The Ghost and the Darkness
Released: 1996
Rated R for some violence and gore involving animal attacks.
Cast: Val Kilmer, Michael Douglas, Tom Wilkinson, John Kani, Bernard Hill
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Runtime: 1 Hr. 49 Mins.
Favorite Quotes: “Darling… you know how God invented liquor so the Irish wouldn’t rule the world. Well, I think he may have invented being stubborn so we can be the best at something.” “What better job in all the world than build a bridge? Bring land over water. Bring worlds together.” “I’m a monster. My only pleasure is tormenting those people who work for me.”
Summary (from IMDB): Set in 1898, this movie is based on the true story of two lions in Africa that killed 130 people over a nine month period, while a bridge engineer and an experienced old hunter try to kill them.
The Bad Stuff:
- Val Kilmer’s Irish accent comes and goes through the whole movie. While doing a great job with the character, the accent distracted a lot from a great performance.
- There are parts of the movie that didn’t actually happen. I hate it when movies add things to spice up the story, when they really aren’t needed.
- The acting is ok. Tom Wilkinson definitely gives the best performance, but isn’t in the movie much.
The Good Stuff:
- Michael Douglas’ character is great. He is probably the most interesting person in the movie. The only bad part is the fact that his character was added into the movie to help it sell.
- The tension is held very well from beginning to end.
- The lions were amazing.
Overall, this is a good movie. While not being the best, it tells an interesting and captivating story. There are parts that could have been done a bit better, but it is definately worth the watch.
