Thirteen Ghosts: 6.5/10

2008-09-26T04:28:00.002-04:00

A family of three plus its babysitter inherits a house wherein thirteen violent ghosts are trapped in the basement, but they don't stay trapped for long.

This is yet another example of a great idea with less-than-great execution. The story centers around a fascinating supernatural premise with a wealth of potential, but the obnoxiously stereotypical ghosts are hard to swallow. The ghosts aren't the only stereotypes to be reckoned with, however: we have the spastic, epileptic psychic; the loudmouthed black babysitter (isn't it always the way?); the daughter-turned-mother and the two-faced, power hungry bitch masquerading under philanthropy. The movie also used gore to a fault: that is, using gore for the sake of gore, and not for the sake of horror. In the first half hour, an unfortunate lawyer gets diced in a perfect coronal cut and a naked ghost bathes in a pool of (what is assumed to be) her own blood.

Though these particular flaws are off-putting, not all of Thirteen Ghosts was unpleasant. The surreal glass mansion lends itself to thrilling chase scenes and a great ambiance, and the dichotomy of the "spectral glasses" puts viewers on-edge in Hitchcock's very definition of suspense.

The movie also has a few great plot twists that are surprising but not unbelievable. For those of you waiting to watch it, I won't spoil you.

Overall, the movie wasn't played up to its potential, but nor was it wholly unsatisfying.

6.5/10

Midnight Revue

Thirteen Ghosts: 6.5/10