Ghost Stories

British horrors are hit and miss with me, some are excessively uneasy to watch ('Eden Lake') whilst others are suitably atmospheric ('The Descent'). So when I saw the trailer to Ghost Stories, I immediately tempered expectations but what I saw increasingly intrigued me. The end result...was not what I predicted. A professor who takes pride at debunking psychic frauds, is given a task by his role model. He must investigate three unexplainable cases that challenge the existence of supernatural entities. An intriguing premise that will appeal to many, its execution however may not. Structuring its narrative through three short stories, each with a paranormal theme, whilst intertwining the cases into a coherent investigation. Combining real life conditions, such as stress, depression and loneliness, with a ghostly undertone certainly translates "the brain sees what it wants you to see" theme very well. The three cases themselves were convincingly atmospheric as they injected much needed chills and thrills to this horror flick. The main story itself, although basic, was ambiguously surreal and will leave you guessing right up to the final reveal. The acting was splendid from the whole cast, particularly Whitehouse and Lawther, hosting an array of British accents. Was it scary? No. Every single scare was accompanied with a piercing loud noise to ensure that you jump. That's not frightening, that's damn irritating! The makeup effects of the poltergeists were lacklustre. The second case should've been much scarier, but instead was rather hilarious. "Staaay!"...yeah, I wished you did. Could've enhanced the horror some more. Then we get to the ending, which is possibly one of the surrealist safest endings I've ever seen. The breadcrumbs throughout the film were intelligently positioned, but I feel it followed the same premise as an all too famous 1995 film (I won't say the title, it'll spoil it). The film is intelligently creepy, it's just not scary and it's conclusion didn't deliver any impact for me.

This portmanteau film is made up of 3 scary ghost stories, all investigated by a man of science who is convinced the paranormal can be explained away with mundane explanations. A mysterious package leads him to investigate these 3 spooky tales. Great acting, well shot and directed, with a very British sense of humour sprinkled throughout. Do not read too much about this movie, just go and experience it, I think you will find it scary, interesting and most of all worth your time.

Within the framework of a paranormal-debunker investigating three cases which his colleague has declared unexplainable, this film presents three horror vignettes that manage a spooky atmosphere but have an overall darkly comedic overtone. This is important to know going in, I think, because dark comedy can be disappointing--even to those who like it--if one expects more sincere horror.

Though many reviewers have called this film truly scary or creepy, this is not its intention, which I think has also led to poor reviews by people disappointed with the ending. Ultimately the narrative framework coalesces into the fourth, poignant if not outright tragic vignette.

I think the filmmakers were aiming for some existential levels they did not quite reach, regarding the nature of truth and how people interpret what they see--or THINK they see. Nevertheless the film was a break from the ordinary, which this horror fanatic always appreciates.

It's difficult to review Ghost Stories without giving spoilers away, so I'll be very careful in what I say. If you're after some good jump scares and some nervous laughs, then it executes those beautifully. Also, Alex Lawther should be praised for a performance that knocks it out of the park. It's a good cast, but he outshines them all. However, I do have issues with the story itself. Initially the plotting teases a new post-modern take on portmanteau horror, with the individual cases not resolving in the usual way, but building to something more climatic. But the story constructs its final act by falling back on a trope that we have all seen before and this left me disappointed when the credits rolled. From Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman you might expect something else. Something different. Something new. It's very well-made, but it's not different or new.

As long as you immerse yourself in the film and don't try to critique it in that annoying "why did they go out and search" sort of way, then you will enjoy it. There are jump scares and it is a good British horror film. I enjoyed it, i felt entertained but then I like to broaden my horror movie horizons and don't rely on cgi or a new 'twist' to entertain me. So, give it a go...don't listen to the millennials who don't know the 'traditional' horror film or this that want a quick resolution. It is what it is: a good British horror.