Ghouls

Ghouls, the latest Sci-fi channel offering lives up to the channel's reputation. Mediocre. Kristen Renton stars as Jennifer, a comely lass from the Western world of ipods and attitude who accompanies her parents to her grandmother's funeral in a VERY Epcot version of Eastern Europe. While there she discovers a cult that isn't quite vampire but act like them. They're just sort of creepy with black outfits and an army of vaporous ugly zombie-like creatures that fly known as ghouls. James DeBello shows up looking like a ridiculous vigilante/hunter of some sort. Erin Gray plays Jennifer's mother, who's skilled in the old ways and deciphers all the runes that show up as decoration in the quaint inn. William Atherton (looking a little ghoulish himself) is Jennifer's dad. Action sequences of a horror nature are few and far between. Young girls will like it I suppose, Renton stays fresh and pretty throughout her ordeal. In a way, I've grown fond of these Sci-fi "films". They put a lot of people to work, they provide good background to computer surfing and occasionally I grin. Not laugh out loud mind you, but grin.

In the 21st century with all the technology we have, we made this piece of s..t called movie...Worst visual effect ever and a idiot story... I don't recommend this movie for anyone!!!! My personal opinion is that this movie had a verrrrrrryyyyy limited budget, about 1000 dollars... You don't see not even a punch when they fight... I think they are fighting with the "FORCE IN THEM". They show you the punch and you drop down dead as hit by a lighting... Awful MOVIE!!!! In the year of 2008 this movie is a shame for the cinema and for the actors that played in it... If they will play in another movie, they have been blessed with a second chance... AWFUL MOVIE!!!

Honestly, I wasn't expecting much, but Ghouls actually turned out to be worse than expected. The only redeeming values were the acting of Kristen Renton and Erin Gray and the locations. But nothing else works, and as decent as those components are the overall standard of the film threatens constantly to cheapen them. The editing is as far from slick as you'd go and the effects are poorly constructed and fake. There is also a lazy script, relying on cheesy dialogue, scares that have a very deja-vu feel to them and stilted line delivery, and the story is dull in pace and predictable in storytelling. The characters manage to not only be clichéd but also not very likable. The acting other than Renton and Grey is terrible, and this is including William Atherton, a good actor wasted by sleepwalking through his role. Overall, ghoulish schlock of the highest order, nothing interesting or scary to be seen here. 2/10 Bethany Cox

A young woman travels with her dad to visit her grandma in eastern Europe,only to be confronted by evil supernatural creatures. These so-called ghouls act more like vampires, but it doesn't really matter as the movie is badly written and directed and clearly was shot on the cheap in -- where else? -- Romania. The special effects are right out of a Commodore 64, as well. Kristen Renton as the nubile daughter is easy on the eyes if no great shakes as an actress. Award-winning actor William Atheron, of all people, is on board as her dad and is clearly slumming here. I suppose an all-expenses paid trip to Romania and all the pierogies one can eat must be worth something, even to an actor of Atherton's caliber. Typical SyFy Channel schlock. Not even a good time killer.

Stefan (William Atherton) invites his daughter Jennifer (Kristen Renton) to travel to Romania for the funeral of his mother. His mystic girlfriend Liz (Erin Gray) travels with them to the cursed village of Pelosoara, where they are welcomed by Stefan's brother Vladimir (Dan Badarau), and sooner Jennifer finds the locals very weird people. Jennifer learns that she is the only woman from the bloodline of her father and in the funeral a stranger approaches to Jennifer and asks her to meet him in the square in one hour. When Jennifer arrives in the spot, she sees a creature devouring the man and is saved by Thomas (James DeBello). The man tells her that he is the last druid on Earth protecting the world against the evil ancients that were defeated by the druids in the past and banished to the spiritual world. In that night, there would have a reclamation ceremony where the evil queen possesses a vessel to open a vortex between the spiritual and the real world to bring the ancients back to Earth, but he has a dagger to kill the vessel and save the world. Sooner Jennifer discovers that she is the intended vessel and her father is part of the conspiracy.

"Ghouls" is a mediocre and lame film, with poor screenplay, direction, acting and special effects. This terrible movie is a waste of time and I do not intend to lose more time writing about it. There are only three favorable reviews and eleven that have also hated this flick. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Almas Perversas" ("Wicked Souls")