Thursday, January 20, 2011
Michael Allen
Director/writer: Eric Espejo.
Ghosts Don't Exist is a film from first time feature director Eric Espejo ("Love Story of Henry and Carol"). This title released September 7th on DVD through Echo Bridge Entertainment. This distribution company releases horror titles for ridiculously low costs and in this case Ghost's Don't Exist has been released for $6.99. For this price, there is a lot of value in this supernatural influenced title. Not all of the film is in the eerily spiritual, however. A leaky furnace puts many a paranormal investigator down for a 1, 2 count. As well, visions of a lost wife keeps character Brett (Phillip Roebuck) searching for something not of this world.
Brett is the team leader on a ghost team. He and his fellow believers investigate goings-ons in haunted locales, while Brett's new girlfriend grows jealous of a deceased and ghostly vision of a former flame. One final television episode puts Brett and his friends in a tragic circumstance. The lights dim, visions emerge and soon the morning comes, with not a peep from this haunted mortuary. Yet, the show springs to life once again!
Ghosts Don't Exist's main premise is an argument for the belief in a supernatural connection versus non-belief. A documenter of the show is a non-believer (Ritchie Lyons) and surprisingly, so is the team leader, Brett. That is until mysterious shadows darken cameras and bloody images materialize. Soon, everyone is believing in family and friends, long deceased.
The writer Ritchie Lyons has an explanation for each of the ghostly occurrences and so the arguments, or counter-arguments begin. Some of the discussions seem like a schoolyard fight at recess and viewers will likely put themselves on both sides of the argument, at some point. The haunting appears real at some points; the evidence then quickly disappears. The conclusion is equally ambivalent, with the book-end finale bringing the entire film full circle.
Film is meant as entertainment primarily and Ghosts Don't Exist kept this reviewer watching. Occasionally the acting dips early, but the writing firms the story up. The back and forth messages leave many questions. However, this is true to life, which places many of us on a path ever searching for answers to the afterlife. You will not find many answers here to bigger questions unfortunately. Hopefully though, you will find a relatively spooky time, as flashes of gore here and there streak across the screen.
This title has been released for quite some time now (September 7th) and Echo Bridge Entertainment has picked up a solid chiller. Although the DVD offers no special features, Ghosts Don't Exist is a good time spent searching the darkness. Be prepared to laugh a couple times and also to sit on the edge of your seat in others. Pick this one up for both a cheap price, and a mostly scary time.
Overall: 6.75 out of 10 (-1 for letting some of the minor characters drift to far away from the central story, -1 for inconclusive endings - this reviewer needs a nice bow on top sometimes, -1 for not adding a few more scares, -.25 for acting, not a major issue).
The film's homepage is here w/trailer:
Ghosts Don't Exist Homepage
A fairly accurate user review of this title at DVD Verdict:
Ghosts Don't Exist Review at DVD Verdict
This title can be ordered from Echo Bridge Entertainment direct:
Ghosts Don't Exist at Echo Bridge Entertainment
Or through Amazon. Ghosts Don't Exist is available in two formats on Amazon. First, the title is purchasable as a standalone, or as part of a package with "Ghost Adventures." Both are the same price, so go for the 2 for 1 package:
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Posted in: 2011,anime movie review,echo bridge entertainment,eric espejo,ghost story movie review,ghosts,ghosts don't exist,phillip roebuck,supernatural
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