Holy Ghost review: Jenn Osborne-starrer surprises big time, a genuinely scary film without cheap jump scares or gore
Holy Ghost is one such small-budget horror film that offers more than your expectations. Without cheap, predictable jump scares or unnecessary gore and violence, Holy Ghost keeps you hooked because of its story.
Director: Shravan Tiwari
Cast: Jenn Osborne, Aaron Blomberg, Cleve Langdale, Maya Adler, David Tiefen Daniel
Runtime: 1hr 40mins
Where to watch: In cinemas
Rating: 3 stars
Grace Brown (Maya Adler), abducted by a psychopathic kidnapper, gets rescued by a tough police officer, Jim Wheeler (Aaron Blomberg). During the investigation, when Grace reveals the name and identity of the police officer to Detective Maddie Wells (Jenn Osborne), she is left stunned, shocked because Jim died a year ago. As the movie progresses, the reality of Jim and how he affects the lives of his people will keep you on the edge, leaving you surprised and with a need for a sequel.
As a horror junkie, I do look out for good scary flicks. Sadly, in recent times, these movies have been limited to high-budget, but low-impact. The Conjuring series lost its steam after the first three good films. The Evil Dead is now only about how gross they can go with every other instalment. I’m not even considering Terrifier, because it’s outrightly, nightmarishly disgusting. I happened to come across the trailer of Holy Ghost (thanks to the YouTube algorithm), and it somehow intrigued me, thinking this might be something new in the genre. I went to the cinema to watch Holy Ghost with scepticism, and walked out surprisingly pleased. Yes, the horror lover in me is happily surprised to catch this one.
Watch the trailer of Holy Ghost
Holy Ghost starts with a town flashing with several posters of missing girls on the streets, which reminds me of IT. I thought this would be on similar lines to Stephen King’s classic, but I’m glad it didn’t. In the first 15 minutes of the film, the creepy-looking abductor is dead, pinned down by the honest Jim. But the main plot starts from there. Jim was brutally killed by a small-time crook. His unsatisfied soul reaches out to his people, who are looking for help. Jim steps in and rescues them from their biggest problem. Jim seems to be a noble soul, a holy ghost, wishing to help. But is this his true motive? The climax will surely leave you surprised.
What works in Holy Ghost is that the film is different from the template horror flicks. The movie has no jarring sound effects, cheap jump scares or gore to make you disgusted. Still, you’re intrigued to know more about Jim because of the plot. Whenever you feel like guessing the events, the narrative gets a new spin with a twist, and you won’t see it coming. Director Shravan Tiwari does a commendable job despite limited resources.
Speaking about the performances, Aaron Blomberg is a delightful surprise who carries the film as the unpredictable ghost Jim. At one point, you will root for him, you will sympathise with him. Later, you will even feel suspicious about his intentions. Cleve Langdale justifies the role, despite its limited scope. Jenn Osborne, the youngest of the cast, certainly knows how to play around the screen. She does a fine job.
Highlighting the shortcomings, the film does feel sluggish in the second half. The climax could have been more impactful. An impactful, eerie background score is missing. Despite the shortcomings, this small-budget Holy Ghost will surprise you for sure.
