Ghost Game brings the traditional haunted house story into today’s world. Laura (Kia Dorsey) enjoys an internet challenge that involves breaking into homes and living undetected among the residents. She and her boyfriend Vin (Zaen Haidar) have found the perfect target to pull off the stunt – a murder house. What starts as a silly prank turns into a series of terrifying events.
Social media is filled with strange challenges that somehow become popular. The one in Ghost Game is so stupid that one can only imagine it is a real thing. It is a plot device that can be used to bring realism to the plot. This is especially important since director Jill Gevargizian’s film is so grounded. Atmosphere takes precedence and the jump scares are few and far between.
It is a great premise and the mood is captured perfectly. Instead of being just another movie about a haunting, the mystery happens on two fronts. Along with the people that live at the house, Laura and Vin are also experiencing the strange happenings. There is also the constant back and forth of whether what they are doing actually means anything or if it is just a pointless prank.
This is where Ghost Game will fall apart for many. Laura insists they are doing something special while Vin keeps telling her they are just home invasions. It is a neat dynamic that would add another layer if either of the characters had any motivation. It is hinted that Laura is upset with how her life has turned out. The problem is why she decides to break into people’s homes is never adequately explored. Is it the thrill? For clout? Just plain boredom? Each motive is touched on, but nothing is ever fleshed out.
Vin may even be worse. Ghost Game begins with him being thrown out of Laura’s home. It is a dramatic scene that is undone within minutes. This happens throughout the entire film. The two argue and seemingly break up only to get immediately back together on multiple occasions. You never really know why he sticks around – or why he even went to begin with. Towards the end, Laura makes a comment about him taking his feelings for her too far, but it never comes across like that on screen.
Therein lies the movie’s biggest issue. It is hard to ever care for the characters. Laura’s response to any disagreement is to start screaming or to just make out. This in itself could be an interesting trait. She does not know how to deal with confrontation and defaults to grandiose displays. Instead, she comes off as aimless and insufferable.
Meanwhile, Vin is there for no apparent reason. He spends most of the time disagreeing with Laura before suddenly acquiescing to her. It never seems like he is doing this out of love. He alternates between talking back to her and backing down and this inconsistency takes away from any immersion. The uneven characterizations take away from the really neat twist at the end. It is in the final moments that some events from earlier start to come together. Lack of strong characters leads to a flat ending, however.
Ghost Game comes to select theaters October 18.
You must be logged in to post a comment.