Thirteen Ghosts (2001)

Originally Written

Friday, August 25, 2006

As most of you probably know by now, because I have said it enough, I'm not a big fan of horror films. Mainly due to the fact that 99% of them are all alike with a storyline that is usually completely predictable and pointless. Well, unfortunately Thirteen Ghosts happens to be another one of those horror films. Yet while being completely inane, not at all scary and unmemorable it still managed to be slightly entertaining and even more important, its not very long.

The film stars Mr. Monk himself (Tony Shalhoub) as Arthur Kriticos, a professor with two kids who has run into some bad luck after his wife was killed in a fire. A few months later Arthur receives the last will and testament of his very wealthy Uncle Cyrus whom he had lost contact with long ago. It was Cyrus's last wish that Arthur and his family come live in his home, his most treasured possession.

Arthur and his family go to examine the house and are astonished by its craftsmanship with unique floor to ceiling glass walls all covered with Latin inscriptions. To Arthur and his family it's a really nice house, but to those who knew Cyrus like his partner Rafkin (Matthew Lillard) it's something much more dangerous. Rafkin had worked with Cyrus before his "untimely" death. Rafkin had the ability to sense tortured spirits left on earth, it was his job to help Cyrus capture 12 specific ghosts never knowing the reason why, but being paid good money for it. After Cyrus died Rafkin lost out on some money that was still due to him, so upon hearing about Arthur's inheritance he stops by in hopes of collecting what was due to him, never realizing what a big mistake that would be.

After seeing the inside of the house and the inscriptions, Rafkin realizes what he had been helping Cyrus to do. Cyrus was keeping the 12 tortured spirits in the basement level of the house; the inscriptions on the upper level were spells that were meant to protect him from the wrath of his "guests". Rafkin tries to warn Arthur, but he refuses to believe him until its too late, soon the ghosts are released and the house is sealed up tight with no way of escaping. Arthur and his family must find a way out soon before one of them becomes the 13th ghost and the only missing piece that is needed to bring an evil plan to light!

I had been wanting to see this film for sometime now because I'm a big fan of Tony Shalhoub, who was great in the TV show Wings and Monk. Unfortunately horror isn't Shalhoub's strong suit, his performance is decent but at times he appears to be very much out of place. Another familiar face is Shannon Elizabeth, her acting ability is limited since it's her looks that have carved her a career and her stint in Thirteen Ghosts is rather brief unfruitful.

Overall, Thirteen Ghosts is your typical ghost story which leaves much to be desired. The makeup is the best aspect of the film, while the acting was below average and the plot of the story completely stupid, but still it managed to pull off a few surprises that did manage to hold my interest. In the end, Thirteen Ghosts is a decent horror that has enough to make it entertaining for an hour and a half, the perfect length for a rather generic horror film.

5/10