This film is on Amazon Prime Video currently, at time of writing this. I’m happy to review this film that really made an attempt at being a blockbuster. Brenton Thwaites (“The Giver,” “Gods of Egypt”) is just the younger fame aboard. We even have Billy Zane in the cast! Who can forget him in Titanic and so many other amazing stories like Daredevil. The guy has gotten around! He still looks like one scary dude too I might add. In this oddly told tale of ghosts in WWII however, he’s sort of the voice of reason that explains all the supernatural phenomena going on. Other stars in the film include: Theo Rossi, Kyle Gallner, Skylar Astin, and Alan Ritchson. I enjoyed this film, especially the odd ending but it’s still a B movie by my estimation. Despite the director’s efforts and the “cast of thousands” it makes only a small splash in a genre that’s seen this before. Let me flesh it out for you.

Our director is Eric Bress, also known as writer/director of “The Butterfly Effect.” That’s another intense film that is in the category of suspense but not horror. Some of the images and highly intense scenes in it are reminiscent of “Ghosts of War” but it’s more of a drama. The writing is excellent. This is his strength. I admire any writer who earns the privilege to direct his own work. Bress is one of those directors. But maybe he should have done some films in between? You know, to keep his chops up? “Ghosts of War” has mostly failed with IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. At the same time it has scored well with RogerEbert.com and random scatterings of reviews on the web. We have war scenes and a war backdrop. After that though, it’s 100% ghost story.

Does it have creepy, scary moments? Not to an extreme degree. Still, much time and expense was put into the soundtrack. The semi-transparent ghosts reminded me of the ones in Guillermo del Toro’s “Devil’s Backbone.” I experienced the “chilling” creepy factor I crave in horror watching the film. A sleepy, foggy atmosphere permeates the film. There is nothing scary here like a jump scare is scary. At the same time, it has that heady feeling that supernatural events are bound to occur, and they do.

Another film that it reminded me of is “Overlord.” That was an amazing film based in WWII. The Nazis has a role similar to those in “Ghosts of War.” It’s a similar walk through that history but there are no frightening scenes that even come close to Overlord in “Ghosts of War.” I think that was intentional. Much has also has been written about the ending. Some are confused by it and some ratchet up the score because they think it’s so good. It is unexpected that’s for sure.

“Overlord” starts with a multi-million dollar effect of being in a WWII bomber parachuting down. I’m afraid of heights so this opening sequence freaks me out every time. To a horror fan, it’s fun to be freaked out. I know you agree right? You won’t see vast scenes like that in “ Ghosts of War .”

Cinematography and music make this film much better than its story. I see this film as driven by ambience. The story weaves and the ending really goes a different way. Still, it’s interesting what the director does, I do recommend it for fans of war films, horror, and the actors. Do people still go to see movies because their favorite actors are in them? I do sometimes.

In conclusion, this is no B movie. It has a cast of many famous actors including Billy Zane. It is set in war but the actors and the ghosts make it a universally pleasing horror. It’s highest feature is the creepy ambience. The story is good and the ending twist is excellent. While not perfect, I think you will enjoy this film. I recommend it as a 7/10.

Tags 2020 Alan Ritchson Billy Zane Brenton Thwaites Eric Bress GHOSTS OF WAR Kyle Gallner Skylar Astin Theo Rossi

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Ghosts of War – Movie Review (3/5)

Posted by Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard | Jul 13, 2020 | 4 minutes

GHOSTS OF WAR is a new horror-thriller from Eric Bress, who also wrote and directed The Butterfly Effect (2004). His new movie starts out pretty damn perfectly but then it completely collapses on itself. In several ways. Read how in our full Ghosts of War review here!

GHOSTS OF WAR is a new horror-thriller that starts out so well that my expectations for it shot up immediately. Unfortunately, it’s a near-total collapse before it ends. I have rarely been so disappointed with how a movie progresses.

In terms of both style, cast and storyline, Ghosts of War has so much potential. There is nothing to really warn you that this movie is about to just up and implode on itself. Even though there is actually a very strange moment early on that  should have been an initial warning.

Continue reading our Ghosts of War review below.

The cast of  Ghosts of War

Before I get into what went wrong with  Ghosts of War , let me start out by giving credit to the cast. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the cast of Ghosts of War . In fact, the five actors starring in this movie deliver some really solid performances.

