Movie Review: ‘Ghost Town’

Review by Hunter Miele

Low budget indie films have a bad reputation. Most of them tend to be forgettable for their lackluster plots and poor acting, with the cult classics being the only ones to leave a significant impression. A movie cast with nameless actors and barely a budget to speak of can sometimes still hold up against the Hollywood blockbusters. Anyone that’s taken a dive into the world of B movies will know that unique type of excitement when discovering a real diamond in the rough. “Ghost Town” unfortunately falls far from the “diamond in the rough” category and is a prime example of low-budget lending itself to low-effort.

Solomon Miller is a wandering vagabond, trudging his way through the old, American West. He comes across a saloon where he inquires about a job. The innkeeper, an aggressive and crotchety old man, begrudgingly employs Miller as a barkeep, whilst hurling plenty of demands and insults his way. On Miller’s first day on the job, a lone bar patron is shot and killed by an unknown assailant. The shooting is shocking and comes out of nowhere, and the story behind the shooting is never addressed. “Ghost Town” is rife with these random bouts of gun slinging that don’t add to or further its story.

Miller then meets Stella, Kate and Blondie- three prostitutes working in the saloon. Miller and Stella befriend one another, while Kate dislikes Miller for reasons unknown, and the two of them bicker throughout the film. Blondie often watches Miller through the saloon windows and occasionally delivers vague, ominous messages to him about the evil history of the town. The majority of “Ghost Town” plays out like an old West version of a saucy reality TV show, with almost the entire story being told via a string of monologues that all relate to awkward drama amongst the slew of characters.

While Miller is working in the yard outside the saloon, he hears rustling and growling coming from the bushes. He races inside, shaken and terrified, and informs the innkeeper. There are a handful of scenes throughout the film where Miller encounters this growling, unknown animal, and the monster is eventually revealed at the end of the film. It’s only visible for a fraction of a second, making it hard to determine what exactly it is. The story makes it even harder to understand by providing no context as to where this beast may have come from or what it is.

The town’s Sheriff tells Miller that the town was once a bustling, thriving tourist destination during the height of the gold rush, but when the mines cleared up it became all but deserted. This is the only explanation we’re given for why this town is considered evil. While it’s certainly true that a desolate, old West town is creepy, there isn’t enough context to explain monsters and an influx in gun violence.

In one rather disturbing scene, we’re taken back in time while Miller describes a previous job that he had as a photographer’s assistant. The photographer is taking a portrait of a large family while a young boy’s gray and blue corpse is propped up front and center, with horrifying painted-on eyes. This scene is by far the most frightening, especially considering that this was an actual practice during the time period.

“Ghost Town’s” initial few scenes have an inexplicable quality to them, which will leave viewers excited for mysteries to be solved, but the plot is too messy for anything to be answered in a satisfying way. New characters are introduced in almost every scene, and this convolutes the plot significantly. Other than the chilling family portrait scene, its only saving grace is the handful of hilarious one-liners from Miller’s grouchy boss. “Ghost Town’s” tagline “An American Terror” is a serious overstatement.

On Digital, DVD & On Demand on March 7 , 2023