Ghost And The Darkness, The (1996)
Starring: Val Kilmer, Michael Douglas, Om Puri
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Synopsis: Old-fashioned man vs tiger jungle thriller... hammy fun
Reviewed by: Omar Khan

 

 

Based on a remarkable true story, The Ghost and the Darkness is set at the turn of the twentieth century in Africa, where a small community of railway workers finds itself systematically terrorised by not one, but a pair of marauding lions. The film suggests that these beasts kill much as man does—not merely out of necessity, but seemingly for the sheer thrill of it.

The pace rarely falters, while the African locations, magnificently photographed by the great Vilmos Zsigmond, are nothing short of breathtaking. Jerry Goldsmith is also on top form, providing a stirring central theme along with an eerie, menacing score that heightens the tension whenever the lions are on the prowl.

Stephen Hopkins borrows a page from Jaws in the way he handles his predators. Rather than constantly revealing the lions, he teases the audience with fleeting glimpses—a sinister silhouette, the flick of a tail above the long grass—allowing the imagination to do much of the work.

The attack sequences are impressively staged. They are not excessively gruesome, yet remain chillingly effective throughout.

The performances are solid across the board, with a particularly memorable cameo from veteran Indian actor Om Puri. His accent is spot-on, and his deliberately broken English at various points reflect an admirable attention to detail.

Michael Douglas is thoroughly entertaining as the grizzled old hunter. His native dance is sublimely ridiculous, yet somehow never feels out of place. Val Kilmer also gives an earnest performance as the bridge engineer reluctantly transformed into a lion hunter.

Old-fashioned, slightly hammy and hugely entertaining, The Ghost and the Darkness harks back to the days of the classic Ron Ely Tarzan adventures, when Saturday matinee entertainment wore its heart proudly on its sleeve. Hokey, lightweight and more than a little silly, it nevertheless remains consistently enjoyable from beginning to end.