Film Review: THE WARD (2010)

Director: John Carpenter
Writers: Michael Rasmussen & Shawn Rasmussen
Running time: 88 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Horror/Thriller
UK Release date: 21^st January 2011

Watched on Sky+ Monday 9^th January 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

John Carpenter has made some of my favourite films, however, his more recent efforts have been a little wide of the mark. So it was with much trepidation that I hit the play button for this one; the reports I’d read had not been encouraging. Sorry to say the reports were right to some extent, although I don’t think it deserved some of the vitriolic bile aimed at it. I’ll tell you what I mean by that after this brief summary.

When the young Kristen is sent to a psychiatric ward in 1966, she finds herself with a group of young women who all have different problems. On her first night someone steals her blanket and yet she is locked alone in her room. The others, Emily, Sarah, Zoey and Iris are all adamant that there is no way out, but Kristen wants to leave. Things come to a head when she is attacked in the shower; not by one of the other girls, but by a ghost! Investigating, she finds the name, Alice Hudson and, as her fellow inmates begin to disappear one by one she gets more desperate to escape! But there’s a problem and her physician, Dr. Stringer, holds the key. I won’t say any more or the Spoiler Police will be locking me up (again).

It’s all quite well shot, but (to me) it has the feel of quite a low-budget picture. I felt some of the acting was quite forced, if not poor, in places (particularly at the beginning). Since nobody really stood out I will give honourable mentions to; Amber Heard as Kristen, Mamie Gummer as Emily, Danielle Panabaker as Sarah, Laura-Leigh as Zoey, Lyndsy Fonseca as Iris and Jared Harris as Dr. Stringer.

Some of the reviews I’ve read about this film have been really venomous in their criticism of it. To some extent I agree, John Carpenter is capable of making much better films than this. But on the other hand; what he has produced, if not entirely original, is still quite watchable (after a while) and there are some genuinely frightening moments in it. In conclusion I guess what I’m trying to say is yes, it’s not all that good, but at the same time it’s not all that bad either. There are some good ideas here but the execution didn’t quite work this time… As far as recommendation goes, I’ll leave that entirely up to you.

My score: 4.9/10.

IMDb Score: 5.6/10 (based on 10,186 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1369706/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 32/100 (based on 65 reviews counted at the time of going to press).
Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 27/100 (based on 9,057 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_ward/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Sarah: If I were you I'd watch out, new girl.

Dr. Stringer: What's the first thing you remember?
Kristen: Fire

Kristen: Look at me!
Sarah: Sorry, I don't converse with loonies.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://theward.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/
Trailer:

Film Review: HALLOWEEN (1978)

Co-Writer/Director: John Carpenter
Running time: 91 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

Genre: Horror/Thriller
USA Release date: 25^th October 1978

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 6^th November 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I got a little behind on my Halloween film watching and so I had to put this one back a bit. Not to worry, it’s still a great horror film even if you don’t watch it on its’ title night. It has been a long time since I last saw it and I had forgotten just how good it was. Yes, it’s dated, but that doesn’t detract from the way Carpenter draws the audience in to the horrors to come. I’ll give you more of my thoughts after this brief summary.

We first witness the 6 year old Michael Myers murder his older sister on Halloween night 1963. Flashing forwards 15 years, October 30^th, we see him escape the mental institution he has been kept in since then. We are also introduced to Dr. Sam Loomis, who firmly believes Myers to be pure evil. The next day, back in Michael Myers’ home town we meet Laurie Strode and her friends Annie Brackett and Lynda van der Klok who are planning their Halloween night. Two of them are babysitting, but there are plans, for two of them at least, to get together with their boyfriends later. Laurie has the feeling someone is watching them though… and she’s right. Dr. Loomis has also arrived in town, he has a feeling also that an old resident may be returning home. I’ll leave it there so as not to upset the Spoiler Police (Horror Movie Division).

A really well made film with some iconic scenes and a film that is genuinely scary. One of the things that strikes you about it is the music, also written by John Carpenter. It’s atmospheric and it has a refrain that everyone knows and associates with this film. All the performances were excellent; Jamie Lee Curtis in her first starring role did a great job as Laurie Strode and Donald Pleasence was great (as ever) as Dr. Sam Loomis. Also worthy of note were; Nancy Kyes as Annie Brackett, P.J. Soles as Lynda van der Klok and Charles Cyphers as Sheriff Leigh Brackett.

