Oddział

The Ward is the weakest possible variation on the theme of Shutter Island that could be filmed in the realm of top-tier productions (decent actors, cinematography, sound). It is a horror movie in which the scares don’t work, and it’s not until the end that we comprehend the reason for its insanely shaky logic, which ruins the viewing experience. And which actually isn’t surprising even in its would-be shocking conclusion, because we have seen something similar many times before, and not just in Shutter Island. (10.10.2021)

I wasn’t expecting from Carpenter something great like The Thing or Halloween, but after the 50-50 responses, I was hoping for at least a decent snack. The Ward , alas, was a disappointment; it’s boring, uninteresting and unoriginal. The cinematography inside the mental hospital is quite atmospheric, but the problems begin with the main role, which is played by a piece of wood that in the recent Drive Angry went head to head with Nicolas Cage in the competition for the “unintended comic performance of the year”. Thumbs down and I’m beginning to believe in the conspiracy theory that says someone else made Cigarette Burns from Masters of Horror on behalf of Carpi. (29.05.2011)