The five brothers in arms are portrayed by Brenton Thwaites, Theo Rossi, Kyle Gallner, Skylar Astin, and Alan Ritchson.

Brenton Thwaites is in charge as Chris. You may recognize Thwaites from Mike Flanagan’s Oculus  or  Gods of Egypt (2016). Theo Rossi (“Juice” on Sons of Anarchy ) plays Kirk, who is a strong and stable soldier.

Kyle Gallner is the soldier that seems to take it way too far one moment but then calmly helps Jewish refugees the next. He basically has a very strong sense of right and wrong. Kyle Gallner is quickly making a career out of portraying characters that a just a bit too far out there – most recently in The Master Cleanse . And he always does an excellent job.

Skylar Astin is Eugene. The classic brainy guy, who wears glasses and always has a book with him. Prior to watching Skylar Astin in this, I knew him primarily from Pitch Perfect so this felt very different.

Finally, Alan Ritchson plays “Butchie” and yes, he is the  big butch guy, who always fights for his brothers. You should know Alan Ritchson from  Black Mirror ( the “Nosedive” episode ), The Hunger Games, and  Titans .

Billy Zane is also in this movie (also as a producer), but honestly, I haven’t expected anything impressive from him for years. No disrespect meant, despite the fact that I know it sounds that way, he simply delivers the same performance every time. It isn’t a character, I see. Instead, I just see Billy Zane in the movie… and having him speak badly German does not help!

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Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!

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Movie Review: Ghosts of War (2020)

• MJT Gregory
• Movie Reviews
• --> July 16, 2020

The mission brief to Ghosts of War is simple: Five American soldiers must defend a chateau in 1944 Normandy, that, as luck would have it, is apparently haunted. Sadly, however, this trope-laden plot is the only pillar of stability in an incomprehensible mess of a film, which burns like a ragged bullet-wound to the stomach.

Writer/director Eric Bress (director of 2004’s “The Butterfly Effect” and writer of “ The Final Destination ” and “Final Destination 2”) introduces a band of identikit soldiers lifted straight out of “Saving Private Ryan.” They are: A wild-eyed sniper (Kyle Gallner, “ Welcome to Happiness ”), a bookish and bespectacled translator (Skylar Astin, “ 21 and Over ”), a big tough-guy called “Butch” (Alan Ritchson, “ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows ”), a story-telling soldier (Theo Rossi, “ When the Bough Breaks ”), and a clean-cut all-American captain (Brenton Thwaites, “ A Violent Separation ”), tortured by some unknown secret. These stale war-genre characters receive orders to guard a familiar horror-genre setting — the spooky mansion full of doll houses, music boxes, creaking floorboards, and the occasional jump scare.

What begins as a bad movie quickly devolves into a complete editorial shamble. Sequences have clearly been inexplicably cut or reordered — characters appear with unexplained facial scratches, only for the injuries to disappear in the subsequent scene, then reappear in the next.

But beyond just being poorly put together on a technical level, the themes of Ghosts of War also manage to be both boring and offensive. It offers a nasty and simplistic view of WWII history, casually introducing bedraggled holocaust survivors with no clear purpose other than a deliberate attempt to score historical points and earn moral capital. Enemy assailants are portrayed as frothing-mouthed foreigners straight out of “Team America,” except without the irony of satire.

The film is offensive across the spectrum — name your tribe and it will find a feather to ruffle. The result is an unintended desire for the evil phantoms of the chateau to exterminate our repugnant group of stereotypical heroes as quickly as possible. And despite the glorification of combat, there is a total absence of military swagger. This is war-crime porn for the “Call of Duty” generation.

Ultimately, the laborious and coincidence-dependent plot to “hold the fort” at all costs against insurmountable (and unseen) odds felt much like the viewing experience — a gargantuan effort to dig in and grit through. A bizarre twist in the third-act does nothing to reset the wrongs of the previous 80 minutes — of a 94-minute runtime — leaving us feeling cheated, confused, and angry.

A cinematic court-martial should be called. Ghosts of War should be sentenced to death by firing squad, leaving its tormented spirit to drift across the ether of streaming platforms, haunting any viewer unfortunate enough to have watched it.

Tagged: France , ghost , haunted house , Nazi , soldier , WWII

London-dwelling twenty-something | Work in the city, escape on the screen | Tweet me happy @MJTGregory

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Ghosts of War (Movie Review)

Luke's rating: ★ ★ director: eric bress | release date: 2020.

