My Review Of “An American Ghost Story”

“An American Ghost Story” is an Indie supernatural thriller written by Stephen Twardokus  and directed by Derek Cole. The film deals with a supernatural presence that torments the residents of a particular home. A writer moves into the vacant home to become inspired by the hauntings for his next project. Soon things begin to happen inside the home that prove how malevolent the entity is, which proves dire for the struggling writer.

The story of “An American Ghost Story” is a typical haunting/evil spirit story, that is as common as it is indispensable in paranormal lore, so there is not anything new offered in that respect. It doesn’t matter because this story like many others is as well written and on it’s way to becoming a modern classic as any of the other films in this sub-genre. It is a mature, dark tale that keeps with an ominous tone through the whole film allowing for a tense apprehension for the viewer. The acting is somber, melodrama that draws you into the shadowy life of the protagonist as he faces the true error of his decision to move into the home. There is a black veil over the atmosphere of this movie almost from the start. No cheeky, campy, light-heartedness here! The story is a chilling, episodic nightmare that is executed nearly perfectly by the actors and director.

The film quality and sound effects in “An American Ghost Story” are pretty tight, even with the stripped down, lower budget nature that is utilized. The film proves you don’t need a massive budget or fancy effects to pull off a good ghost story. There were moments that I jumped and moments I found myself holding my breath over what was coming next. It is a truly spooky, sometimes scary film. The story plays out in an almost somber, haunting way that allows for a natural build of suspense and intensity. The further into the film you get the more creepy and thrilling it becomes. I did find the ending a tad hokey, but really there is no real way to end a ghost story, horror film that doesn’t feel a bit over-done and redundant. That being said “An American Ghost Story” ends with a dark, chilling finality that is almost not an ending at all, only a break in an ongoing horror saga-to be continued-maybe.

“An American Ghost Story” is an indie thriller that holds it’s on to any bigger budget supernatural horror film and well worth watching. It is a mature, well written story. The acting is above the standard for lower budget horror films and the sound effects fit perfectly. The atmosphere of the film is spooky and provides an eerie tone to the film. I enjoyed “An American Ghost Story” more than I anticipated and even though the film doesn’t really add anything new to the sub-genre it is still a very good addition to the horror genre. I think any horror fan and especially fans of ghost stories will enjoy this film.