 Ghosts of the Ozarks (2021) Written by Jordan Wayne Long, Tara Perry and Sean Anthony Davis Directed by Matt Glass and Jordan Wayne Long Review by: Mark Walker In post-civil war Arkansas, a young doctor is mysteriously summoned to a remote town in the Ozarks, only to discover the utopian paradise he expected is filled with secrets and surrounded by a menacing, supernatural presence. Starring Tim Blake Nelson and David Arquette, Ghosts of the Ozarks is a thrilling new take on the southern ghost story. Signature Entertainment present Ghosts of the Ozarks on Digital Platforms 23rd May At the invite of his brother, James McCune (Thomas Hobson) travels to the small town of Norfolk in the Ozark Mountains. The community needs a new doctor, and Matthew (Phil Morris) believes his brother will fit the bill perfectly. On his journey, James is attacked by a stranger looking for something that be believes James has, but the stranger is “taken” by a mysterious red mist that appears out of nowhere. James makes a run for it and arrives in town, flustered and panicked, but suddenly safe. Following his harrowing experiences in the Civil War, James is initially stunned by the apparent harmony of the community. He sees none of the issues and prejudices he has experienced outside the safety of the town walls. With their very own source of natural gas, the town is thriving under the leadership of his brother Matthew. But it becomes apparent that there is another reason for the walls.; a sinister presence, known as “the Ghosts” by the townsfolk. These spirits are revered and feared by the people of the town and they stalk the woods outside the walls; the red mist that James encountered. As James settles into his new life, things appear to idyllic, until he meets Annie and Will, two hunters who supply the town with food, but who also chose to live outside the protection of the walls. It is through Annie that he learns how things might not be quite as perfect as they seem. With some members of the town acting suspiciously and secretively, and with mysterious deaths, James slowly uncovers the truth about the town and it’s Ghosts. Ghosts of the Ozarks is a quality production. The direction and visuals are good and the cast and acting is solid; which is what you would expect with a cast that includes Tim Blake Nelson, David Arquette, Angela Bettis, Tara Perry and Joseph Rudd who all put in great performances. It isn’t a fast-paced film and Ozarks takes its time to set up the characters and the town, slowly revealing its history, developing a feeling of unease and mystery around what is going on. Norfolk does not give up its secrets to James easily, and it isn’t always clear who can be trusted. It's a great set-up and builds atmosphere slowly but it does feel a little familiar from the start. The concept of an outsider arriving in a mysterious community is not entirely new; but the acting, direction and writing drew me in, and I was invested in James’ character very quickly. However, for me, the major problem with the film was the “reveal” in the final act. Once you find out what is going on, you realise just how close it sails to some other films (and one in particular that I won’t name for spoiler reasons) that have used a similar plot device in the past. Sadly, this just takes the wind out of Ghost’s sails because it isn’t quite the surprise the film probably thinks it is. It is also all over very quickly after the reveal, so the implications and impact on the people of Norfolk is glossed over, lessening the impact. Having said that, I am a big fan of the film that Ghosts pays close tribute to, so still enjoyed it, it just loses a star or two because of that similarity. This doesn’t make Ozarks a bad film, it just reduced the impact of the reveal for me. Your mileage may vary if you haven’t seen the other film, but I feel it may detract from what is, otherwise, a well-made production with great acting and direction. The central performances are good, and you even get a musical number from Tim Blake Nelson and Angela Bettis which felt a little odd when it kicked in but had me humming it for the next few days! Overall, I enjoyed Ozarks, I just didn’t find it original enough to be great. If you like the sound of the premise and the cast list, then it is definitely worth a look, just be prepared to be underwhelmed by the final act that probably won’t take you anywhere you haven’t been before. CHECK OUT TODAY'S OTHER ARTICLES ON GINGER NUTS OF HORROR
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