In 2004 Eric Bress capitalized on Ashton Kutcher’s popularity to deliver The Butterfly Effect —a film that was against type for the primarily comedic actor. Out grossing its budget by a long shot, one would assume this success would open doors for bigger, better projects. Fast forward to 2020 and Bress’s sophomore film Ghosts of War comes to us with little fanfare after a 16-year hiatus at the helm. The gap proves to have not affected the filmmaker’s ability to create an uneasy cinematic aesthetic, but the film‘s ambitions eventually unravel, revealing a concept that’s silly at its core and ultimately forgettable.

Brenton Thwaites leads as Chris, one of many soldiers riding out the end of World War II in Europe. They arrive at a French Chateau with orders to relieve the soldiers currently stationed there and hold the position. The mansion seems like the ideal spot to rest their tired bodies, but the soldiers leaving seem more than willing and relieved to depart. One by one the soldiers explore the cavernous estate and discover evidence of something awful. The group soon uncovers that vengeful spirits lurk in the shadows looking to settle a score.

Bress’ Ghosts of War is semi surreal to witness. It feels like a movie that was frozen in time, forgotten, and hastily thrown out into the ether hoping to catch an audience. The film has the look and feel of a Hollywood ghost story that doles out jump scares like Sour Skittles presented as an amuse-bouche. Throughout the first two acts it’s hard to shake that something seems off, but you can’t quite tell if it’s the unrefined storytelling or a purposeful hint to a last act reveal. In reality, it’s a little bit of both. Without tipping off what Bress has up his sleeve the cloak-and-dagger of it all will likely be met with fewer exclamatory “Ah-Ha’s!” from the audience and many more eye rolls.

Does its haphazard logic, cheap jump scares, and unfortunate reveal make it an irredeemable slog? Not entirely. The cast is inspired and full of recognizable faces. Skylar Astin, Theo Rossi, and Kyle Gallner all put in some serviceable work. There are also aspects of the ghost story which are effective, but there’s no real ingenuity or nuanced methodology behind the madness. In spite of what it does well Ghosts of War can’t escape the legacy of other films have done time and time again before Bress’ directorial absence.

Ghosts of War ’s fatal flaw lies in the fact that it’s trying to be smarter than its audience—the same people who’ve become accustomed to the tricks Bress pulls along the way. Tonally the film fails to assert itself, coming off as a bland amalgamation of dark haunted house horror with a tasteless side of cheese and hardened war thriller. Ghosts of War is a film whose reach exceeds its grasp, undercutting it’s serious aspirations and leaving it as a bit of a silly mess.

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Ghosts of War

Ghosts of War is part of a recent wave of war movies with a supernatural flavour, slotting neatly alongside the likes of 2018’s Overlord (a funny macabre “Nazis do the weirdest things” near-miss produced by JJ Abrams), Frankenstein’s Army (a knowingly ridiculous 2013 film in which, at one point, one of the Baron’s descendant attempts to splice together a communist and Nazi brain). And Dead Snow , which featured Undead Nazis and had one of the best taglines of recent years – “Ein. Zwei. Die”.

Before launching its assault, writer/director Eric Bress’s film takes time establishing its bona fides as a proper war movie. Normandy 1944, a group of five soldiers are on a take-no-prisoners mission to relieve a detail who have been housesitting the former local HQ of Nazi high command. When they get there, the guys they’re relieving seem inordinately eager to get away.

It’s a vast and beautiful chateau, once owned by a French family since brutally murdered by the Nazis. Bress takes time giving us a tour of the building and introducing the guys. Brenton Thwaites plays Chris, their handsome and thoughtful leader. Alan Ritchson is Butchie, the strapping philistine of the group. Theo Rossi is the dependable Kirk. Kyle Gallner plays Tappert, the one who pulls the gold teeth from dead Nazis’ mouths and who you’re glad is not on the enemy’s side. Finally, Skylar Astin is Eugene, the piano-playing cultured one who drinks Earl Grey tea.

So far, so war movie. And then funny things start happening – at first bumps in the night, nothing more. But aided by Michael Suby’s screeching-strings soundtrack and some murkily moody lighting by DP Lorenzo Senatore, Bress begins transitioning us out of one kind of movie and into another.

A pentagram is found under a carpet, figures start to materialise and de-materialise willy-nilly. And then, in what feels like a moment of genre confusion, some actual living, breathing Nazis turn up and we’re plunged back into a scenario of bullets flying, limbs being lost and blood gushing from gaping neck wounds.

