After watching the trailer for Ghost in the Cell, I went in expecting an all out horror film, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover there was a fair bit of humour thrown into the mix. And it worked really well. There were some genuinely funny moments throughout, which I wasn’t expecting at all.
But don’t let the comedy fool you, because when this film decides to turn up the horror, it really goes for it. Some of the death scenes were gruesome, shocking and incredibly creative. There were a few moments where I genuinely wondered how they even came up with some of these ideas. It’s the kind of horror that makes you wince one minute and laugh the next, sometimes before you’ve even had a chance to recover from what you’ve just witnessed.
The main ensemble were brilliant together. You had the perfect mix of personalities, from the tough guy to the slightly oddball character, and pretty much everything in between. Each brought something different to the group, and their interactions were a big part of what made the film so enjoyable. The chemistry felt natural, and the humour between them never seemed forced.
The supporting cast also deserves a mention because they really helped bring the prison setting to life. You had all those familiar characters and personalities we’ve come to expect from prison films, and they fitted perfectly into the madness unfolding around them. It gave the whole place that familiar prison movie atmosphere, which made the supernatural elements even more entertaining when things started going wrong.
Storywise, I thought it was good too. I won’t go into the details because I think this is one of those films that’s better enjoyed without knowing too much beforehand. There’s enough going on to keep you interested, and the balance between the horror, comedy and characters worked really well for me.
Summary
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Ghost in the Cell. I went in expecting a straightforward horror film and came out having watched something far more entertaining than I anticipated. Some brilliantly creative kills, a great cast of characters and plenty of unexpected laughs. If you enjoy your horror gruesome but don’t mind having a laugh along the way, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a watch.
I grew up in the Blockbuster Video days, when picking a film meant judging the cover and hoping for the best. I’m not a critic by trade — I just call it how I see it, whether a film smashes it or falls flat on its face.
