Review by Chris Rennirt
Most movies that attempt meshing imagination with reality fail miserably. For most, the routes taken to connect and disconnect the two are paved with confusion and inconsistency; in the end, we are taken to places that cheat our intelligence, asking us to deny the errors of the writer, director, and all involved. Previously, if asked to name movies that get it right, I’d have trouble thinking of just one. A movie that takes us on a journey in the mind of the character that experiences it–a journey of real and imagined events that make sense and join together, eventually, allowing us to figure it all out at just the right moment is a rare find. Instead of being cheated, we are rewarded with a payoff and experience all the more impressive and enjoyed. Now, if asked to name such a movie, I’d have one–one that’s cutting edge in horror as well as flesh: Incident in a Ghost Land (masterfully written and directed by Pascal Laugier).
Taylor Hickson (as the young Vera) and Emilia Jones (as the young Beth)
With a title like Incident in a Ghostland, you’d be correct to say that it’s horror. What’s it all about? Two sisters and their mother arrive at a secluded house inherited from their aunt–an aunt who was an eccentric hoarder of dolls! (Yes, we know how creepy dolls are in horror!) Deadly events on their first night in the house will leave the family forever traumatized. Henceforth, horrific memories threaten sanity and blur the lines between what is real and what is not. Fantasies and nightmares mix in the mind’s eye, in a world where escapism is the progeny of loss and fear. Wow!
It’s only ominous in horror, when a mirror asks for help!
Emilia Jones (as the young Beth) and Crystal Reed (as the adult Beth), along with Taylor Hickson (as the young Vera) and Anastasia Phillips (as the adult Vera) are the perfect pairs for younger and older versions of the two sisters. Physically, they look enough alike and, to be honest, there were times when I couldn’t tell the younger and older Beth apart, mostly because of the makeup–and that’s a good thing. From all of the girls playing sister parts, acting is as good as it gets. Emotionally charged roles asking for more than the basics are delivered at full-tilt with all the bells and whistles. No. There’s no slackers here; the result is characters that pull us in and keep us watching.
As for special effects, they’re as good as you get from higher budgeted films! “How much gore?” you ask. Plenty! Even without it, Incident in a Ghostland would be creepy and effective enough, since it relies on atmosphere and tension more than jump scares and special effects. But, since it’s a movie that seems like it should have plenty of blood, it’s good that it does. Not gratuitous or skimpy, but just right.
Is there anything more creepy than dolls in horror? Perhaps it’s a human dressed as a doll!
“Is it all original?” No. There are some familiar elements, some almost too familiar. A huge ice cream truck speeding up behind a car, nearly running it off the road, gave a me a Jeepers Creepers feeling immediately; luckily, it’s never anything so similar really. Another scene gave me a distinct, mobile Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe that was, again, another dead end, if not an ironic genesis for originality. But, most of all, I was reminded of one of my favorite films, in a good way–Sucker Punch! Here, I am only reminded of it for its concept that I love–imagination and reality intermingling, with a hero rising triumphantly. Rather than borrowing, Incident in a Ghostland makes use of the vastness of originality yet to be discovered, in process if not product.
And what is that big ogre doing with a blowtorch? Oh no!
This review would not be complete without mentioning H.P. Lovecraft. No. This is not a “Lovecraftian” horror film like From Beyond, Color Out of Space, or The Void. There’s no Call of Cthulhu or anything like that. No, no! But, Lovecraft’s influence on a character is profound and meaningful. Is it something as simple as his influence on an aspiring writer? Or, is it something far more complex after all? Does, as Lovecraft himself wrote, “the great priest Cthulhu, from his dark house in the mighty city of R’lyeh under the waters, rise and bring the earth again beneath his sway”…as an unnamed analogy for strength and coping? Why not? And in that possibility, with perhaps only my interpretation, is another reason I so like Incident in a Ghostland. As a bonus, a fan-service surprise is priceless as a source of the story’s underpinnings, influences, and arch persona. And with that cryptic comment, may curiosity get the best of you! Wink, wink!
All I’ll say is “This is horror!”
I’m being intentionally vague again, and all the better for you. Incident in a Ghostland is another film best seen with minimal to no information in advance, save for generalities and teasers. This review is mostly a recommendation for a lesser-known horror gem–even if one not totally polished; one that might even make the favorite list for fans looking for something different–something putting the deepest workings of the mind to film most effectively. It’s a movie that does what it aspires to do exceptionally well–a mind trip that weaves in and out of reality, as an example for other writers (and directors) to study. On top of a nail-biting ride to the finish, we get an ending that delivers the goods, with gore, blood, and slashing to spare. Emma at Spooky Astronauts first put it on the radar at SJR. So, from one reviewer to another, and now to you…Incident in a Ghostland is one incident not to miss! Highly recommended!
As a tragic sidenote (according CBC News in Manitoba, Canada), the movie’s star actor, Taylor Hickson, suffered a facial injury when she crashed through a glass door while filming Incident in a Ghostland. Hickson detailed a brutal cut to the left side of her face that required about 70 stitches in hospital. For this, she sued the movie’s production company in 2018, with the results not yet known (or not yet reported). Hickson claims that the resulting facial disfiguration has cost her the loss of subsequent acting work. A sad final result it is to an otherwise successful indie production. To Taylor Hickson, we wish her all the best!
Taylor Hickson with a facial scar, allegedly from the filming of Incident in a Ghostland
Rocket Rating – 8
Chris Rennirt (the author of this review) is a movie critic and writer in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as editor in chief at Space Jockey Reviews. He has been a judge at many film festivals, including Macabre Faire Film Festival and Crimson Screen Film Fest, and he attends horror and sci-fi conventions often. Chris’ movie reviews, articles, and interviews are published regularly on Space Jockey Reviews and in Effective Magazine. His mission statement (describing his goals as a movie critic and philosophy for review writing) can be found on the “Mission” page, here at SJR. For more information about Chris Rennirt (including contact details, publicity photos, and more), click here.
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