Review of The Ward (2010) by Joe A — 09 Jun 2011

As a fan of John Carpenter, it was exciting to hear he was making a new flick after a 10 year absence from feature films. And while the Ward isn't the major comeback and return to form fans hoped for, it's far from his worst work.

Story of a young woman thrown into a psychiatric ward after setting a house on fire only to find it haunted, is held back mostly by a weak script. The script by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen is filled with plot holes and implausibilities (the girls in the ward seem to have access to rooms like the kitchen and dispensary which I doubt would occur in real life) and while the twist ending might explain that to some, it raised more questions for me.

But, Carpenter is a master and is able to get the most out of what he has to work with. There are some very creepy scenes and the last act is very spooky and there is also some nice tension and suspense.

His skill at framing shots hasn't diminished as the film looks great and he creates a lot of mood and atmosphere with his camera. Carpenter's only flaw seems to be not drawing stronger performances from his cast.

Star Amber Heard doesn't have nearly the fire and intensity that she showed in Drive Angry but, it doesn't help that some of the script's dialog is weak too. The performances do pick up a bit in the final act, as does the whole film in general, as it's the part of the story that Carpenter was most able to do what he does best and deliver the horror goods.

For die hard fans The Ward may be a disappointment, somewhat, but, for the casual horror viewer it is a spooky Saturday night watch and a return to a more basic type of horror.