The genre-splicing continues. Tappert, attempting to theorise the supernatural goings-on with reference to his own favourite horror movies, starts singing the praises of I Was a Teenage Werewolf . Hang on a second, you might think, no one used the phrase “teenage” anything in 1944 and that film didn’t come out until 1957. Either someone’s made a boo-boo or something odd is afoot.

It turns out to be the latter, and in the film’s last third, which adds Billy Zane to the mix, things shift more and more into a hi-tech here and now so pointed comparisons can be made between US action during the Second World War and inaction in later conflicts. Afghanistan specifically, for the avoidance of doubt, where the busy narrative finally comes to rest on a family of Afghans whose fate looks like a replays of that of the French family at the hands of the Nazis.

And so an engaged and neatly conceived horror/war movie piles another genre on top and turns into a sci-fi/horror/war movie. Bress paints a heroic and romantic picture of fighting men down the ages and also does what most military organisations try to do – to present its soldiers as men linked with past and future brothers in arms in a military continuum. Less successfully, having painstakingly set out his stall in the film’s opening scenes, Bress waits until very late in the day to start declaring what he’s really about, and ideas and plot twists and new developments eventually start piling in on top of each other at bewildering speed.

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Ghosts Of War Review: A Movie Horror Fans Will Love

Ghosts Of War is a super creepy war movie that is full of jump scares. I love me some horror movies, but this one sure is intense!

If you know me, you know that I love horror movies. Don’t get me wrong, I hate being scared, but for some reason I enjoy doing it to myself. Yeah, I don’t get it either. One of my favorite aspects of horror movies is the suspense. I also kind of have a thing for gore. Again, I totally know this isn’t normal, but it’s me. 

Ghosts of war takes all of the things I love about horror movies, and sticks in it a war movie — another one my of my favorite genres. So clearly, this movie is an absolute must watch in my opinion. This movie is beyond creepy. 

Five soldiers are ordered to hold a French Chateau near the end of World War II. When they show up to relieve the group that is already there, they all but run from the place. One even leaves behind his ruck sack. It doesn’t take long for them to figure out why. 

Creepy things start happening right away. Hearing noises, seeing things, and eventually, it goes a step further. Eventually one of them finds a journal in the home and discovers that there was a family in the house — and the Nazis murdered them when they first took the house. They drowned the son, hung the daughter, and set the father on fire — all before brutally murdering the mother.

When a group of Nazis show up and try to take the chateau, things get really crazy. The ghosts sort of help them fight them, and one of their own gets severely injured in the process. 

As he is dying, he tells them to remember, and that this isn’t real. That it was them. I had no clue what that meant, but I knew it would mean something at the end of the movie. I refuse to give spoilers but let’s just say I had no clue where this twist was going — but it was amazing when it was revealed.

Overall Thoughts

If you love horror movies that are filled with jump scares, Ghosts of War is for you. There is also some gore, although I have seen worse. The story overall is actually a good one. Honestly, often horror movies are lacking when it comes to plot but I was hooked into this one from the beginning, just trying desperately to guess what was happening. 

I refuse to give spoilers because trust me when I say, this is more than worth watching from beginning to end. There were moments where my heart was pounding out of my chest, and then I jumped a mile when the suspense was finally broken. 

P.S. The ghosts themselves are terrifying close up. So be ready for that. You can see them on the poster and they don’t look so bad… that changes in the actual film.

About Ghosts Of War

Five battle-hardened American soldiers are assigned to hold a French Chateau near the end of World War II. Formerly occupied by the Nazi high command, this unexpected respite quickly descends into madness when they encounter a supernatural enemy far more terrifying than anything seen on the battlefield.

GHOSTS OF WAR stars the ensemble cast of:

• Brenton Thwaites (The Giver, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales)
• Alan Ritchson (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series)
• Skylar Astin (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” Pitch Perfect series)
• Theo Rossi (“Luke Cage,” “Sons of Anarchy”)
• Kyle Gallner (American Sniper, The Finest Hour)
• Billy Zane (Titanic, Dead Calm)
• Shaun Toub (“Homeland,” Crash)

The film is the directorial sophomore film for screenwriter Eric Bress ( The Butterfly Effect, The Final Destination ).

