The Ghoul (2016)
Overview
The Ghoul is a psychological horror movie from the United Kingdom overseen by Gareth Tunley. A homicide detective named Chris is depicted in the film as an investigator of a bizarre double homicide case in London. Even after being shot in the body including the head, the suspects seem to have just continued walking. He goes undercover as a patient and gets into the life of a mystifying psychotherapist linked to the case.
The moment Chris gets involved in the case, the investigation turns into something entirely surreal and he begins questioning the boundaries between himself indulging in an investigational pursuit and a therapeutic one. Things fall apart as his mind tries to piece together whether he is a sleuth or a deranged person.
Awards & Wins
-Nominee: Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director in British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).
It received appreciation in various indie film festivals for its out of the box narrative and original tension throughout the film.
Cast & Crew
- Director: Gareth Tully
- Cast:
- Tom Meeten in the role of Chris, a detective who struggles in the dark recesses of the mind at certain points of the investigation.
- Alice Lowe in the role of Kathleen, a psychotherapist with an ambiguous role who can be called the key player in the case of a gas factory explosion.
- Rufus Jones in the role of Coulson, Chris’s friend who also works as a cop.
- Geoff McGivern as Dr Morland, a clinically insane psychotherapist whose uncle is very close to cracking the case.
IMDb Ratings
The film has an IMDb rating of 5.6/10, with many praising its sound design and atmospheric depth but some expressed their concern about the film’s non-linear storytelling.
Personal Insights
The Ghoul is memorable for the combination of noir style with psychological horror, which delves into the horrors of mental illness and mental perception. Gareth Tunley as a director was able to build up tension so that the audience remains agitated throughout the film whereas in the film Tom Meeten gives a stunning portrayal of the character who is loosing any sense of stability. Due to it’s fragmented plotline coupled with its deeply rooted themes, the movie is best for psychological thriller fans who enjoyed Donnie Darko or Memento.
Cultural Significance
Lesley needs to work on her accent. It makes The Ghoul: The World’s Worst Psychological Thriller movie extremely melodramatic. She is gorgeous and talented but fails to make the audience believe even for a second that she is a therapist with a secret side. While attempting to reach psychological depths, the author loses the audience’s trust by resorting to preposterous plot twists.