John Carpenter's The Ward

I am a huge John Carpenter fan. I admit that he is who inspired me the most to become a filmmaker.

I had the honor to meet him at the 2010 Texas Frightmare Weekend.
(Which the DVD featuring an EXCLUSIVE QnA with Carpenter and the cast of Christine is available at www.texasfrightmarevideo.com).

Now with the exception of two episodes of Masters of Horror Carpenter has not directed a flick in a decade, Not since 2001’s Ghosts of Mars. He did help produce some flicks but other than that he had taken some well-deserved time off.
Now he has returned with John Carpenter’s The Ward.

This was a Damn Good Flick and I am not just saying that because the director is one of my favorites,My Manager was watching the flick as well and she agreed.

It is the story of a young woman who after setting fire to a farmhouse is arrested and taken to mental hospital and placed in a ward with four other girls. It turns out that there is a malevolent spirit in the ward that is picking off the girls one by one and are preventing them from escaping the Asylum.

The flick definitely has the Girl Interrupted meets The Ring feel as Amber Heard tries to piece together the identity of the supernatural menace leading us to a twist that even I did not see coming.

Kudos go to Amber Heard as Kristen and to Jared Harris as Dr Stringer.

It definitely shows that Carpenter hasn’t lost his touch.

Cinematography was excellent. However it felt different that Carpenter did not score the movie as he had so many in his past. That being my only Issue and I can accept it.

5 Dead Bodies
0 Breasts
1 Beast
1 Spike to the Eye
1 Electrocution
1 Slashing

4 Stars

Check it out