GHOSTS OF WAR will be available on digital on demand July 17, 2020 and on DirecTV on June 18, 2020.

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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.

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Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Review: ghosts of war.

Director: Eric Bress

Screenplay: Eric Bress

“Ghosts of War” is one of the movies that almost went under my radar. When I noticed this movie, it was only available in a streaming service to which I'm not subscribed to and after a while, I forgot about it. It wasn't until it landed on Netflix that I was reminded by Damon, the mastermind behind Slasher , the social media app for horror fans, that it got back to my radar and gave it a go. 

The movie’s plot follows five North American soldiers located in France in the middle of World War II. The five soldiers arrive at an old abandoned mansion, which they must protect until their relief comes. In the mansion, the soldiers encounter a supernatural force much more frightening than their war enemies. 

The group of soldiers interpreted by Brenton Thwaites (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), Kyle Gallner (“American Sniper”), Alan Ritchson (“Hunger Games: Catching Fire”), Theo Rossi (“Sons of Anarchy”), and Skylar Astin (“Pitch Perfect”) arrives at the mansion, where they meet another group of soldiers that protected the place, and that seems relieved to be able to get out of there as fast as they can. The outgoing soldiers’ reaction is the first signal of something being out of place in the house, and its presence doesn’t take long to be felt. During the first night the soldiers spend in the house, they start hearing noises and experiencing supernatural events. 

The cinematography and the atmosphere are two things that quickly stand out in “Ghosts of War”. As soon as the soldiers arrive at the house, it feels imposing and the atmosphere oppressive, which gets denser and denser as the movie progresses. The beautiful cinematography supports the atmosphere, showing through its clever composition every detail and dark corner that carries the message of something sinister roaming around the place. The visuals are only affected by a weak CGI that ends up being a hindrance instead of a benefit. 

The plot of “Ghosts of War”, written by Eric Bress (“The Butterfly Effect”) , who also directs, is another great success of the movie. Although there are moments in which some actions don’t make much sense and are only included in virtue of placing a jump scare, the movie’s plot is captivating and knows how to keep its secret until the last moment. What seems to be a simple haunted house story increasingly tangles until the viewer is not sure of what’s happening. Near the end, everything is surprisingly revealed, and every detail from the script ties up precisely. The ending could have done some things better but it is a great ending nonetheless. 

“Ghosts of War” is a crude representation of war and trauma that ties up to a haunted house story. This combination offers consequential crude visuals from the violence in wars and frightening moments in the house that joins an interesting plot to produce a great horror movie. What seems to be a simple story becomes complicated to the extent where the viewer doesn’t know what’s happening or how it will end, later getting surprised by the unexpected ending.

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‘Ghosts Of War’ review: soldiers get spooked in supernatural WWII horror

If the Nazis weren't enough, these G.I.s have to fend off murderous spirits too

G hosts of Wa r is a bad film, from its almost comically blunt title onwards. Yes, the ghosts are not just metaphorical memories but also actual spooky apparitions. The real shame is the ghosts aren’t that scary and the war scenes aren’t that gripping. If you’re going to commit to a title that gives the whole game away, at least fully commit to it in the manner of, say, Snakes on a Plane .

Directing his first film since 2004’s The Butterfly Effect , screenwriter Eric Bress provides us with a Second World War film set in Nazi-occupied France. It’s 1944 and five American soldiers are ordered to look after a chateau that was previously used by the Nazi top brass. Upon arriving at the plush and well-stocked abode, the quintet are disconcerted. The soldiers they relieve of duty are keen to leave pronto and bizarrely admit they weren’t even sleeping in the comfortable bedrooms upstairs during their stay. Soon, our gang are beset by an attack from German soldiers and nocturnal terrors that test their sanity. But is everything as it seems?

We chiefly see things from the point of view of Chris, who’s played by Brenton Thwaites ( Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge and Gods of Egypt ). This choice seems mildly unusual, given that Theo Rossi (from Sons of Anarchy ), who plays tough guy Kirk here is surely the more charismatic actor. Skylar Astin from the first two Pitch Perfect s and Glee , is also more interesting in his part as brainbox Eugene. Still, the actors do their best with rote, unimaginative dialogue and somewhat thin characterisation. They’re not helped by some unconvincing CGI and other scenes that seem bizarrely over-lit, a bad choice for any film but especially anything aiming for horror, a genre that so often relies on distinct moods of shadow and darkness.

