Ghost Ship Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)October 23rd, 2002
GHOST SHIP
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2002 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): **
GHOST SHIP commits the cardinal sin for a horror picture by not being scary, but it does earn one accolade -- it could have been worse. Although it isn't frightening, it does have a singularly gruesome opening that may have you gagging on your popcorn. Dozens of bodies are sliced in two, leaving body parts and innards to flop around on the deck of an ocean liner.
Director Steve Beck leaves the shiny glass world of his last picture, THIR13EN GHOSTS, for a movie set in the rusting metal of a ship that's been floating adrift for forty years. "The best damned salvage crew in the business," led by Murphy (Gabriel Byrne), are in the process of seeing what treasures this old lady of the sea has to offer them. Even if the boat might as well have "Danger!" in neon lights on the side, Murphy, Epps (Julianna Margulies) and the rest of his eclectic team, are ready to try to salvage the unsalvageable. Typical of the script's silly dialog is Murphy's explanation as to why they should attempt to tow an ocean liner through a thousand miles of water, "Sea gives you an opportunity -- you take it."
Once on board, the crew has to face all of the clichéd horror picture pitfalls, including skeletons, maggots, rats and self-closing doors. The soul "survivor" of the 1962 disaster, a little girl ghost named Katie (Emily Browning), is there to warn Epps of the dangers. Of course, when things go bad, the salvage team first turns on each other and then tries to save each other. Save yourself. Let GHOST SHIP pass by without taking you on as a passenger.
GHOST SHIP runs 1:25. It is rated R for "strong violence/gore, language and sexuality" and would be acceptable for most teenagers.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, October 25, 2002. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters and the Century theaters.
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