GhostWatcher 2

Ah, yes, it's Halloween once again and time for the onslaught of "scary" movies to flood the multiplexes and video stores (or Netflix if you swing that way). We've already been subjected to THE FOG (garbage) and at the time of this writing SAW 2 is poised to hit theaters (this time the killer will lay on the floor for 22 hours just to prove how crazy he is, and was anyone really begging for a sequel to that movie anyway?). If you're like me, you want something scary to watch this time of year and you've already exhausted your DVD collection and don't want to trek to the theater because you can watch commercials at home for free. If this sounds familiar, you're in luck.

Ghostwatcher 2 is a great movie to watch this year (I don't know how it would fare the rest of the year, but I'm definitely adding it to my annual film festival on that night of nights). It's an unusual and ambitious horror film that doesn't treat its audience like a group of mongoloid idiots and has more than a few good scares to goose you when you least expect it.

Short synopsis: Tracy Cain suffers trauma from a car accident and soon after begins hearing voices which drive her to the point of seizures. Exhausting all other avenues, her father hires the Ghostwatcher, Laura Kove, to investigate and find out what's what. That's all you should know before you watch this movie because the fun is in discovering the source of the voices along with the characters. I will tell you that a very nasty ghost is involved (and if you don't already know that, you're really not paying attention) and that more lives may be at stake than just Laura's.

So, if you're in the mood, turn down the lights, pop this one in on Halloween night and go along for the ride. I will be. And hopefully next year Mr. Cross will give me another one to add to my collection.

I have to admit, I wasn't expecting a whole lot when I picked up this movie off the blockbuster shelf. I thought the first one was pretty bad but was curious to see if they had improved themselves. And besides, everything else I wanted to see was rented. So I got it, took it home and prepared for a crappy looking but marginally scary low budget horror flick. Boy was I wrong.

Ghostwatcher2 is one of the best horror movies to come down the pike in a long time and I've seen most of them, folks. I've only watched it once so for all I know there are lots of things to pick apart but I was so wrapped up in it that I didn't notice a one.

The first movie looked like it cost all of $10.98. But someone must have seen potential because the new one can stand side by side with anything that has been released on the big screen and that takes a budget and people who know what to do with it. The danceclub scene alone is better looking than anything in the first film and that's one of the reasons why this one is so much more enjoyable. Instead of being locked in one room for almost the whole movie (even though that did have it's claustrophobic charm) the sequel moves out into the world and delivers more scares (one character being sucked into a closet really got me) and allows for greater things to happen to the characters.

The acting is definitely of higher caliber than your usual horror movie acting. My personal favorite was the actor who played Glen, Steve Polites. Although not a major character, he plays it with just enough charm and comedic timing to make him completely believable. In the movie's most crowd pleasing moment, his reaction to getting hit is priceless. I think we should expect to see bigger things from everyone in the cast in the future.

And kudos to the filmmakers for pulling off that ending. Could it have benefited from more money? Sure but I didn't care because I was so happy that the director had the balls to not chicken out and go all the way with his idea that I was willing to overlook it. Great job all around.

I just don't get it, how do these people get work? The acting is deplorable. The storyline is boring and really doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Most of the characters say their lines as if just learned them and are doing a very poor cold reading. All the characters display poor facial affect in response to situations occurring around them. The movie is disjointed, with an evil ghost character popping up in odd places.

I just can't believe films like this find backers and are able to release them to the public. I find much better written/directed/acted pod casts on itunes.

I have just watched this movie, and would have to say that I could think of much worse ways to spend the time it took to watch. I have seen hundreds and hundreds of horror movies in my time, from the sublime to the ridiculous and many in between. I consider this film to be an in between, but above average. The performances are fine in most cases, being that the actors are all quite new. The music helps to keep the suspense, although unfortunately, I didn't 'jump' once. The story is quite original, and it plays out at a good pace. I cannot think of any one particular moment I thought was great, yet it was compelling - I wanted to keep on watching and wanted to know how it played out. Definitely worth a watch if you have some spare time, but don't plan a whole evening around it...

Girl becomes plagued by noises and voices. Turns out to be spirits. A ghost hunter comes to help. Plot is weak and doesn't make much sense with contrived happenings to push plot forward and seek resolution. Boy, I did finish it, but why did I?