Fans of either The Butterfly Effect or Final Destination 2 , which Bress wrote, will probably assume he’s filled this new film with fiendish scares, gore and a clever sci-fi mystery to keep us guessing. Up to a point, he has. There are some gruesome scenes and the ghosts do provide some terror but in trying to combine a war film and a horror film, it feels a bit feeble. Mildness is fine in a drama of sensitivity and grace but that is not what’s needed here. It’s certainly nowhere near as fun or gruesome as Overlord , Julius Avery’s far more entertaining 2018 US-soldiers-behind-enemy-lines Second World War film. That aside, when the inevitable twist does come, it’s so lame it’ll make most viewers roll their eyes for the remaining 20 minutes of the runtime.

• Director: Eric Bress
• Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Theo Rossi, Kyle Gallner
• Release date: July 17 ( Digital )

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Review: ‘Ghosts of War’ is hauntingly bad

In 2004, first-time director Eric Bress gave us “The Butterfly Effect.” While not beloved by film critics at the time, the film has since found its audience and achieved somewhat of a cult following. It would go on to make nearly $100 million at the worldwide box office against just a $13 million dollar budget. While the star power of a young Ashton Kutcher certainly helped boost the numbers, it was a certified hit all around.

That was 16 years ago, and Bress has yet to direct another film – until now. But after “Ghosts of War,” maybe that hiatus was a good thing.

“Ghosts of War” follows five American soldiers assigned to hold and safeguard a French chateau near the end of World War II. Instantly, the film does a nice job establishing its real-world setting, beginning with a can’t-miss splash page informing audiences that we’re in Nazi-occupied France circa 1944. As the group makes its way across the beautiful French countryside, Bress gives audiences a first-hand look at who these characters really are in a visceral fashion. The unit, led by Lt. Goodson (Brenton Thwaites), has all the usual hallmarks you would expect after taking War Movie 101. There’s the earnest Eugene (Skylar Astin), the meathead, Butchie (Alan Ritchson), the straight-laced Kirk (Theo Rossi), and the wild card, Tappert (Kyle Gallner). The crew encounters Nazi soldiers and quickly dispatches them in sadistic fashion. The violence is brutal and bloody – these men have been through hell.

Luckily for them, their newest objective seems like a vacation compared to everything they have witnessed so far. Babysit the Chateau until their replacements relieve them, easy enough. Their excitement increases once they set eyes on the vast estate – it’s a beautiful, sprawling manor. Another American crew is there waiting to be relieved, too, and they are all too enthusiastic about leaving. It’s at this point that the World War II drama becomes a straight-up haunted house film. This does sound like a really fun idea, and it might work with a different film, but the execution from this point in the movie deteriorates in quality quickly. Even the last gasp of a plot in the final 20 minutes is laughably absurd.

If we’re looking for positives, though, the chateau itself is a great set piece. All the various rooms and hallways look very “lived in” and appropriate for the period, perfectly fitting for a house that may or may not be haunted. The first night ramps up the tension, with each soldier experiencing something paranormal. A shadow barely in frame, footsteps and things that go bump in the night. The group discovers a diary (how convenient!) that belonged to the owners of the house, revealing the horrible deaths that became them at the hands of evil Nazis.

As the ghosts become more sinister, the film falters. All the familiar trappings of the genre play themselves out. There’s no true fear here, just cheap jump scares reduced to lunging ghosts and well timed musical stings.

Everything leading up to the crew’s arrival at the manor is exceptional, though. The cinematography from Lorenzo Senatore is quite beautiful, and the dynamic lighting and visuals really emphasize the surroundings. There is definitely something to be said about the competency of the crew involved, but unfortunately, that did not last long.

Bress – who also wrote the script – wants to equate the horrors of war and the psychological degradation with being haunted by ghosts. The sentiment is there, but the balance is off. The tonal shift between full on horror and the third act – when he tries to make a big political and moral statement – are so jarring that the end result is a muddled mess that fails to highlight anything he is trying to bring to our attention.

Do not be fooled by the ending, it is neither clever nor insightful. Perhaps there is a reason we did not see a film from him in nearly two decades.

