Directed by Steve Beck and featuring actors like Matthew Lillard, who is mostly known for his roles in Scooby Doo and Scream, “13 Ghosts” is a visually striking movie compared to others in its genre. This movie’s unique approach to horror and interesting design set create an experience that is both scary and thrilling.
The movie revolves around a recently widowed father, Arthur Kriticos, and his two children, Kathy and Bobby. Surprisingly, Arthur inherits a giant estate from his estranged uncle, Cyrus. Arthur and his children visit this glass mansion with their nanny, and throughout the movie, they discover the secrets that lie beneath the surface of the home. Matthew Lillard’s character, Dennis Rafkin, was a former employee of Arthur’s uncle, and he warns them to stay as far away from the home as possible. He explains to them their relative’s dark background of entrapping ghosts within the corridors of his house.
These ghosts are the main part of the movie that sets it apart from other horror entries from its time. The movie provides striking visuals that tell the stories of the entities residing in the walls of the mansion, each with unique backstories and gory designs that shock the watcher when first viewed. There are 12 ghosts initially, ranging from all shapes and sizes that add an extra layer of story to what is going on throughout the movie.
Along with its stellar antagonistic characters, “13 Ghosts” has a visually unsettling environment that adds to the horror aspect of the movie. The production design by Sean Hargreaves and the art direction by Alicia Keywan are big contributors to the film’s eerie atmosphere. The glass mansion that the movie takes place in is unsettling as it’s filled with intricate symbols and suddenly closing doors that make the viewer and the characters jump at every sound.
Though the design of the film is very visually pleasing, some of the acting and plot leave much to be desired. The main three family members have some line deliveries that end up sounding flat and boring, killing the tension in some scenes. On the other hand, the plot jumps around at times and leaves the viewer wanting more. The plot is very straightforward and bland, and if the ghosts that were featured in the movie had more backstories and plot behind them, it would make the movie much more interesting and get fans more intrigued by the storylines.
Overall, “13 Ghosts” is a very visually pleasing movie with good visual effects, gory kills, strong antagonists, and serves as a childhood staple for many. Its inventive approach to storytelling, along with outstanding production design and special effects, creates a haunting experience for audiences. Although this movie has many flaws, the film is successfully able to deliver on the horror aspect, making it a must-watch for horror fans.
