Ghost Ship (2002) Review

Sometimes, underwhelming films have one genuinely great scene transcending their mediocrity- a moment so exhilarating it almost justifies the film's existence. Almost. For example, ‘28 Weeks Later’ begins with a sequence more frightening than anything that follows, while ‘The Exorcist III’ boasts one of the all-time great jump scares in its infamous hospital corridor scene. In another corridor somewhere across the galaxy, ‘Rogue One’ also delivers a Darth Vader sequence that’s arguably the most exciting moment in that cinematic universe for decades.

Steve Beck’s ‘Ghost Ship’ is one such film, opening with a display of stylish, macabre invention the rest of the picture never comes close to matching- even by accident. It follows a salvage crew who stumble upon an abandoned ocean liner drifting in the Bering Sea. Set upon recovering its considerable bounty, the visitors discover the ship harbours a rather unpleasant history, learning that some things are best left at the bottom of the ocean.

Apart from it’s fantastic opening, Beck’s film is as rusty as the wreck at its centre. Written by Mark Hanlon and John Pogue, it clearly aims to be the cinematic love-child of ‘The Shining’ and ‘Raise the Titanic,’ but is nowhere near as entertaining, nor as frightening, as that concoction would suggest. Hanlon and Pogue obviously take their characters from ‘The Big Book of Stereotypes,’ as there's precious little personality to be found amongst them- even less in the wooden dialogue they're lumbered with.

The narrative is a mess, an increasingly convoluted succession of supernatural shenanigans, implausible revelations and arbitrary character deaths. Its various twists fail to generate suspense, largely because there's so little investment in the hollow characters or their predicament. The eventual explanation for the ship's grisly history is daft, while any attempts to manufacture intrigue only serves to make an already muddled affair more tiresome.

However, there are occasional glimpses of a good film within ‘Ghost Ship.’ Graham 'Grace' Walker’s production design is easily its greatest asset, creating an immersive, richly atmospheric environment. The grand interiors, labyrinthine corridors and decaying machinery make for an evocative setting, one that cinemographer Gale Tattersall occasionally puts to excellent use. There is also a pleasingly Dario Argento-esque quality to some of the gore, with flashes of lurid, stylised violence, suggesting a far more interesting horror film lurking beneath the surface.

Unfortunately, we never get to see this better film emerge from the depths. John Frizzell's score is an awful, grungy racket, doing little to establish atmosphere beyond making an already unpleasant viewing experience more irritating. Roger Barton’s editing is surprisingly all over the place, with little sense of rhythm or cohesion, while the visual effects are frequently unconvincing, even by the standards of the time.

According to rumour, the cast of ‘Ghost Ship’ were lured to the project with a considerably different screenplay, one that underwent substantial changes before filming. It’s the only fathomable explanation for Gabriel Byrne’s involvement, phoning it in as the Captain of the salvage crew. As his right-hand man and protégé, Julianna Margulies tries her darndest to inject some much-needed excitement into proceedings, but there’s only so much she can do with the material.

In roles approaching comic relief- though neither of them are all that much fun- Ron Eldard and Karl Urban cannot be faulted, while Isaiah Washington and Emily Browning both have a few nice moments. Not enough, but something, at least. Desmond Harrington has the most interesting role of all, though doesn’t do it justice. Though none of them are outright terrible, you do get the sense that the cast all deserve to be in something better. Their performances reflect that sentiment.

In short, Steve Beck’s ‘Ghost Ship’ may not be insultingly bad, but it is disappointing. Beginning with a fabulous sequence, the further it goes, the worse it gets. Impressive production design and occasional flashes of grisly invention offer tantalising glimpses of what might have been, only to be let down by a muddled, uninspired screenplay. In the end, ‘Ghost Ship’ is a cinematic spectre, drifting through the waves of the underwhelming; destined for that fabled place where all mediocre films go to die.