Star Rating:

“Ghosts of War” is available to rent on video on demand platforms beginning July 17.

alan ritchson , brenton thwaites , eric bress , film , ghost , ghosts of war , Home Featured , home release , horror , joel winstead , kyle gallner , review , Reviews , scary , skylar astin , streaming , theo rossi , vertical entertainment , video on demand , war , world war II

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Ghosts of War Review: A Few Nice Twists Can’t Keep This Afloat

By Grant Hermanns

Brenton Thwaites as Chris

Theo Rossi as Kirk

Skylar Astin as Eugene

Kyle Gallner as Tappert

Alan Ritchson as Butchie

Shaun Toub as Mr. Helwig

Billy Zane as Dr. Engel

Written and Directed by Eric Bress

You can rent or buy your copy here!

Ghosts of War Review:

Despite being filled with potential for numerous horrific tales, World War II has very rarely been touched upon or utilized in the horror genre, maybe vaguely referenced in multiple but very rarely directly used and though Eric Bress’  Ghosts of War  manages to get a few decent scares out of this time period, it still proves to be a mostly lackluster and unscary effort.

During the bleakest days of WW2, five battled-hardened soldiers are given a cake assignment; to hold down a Chateau in the French countryside formerly used by the Nazi high command. What begins as an unexpected respite quickly descends into madness when they encounter an enemy far more terrifying than anything seen on the battlefield. Cut off from contact with the outside world, Lieutenant Goodson and his men begin experiencing inexplicable events and are taunted by malevolent unseen forces. Something is occupying the house; an evil that will not let them leave alive.

Bress is not a bad filmmaker by any means, as he and J. Mackye Gruber proved in their directorial debuts  The Butterfly Effect  that they had plenty of style behind the camera and knew how to craft an emotional and twisty script, but in looking at the rest of his filmography, it becomes apparent that he can’t quite sustain without Gruber and  Ghosts of War  is one of the clearest examples. The story may not be the most original affair, but it offers what could have been a nice setup for either a simply fun haunted house ride or the twistier heights that it shoots for, but instead in trying to aim for both it mostly fails in the same manner.

The dialogue is a little rote and full of clichés for both the horror and war genres, with soldiers lamenting the atrocities they’ve committed and horrible things they’ve seen and reflecting on their childhoods growing up and the various spiritual and superstitious beliefs hey may or may not hold. The writing does also initially appear to be full of anachronisms and continuity errors, but as the film progresses these start to resolve themselves in intriguing fashion and offers up a few unique twists to the story that could’ve been great had the surrounding film been better.

As far as the scares go, it’s all pretty par for the course in the modern genre of filmmakers believing that the best way to terrify a viewer is to throw something in front of the camera that wasn’t there a second ago with a very loud musical screech. That’s not to say that some of the imagery on display in front of the lens isn’t disturbing, because the spirits are pretty haunting to look at in a few of their brief appearances, but the more they linger on screen, the less-intimidating they are and the jump scares themselves prove to be uninteresting and more evident of a rush job than taking the time to build suspense.

Despite a cast full of talented performers, they all mostly prove to be uninteresting in their fairly routine characters, becoming a meld of forgettable and cardboard cutouts that make it hard to truly care about them. Brenton Thwaites’ Chris fluctuates back and forth between a wide-eyed younger soldier thoroughly afraid of their current situation and a leader-type trying to help keep his group together, but be it his performance, the writing, or both, it feels like a real imbalance of a central character that proves hard to connect to and even harder to care for.

Though  Ghosts of War  has some interesting ideas on how to blend a unique story with an old-fashioned haunted house thrill ride, its lackluster writing, uninteresting characters, and dull performances add up to a true waste of potential.

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Ghosts of War Ending, Explained

Written and directed by Eric Bress (‘ The Butterfly Effect ’), ‘Ghosts of War’ transitions from one genre to another several times throughout its 90-minute runtime. It’s a war drama in the first act, a horror in the second, and a science fiction in the third. While the movie is more or less predictable because of how Bress employs jump scares and traditional war film tropes, the final twist is genuinely surprising. It gives the otherwise conventional film layers of complexity and makes it quite entertaining. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Ghosts of War Plot Synopsis

In 1944, at the height of World War II, five US soldiers, Chris (Brenton Thwaites), Kirk (Theo Rossi), Eugene (Skylar Astin), Tappert (Kyle Gallner), and Butchie (Alan Ritchson), make their way through the French countryside towards their newest assignment, which is to guard a mansion until further notice. Before the Allied forces take over, the house has been used by the Nazi high command. When they arrive there, they discover that the members of the squad that they are supposed to replace at the mansion are seemingly spooked by something and can’t wait to get out of there.