Of course all the usual horror movie clichés are here, including my pet favourite; walking into a dark room and NOT turning the lights on. Despite this I still very much enjoyed the way Carpenter slowly builds up the tension. The horror is in what he doesn’t show on the screen and that is what makes this a properly scary movie. The best pictures, I find, are those you make up in your own imagination and Carpenter allows us room to do that. As I’ve already said, it’s quite dated, but that doesn’t detract from it, it’s still a great horror film and one I have no problem in deeming… Recommended.

My score: 7.9/10

IMDb Score: 7.9/10 (based on 76,702 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0077651/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Dr. Sam Loomis: I met him, fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left. No reason, no conscience, no understanding; even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face and, the blackest eyes... the *devil's* eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... *evil*.

Annie Brackett: [Michael Myers's car cruises by the girls walking home from school] Hey, jerk! SPEED KILLS!
[the car screeches to a halt]
Annie Brackett: God, can't he take a joke?
Laurie: You know Annie some day you're going to get us all in deep trouble.
Lynda: Totally.
Annie Brackett: I HATE a guy with a car and no sense of humour.

Lindsey Wallace: I'm scared!
Laurie: There's nothing to be scared of.
Tommy Doyle: Are you sure?
[Laurie nods]
Tommy Doyle: How?
Laurie: I killed him...
Tommy Doyle: [shouts] But you can't kill the boogie man!

LINKS:
Official (John Carpenter) Site: http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies/hw/hw.html
Trailer:

Film Review: CHRISTINE (1983)

Director: John Carpenter
Running time: 110 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

Genre: Horror/Mystery/Thriller
UK release date: 2nd March 1984

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 27th February 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is one of those movies that I’ve seen bits and pieces of over the years, but never all the way through, until now. You see, it’s always on late at night when I get home from the pub and I either see the start, or a bit in the middle, or the start and the end (having fallen asleep in between). And so, for the first time I’ve seen it all the way through. It’s actually pretty good, not great, but certainly worth watching sober sometime. But more of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please help Arnie fix that beat up old Plymouth Fury while I write the next paragraph).

It is 1978 where Arnie Cunningham is a bit of a dork, he wears glasses and can’t get a girl to save his life. His best friend, Dennis Guilder, tries to help him out, but he’s just not cut out for that kind of thing yet. After a run-in with some bullies at school one day, Dennis is giving Arnie a lift home when Arnie spots a car for sale. It’s a beaten up red 1958 Plymouth Fury nicknamed ‘Christine’ by the owner whose brother, the former owner, had recently died. Arnie is instantly in love with the car and pays the asking price there and then. His parents don’t want the car at home and so he keeps it at Darnell’s ‘Do It Yourself Garage’ nearby. There is something strange about the car that Arnie can’t quite put his finger on, but he works hard to bring her back to her former glory. As time goes by he begins to become more and more confident in himself as his obsession with the car grows. By now he has a girlfriend, Leigh Cabot, but woe betide anyone that gets between Arnie and Christine. Now, you remember those bullies I mentioned earlier, well… Looks like that’s all you’re gonna get from me, you didn’t expect the entire thing did you? Sorry to disappoint.

Based on a novel by Stephen King I found this to be a pretty good adaptation of the story. The characters are well rounded and, of course, it’s a damn good tale. John Carpenter did an excellent job with the special effects, no CGI back then, but you wouldn’t know. Pretty good performances all round, particularly from Keith Gordon as Arnie Cunningham, he really had to ring the changes in this one. John Stockwell did a pretty good job as Dennis Guilder, as did Alexandra Paul as Leigh Cabot. I also have to mention Robert Prosky whose almost comic-book performance as Will Darnell was excellent and it was nice to see a younger Harry Dean Stanton as Detective Rudolph Junkins.

At the end of the day the star of the show is definitely the car, Christine. It has its own personality and a big role to play in the film. This is brought across very well by some excellent direction, some brilliant special effects and the performances of the human cast. It’s far from perfect I know, maybe a little long, but at the end of the day it’s still worth a watch (or two… preferably sober, but not essential)… Recommended.

My score: 6.5/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0085333/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/christine/
Official Site: http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies/ch/ch.html
Trailer: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/christine/trailers/