Ghosts of War

 3.5/4

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Kyle Gallner, Theo Rossi, Skyler Astin, Alan Ritchson

Rated R for Strong Bloody Violence, Disturbing and Grisly Images, Language and Brief Nude Iimages

"Ghosts of War" is one wild ride.

It's many things all at once.  A war movie.  A haunted house flick.  A supernatural thriller.  And other genres that I won't reveal simply to avoid spoilers.  This is a movie that came from a man with an insane vision and charged ahead to make it a reality, risks be damned.  That it could have been an utter mess is of no concern to writer/director Eric Bress.  He simply doesn't have time to worry about it.

A squad of WWII soldiers is eager for their next mission.  They're assigned to hold a luxurious mansion filled with food and liquor until relief comes.  That the squad they are replacing is eager to leave and tight-lipped about why is of no concern to them.  They should have been more wary.  For it soon becomes obvious that they aren't the only residents at the house.  And the incoming group of Nazi soldiers is the least of their problems.

What's great about "Ghosts of War" is that it has a little bit of everything.  You want action?  It's got gun battles and plenty of gore.  You want scares?  There are moments in this movie that will make your blood run cold.  You want a story that is actually interesting?  I challenge anyone to predict the film's final act; just when you thought things couldn't get any crazier, Bress turns everything on its head.

The cast is compromised of young character actors, and they don't disappoint.  Brenton Thwaites finds a role that he doesn't butcher (primarily because he doesn't have a lot to do).  Kyle Gallner has no trouble playing an absolute creep.  Theo Rossi has a tendency to blend into the background, but he doesn't stumble over his dialogue.  Skyler Astin is as lovable as ever.  And Alan Ritchson adds some machismo.

If there is any flaw with this movie, it's the pacing.  Bress is so concerned with keeping the energy level high that he neglects the ominous atmosphere necessary for horror.  Don't get me wrong, the film is plenty scary.  It's just that if he slowed down a bit during certain key moments, he would have allowed the unease to build.  Horror works better when it builds slowly and envelop the audience in the cold embrace of terror.  This movie moves so fast that many payoffs are missed entirely.

It's a flaw, but it only manages to dim the film's bright sheen slightly.  "Ghosts of War" is filmed with a lot of energy and skill.  Double takes are common in horror films, but few can make them work.  Bress can.

Anyone who watches "Ghosts of War" is in for an unsettling Halloween.

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