The Ward (2010)
Directed By: John Carpenter
Starring: Amber Heard, Mamie Gummer, Danielle Panabaker, Laura-Leigh, Lyndsy Fonseca, Mika Boorem, Jared Harris, Dan Anderson
Subgenre: Thriller
Synopsis: Kristen, the newest patient at a mental institution finds herself haunted by a deadly ghost.
Thoughts: John Carpenter is easily one of my favorite directors, and I don’t just mean horror movies. While he has stuck mostly within the genre, he has delivered some absolute gems outside it as well. You can imagine that when I heard he was returning to direct another horror movie, I was rather excited.
I wouldn’t say that The Ward was a grand return to form for Carpenter, but I can’t understand the hate it receives. Even though I was really looking forward to seeing it, it took me awhile to get around to it. The generally negative reviews dampened my excitement to some degree, but I enjoyed the movie.
I thought the story was pretty original and there were some creepy moments for sure. The ghost, if you want to call it that, was suitably scary. It’s difficult to talk too much about the story without spoiling some major plot points, but let’s just say it’s better than a lot of other scripts of late.
The cast was decent as well, but I was reminded of Girl, Interrupted while watching it, which probably has more to do with the location than the cast. Amber Heard is quietly amassing quite the genre filmography and she doesn’t disappoint here. I also thought that Jared Harris did a great job in his supporting role as the Doctor. All in all, I thought this was a better than average cast for a horror movie.
If some of the negative reviews have kept you from checking out The Ward, I suggest you give it a shot. Go in with an open mind and enjoy a story from one of the true Masters of Horror.
Cenobite Me 