The Ward (2010)
Genre: Thriller / Horror
Duration: 89 minuten
Alternative title: John Carpenter's The Ward
Country:
United States
Directed by: John Carpenter
Stars: Amber Heard, Mamie Gummer and Jared Harris
IMDb score:
5,5 (47.784)
Releasedate: 13 September 2010
The Ward plot
"Only Sanity Can Keep You Alive!"
'The Ward' follows Kristen, a troubled girl. When she is arrested after setting a fire, she awakens in a mental institution. Doctor Stringer wants to help her, but Kristen is not open to it. She wants to leave. Together with four other girls, including the rebellious Emily, she tries to make an escape plan. What the rebellious Kristen doesn't know is that the facility harbors a dark secret.
Actors and actresses
Kristen
Emily
Sarah
Dr. Stringer
Zoey
Iris
Alice Hudson
Young Alice Hudson
Roy
Nurse Lundt
Reviews & comments
Collins
-
- 7569 messages
- 4519 votes
What is immediately noticeable is that Carpenter creates a great ominous atmosphere. Leave that to Carpenter. The imagery is also very good. In the first fifteen minutes hardly a word is exchanged, but the images tell everything you need to know as a viewer.
Nice location too. A psychiatric institution in 1966. The year adds value to the atmosphere. The decoration of the interior is dark and grey. Lots of brown. The methods of treatment are old-fashioned. The clothing of the characters and the decoration of the rooms and halls have a conservative charm. All atmospheric details.
Of course, the film is more than a beautiful atmospheric drawing. Something else is also happening. There is something evil in the facility. That evil rears its head at unexpected moments and is mainly accompanied by sharp objects, shattering glass and physical injury. The film is not explicit in showing blood and torture. The film shows just enough to stimulate the imagination.
Not everything is modest, however. The film does contain some brutal scenes, but uses them in a dosed manner. The classic jumpscare is also not lacking, nor is it used excessively and therefore functions well.
Furthermore, a nice lead role by Amber Heard and a nice range of remarkable characters.
Unfortunately, Carpenter is not responsible for the score. That's too bad. The score is satisfactory, but it is not particularly remarkable. Carpenter leaves something there. Another downside is the story that turns out to be pretty standard in the course and doesn't tread unpredictable paths. Too safe, for my taste.
The Ward is not a top film by John Carpenter, but it is certainly atmospheric and exciting entertainment.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Shadowed
-
- 11814 messages
- 6960 votes
The Last Carpenter.
Obviously an icon among horror and general film buffs. If you are a fan of the genre, it is of course very difficult to overlook his films. With several classics to his name, including of course some personal toppers, it is therefore strange to think that he made this film.
The ignorance is clearly visible in this particular film, and that has little to do with Heard's current case. It's not hard to see that Heard is totally unfit to wear a movie like this. The other supporting roles, ranging from invisible to completely irritating, also fail to impress. The roles that are a bit more skilled are in principle no longer than 10 minutes in the picture.
Well done is the environment and the lighting. Carpenter chooses his locations carefully and that appealed to me. So it's a shame that he can't keep the atmosphere. He succeeded a lot better in the past, but here everything comes across as clumsy and unnatural. The bonding between the ladies in the institution is also really impossible. All scenes that have to represent the reinforcement of their band can be called retarded.
Some shocking scenes and special plot twists ensure that The Ward isn't completely disastrous to watch, but you wouldn't expect a movie like this from someone like Carpenter in the year 2010. You would think that such directors are a bit more capable than this kind of nonsense, but who knows. If Cronenberg can do it, then Carpenter may also be able to come up with a new horror film.
Translated from Dutch · View original
UmbraVitae
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- 4527 messages
- 4232 votes
Wow, hadn't seen this one yet. And in the end quite entertaining psychiatry thriller/horror, which had put me on the wrong track, I thought the twist was nice. And with a beautiful Amber Heard. Thick 7/10.
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