Ghosts of War (2020)

Written and directed by Eric Bress. Starring Brenton Thwaites, Theo Rossi, Skylar Astin, Kyle Gallner, Alan Ritchson, Shaun Toub and Billy Zane.

Plot: during World War II, five American soldiers are told to hold a French castle, but what they experience there ends up being more frightening than anything on the battlefield.

Five soldiers enter a haunted house sounds like it may be the beginning of a bad joke, but this movie is anything but a joke. It was laced with a bit of humor. Dry and witty mostly. However, it is a completely serious story that gives a powerful message. And I know some people don’t like message movies, but we love them.

In Nazi occupied France, 1944, five soldiers are given the task of holding a French castle and keeping it out of enemy hands. Only, they find it to be haunted. There’s no lack of Freddy Claws here. None of them know what they’re truly seeing or hearing, but they all admit that it’s likely ghosts and they decide to leave. Then, of course, the ghosts warn them that if they leave, they die.

This is a scarily interesting story. It was original and it followed all of it’s rules. It’s not very rewatchable, but for all the best reasons (for instance, I cried and I screamed). The acting and directing was superb. Think Gallner should be given high accolades specifically. DJ would have ended the movie slightly differently, but not in any major ways. He still loved it. And since I’ve seen the movie shit on in many places, I’m here to tell you, it’s worth your time.

My score: 76. DJ’s score: 85.