Director: Steve Beck

Cast: Julianna Margulies, Gabriel Byrne, Ron Eldard

Synopsis: A salvage crew that discovers a long-lost 1962 passenger ship floating lifeless in a remote region of the Bering Sea soon notices, as they prepare to tow it back to land, that “strange things” happen…

Ghost Ship starts strongly with a real attention-grabbing opening sequence set at a Captain’s Ball on the deck of the ill-fated Italian luxury liner which gives this film its title. Gore hounds must think they’re in for a real treat – but then everything goes quiet as the film introduces us to Captain Gabriel Byrne and the crew of his salvage ship. They’re the usual lot, and you can pretty well predict in which order they are scheduled to meet their maker. A young guy called Ferriman shows them some photos he took from his helicopter of a deserted ship in the Bering Sea, and before you know it our hardy crew are on their way to claim it as salvage.

Once aboard the ship, the usual shenanigans take place. A young girl ghost appears and disappears every now and then, but is spied only by the female member of the crew; dead bodies are found in sealed chambers; rotting ballrooms inexplicably regain their former lustre just long enough for one hapless crew member to be sucked in by a ‘Shining’ like ghost; a swimming pool fills with blood for no apparent reason. You’ve seen it all before, but that opening sequence, and a similarly effective and bloody reveal near the end of the movie played out against a pounding rock track, make it worth a look.