‘Ghostwritten’ Review – An Eerie Exercise In Psychedelic Storytelling

Ghostwritten is a sleek, high-concept horror thriller, the sort that, at least in idea, we don’t often see these days. The indie nature of the project gives it legs right off the rip; uncanny visuals work to connect jagged, indirect, single-scene narratives that, eventually, paint the full picture. Or, at least, it seems that way. This is a confusing picture, though it appears to play that way purposefully. As the narration drones on and colors fade in, out, and back in again, Ghostwritten may very well convince you of a deceivingly small story, even if it becomes near impossible not to get lost in it after a while.

The film follows a writer who gets wrapped up in a murder case, haunted by the unfamiliar personalities of those around him; without spoilers, that’s about all that can be said. Much of the value in this experience is had in the story’s intrigue: it has to be preserved, go in as blind as you can.

This is the definition of a “blink and you’ll miss it” type of experience. In his second feature film, director Thomas Matthews ensures as much. You’ll need to scan the screen upon every cut, taking as much as you can from the split-second frames and focusing on faces in the longer shots; draw a breath every chance you get, you’ll need it. As a thriller, this one works quite well, spinning a clearly intentional, if not, again, perplexing tale of anxiety and communal unrest.

Despite barely breaking 80 minutes in length, the film does well in subtly revealing details and pacing out the plot; things are a bit slow the whole way through, but if you latch on early, it’ll pay off, to some extent. It helps that the visuals are sharp, unique, and downright beautiful. The dominant black and white palette is exceptionally managed, lit with a particular intensity and shot spaciously. When the colors break in, often in dream-like sequences fueled by a synth-based score and tangible stress, it works well to break the film up and provide a breakneck boost of adrenaline.

That color-rush process happens multiple times and, in a fashion that unfortunately plagues this film, eventually becomes repetitive. Each event works in isolation but taken on the whole, Ghostwritten begins to play like a reel, in a way. It often feels disconnected from itself, the narration failing in an attempt to tie it all together. This is where the runtime circles back around and shoots the film in the foot. It may be brisk, but in committing to that, there is a sense of missing information here on a level a little too high to simply ignore.

It also just isn’t scary. If it didn’t consistently attempt to be, leaning into the more easygoing creepiness that undergirds the entire thing, it seems that we’d have a much more consistent and appropriate tone throughout the entire thing. There are a few interesting scares and one particular use of shadows that does spook with surefire effectiveness, but for the most part, that aspect feels a bit tacked on. The story calls for horror in some fashion, but again, the creepiness that precedes the jumps and jolts had that covered.

The film earns extra points for a methodical edit, one which helps bury some of the more minuscule examples of the aforementioned issues and really works to carry the whole thing along when it most desperately needs it. The edit may truly be one of the film’s strongest points, alongside the start, retro aesthetic, and overall convincing humanity.

Give Ghostwritten a chance, in spite of the problems. This is one bound to impact audiences on a spectrum; it’s a painstakingly unique effort that requires complete and utter commitment, paying proper homage to some of the best works of the same ilk, yet also constantly working to pave a new path for itself. This is a solid exercise in a sea of horror thriller mediocrity. Turn the lights off and spin this one when you get the chance; even if you don’t love it, you’ll be hard-pressed to walk away disappointed, by any means.

Ghostwritten is currently available On Demand courtesy of Cranked Up Films. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WYRYz-54Qk]