This confuses Chris and his men. The supplies are full, and the palatial house offers every comfort and luxury imaginable. When they question the other crew, the answers they receive are evasive at best. It doesn’t take them long to determine the real reason for the previous group’s hasty departure. The house is haunted by the spirits of its original owners, a family of four, who were killed by the Nazis apparently because they were giving shelter to Jewish people.

The son (Kaloyan Hristov) was drowned. The daughter, Christina (Yanitsa Mihailova), was hanged. The father, Mr. Helwig (Shaun Toub), was doused with kerosene and burnt alive in front of his wife (Laila Banki). The five American soldiers start getting odd messages like “I have no legs” through Morse codes. Later, a demonic voice screams at them that if they try to leave, they will die. One night, the Nazis attempt to take back the mansion. Although the attack is squashed, Butchie is mortally wounded after trying to protect the others by falling on a grenade.

Before Butchie dies, he repeatedly screams, “This isn’t real,” “It was us,” and Remember.” The remaining soldiers try to leave the mansion but find out that they can’t, as they always end up walking the same roads. They go back to the mansion, hoping that performing the last rites of the Helwig family will free them of the loop. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. They get attacked by the ghosts. However, suddenly, the ghosts start glitching, and Chris wakes up in the real world.

Ghosts of War Ending

In the end, it turns out that none of the things that Chris and his men experienced until that point in the film is real. They are modern soldiers who were deployed in Afghanistan. During a mission to extract a high-value informant, they all suffered severe injuries and have been in a drug-induced coma since. They were placed in a World War II simulation to help them heal psychologically and mentally.

Dr. Engel is the man in charge of the off-the-record facility where Chris and others are kept. He is also represented in the simulation as the Nazi major whom the American soldiers encounter and kill. What Dr. Engel and his team didn’t foresee is that the subconscious minds of the injured soldiers will continue to remind them that the simulation isn’t real. The Morse code about not having legs is Chris’ subconscious reminding him that his legs had to be amputated following the mission. Kirk trying to scratch his legs is the result of a phantom itch, as he too lost his legs.

As Chris correctly figures out, the demonic voice on the radio is not a threat but a warning, which lets them know if they leave the simulation, they will die. Butchie’s self-sacrifice during the German attack was stimulating enough to wake him up from the coma. The fact that he gets injured during the Afghanistan mission while doing the very thing must have also played a crucial role in his awakening. According to Dr. Engel, Butchie died after seeing his physical condition, but before he did, he tried to make the others remember what actually happened.

The Vetrulek Curse

Because it is a simulation, the soldiers find themselves walking on a loop. The diary belonging to a German soldier that Eugene finds appears blank at first to Chris for the same reason. As the memories of their real lives begin to invade the simulation, the text in the diary suddenly becomes Arabic, and the Helwigs, an Afghan family. In the film, Vetrulek is an ancient Islamic curse employed by a victim of an atrocity towards people who stand by and do nothing.

Although it is entirely fictional, made up just for the film, it gives the horror aspects of ‘Ghosts of War’ a theological angle. In Afghanistan, the group’s mission was to move a physician and his family to a secure location in Kabul. The intel the doctor provided led to the capture of some of the top leaders of ISIS in the country. But the terrorists found out that he was working with the American forces. They arrive right before the extraction, forcing the team and the physician’s CIA handler to abort the mission.

They hid and watched helplessly as the members of the Afghan family were killed, in an exact manner as the Helwigs. After the terrorists were gone, the team came out of hiding. It was then that the mother rushed towards them, with an explosive in her hands. The ensuing explosion is what led to their current conditions. Before she dies, she curses them with Vetrulek. It has followed them into the simulation, tormenting and punishing them because they didn’t do anything to protect the Afghan family.

Return to the Simulation

After regaining his memories, Chris realizes what is happening and convinces the doctors to put him back into the simulation, so he can save his crew. However, he loses all his real-world memories during the transition and wakes up in the same forest as the opening scenes, with the same stranger covered in shadows watching him, and Chris asking, “What do you want?.’

The simulation versions of the team members are all resting in the same circular pattern as their real-life counterparts. Evidently, the simulation has undergone a restart. With his memories completely wiped, Chris doesn’t realize this, and is bound to relive the horrors of this digital hell once more along with his friends.

Read More: Scariest Horror Films of the 21st century

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