The Ward

In Defense of THE WARD

In 2001, "Master of Horror" John Carpenter released GHOSTS OF MARS: a silly action movie with Natasha Henstridge and Ice Cube that was pretty much about what its title suggested. It was a flop, and despite minor outcries of its brilliance from admirable critics, it sent Carpenter into a depression. For nine years he stayed away from cinema having reportedly "lost his love for it". Now in 2011, 9 years and some-odd months since GHOSTS OF MARS, Carpenter returns. Such a story like Carpenter's loss of love for the cinema, and, with THE WARD a resurgence of that love prompted many critics / fans to expect a masterpiece like HALLOWEEN or other adored Carpenter films. Instead, with THE WARD, Carpenter has delivered his version of the 2000's era horror flick. This disappointed many to the point where they scathingly wrote of his failure.
Carpenter's film stars the Scarlett Johansson look-alike Amber Heard. The film opens to Heard running through woods, and arriving at a farmhouse which she burns to the ground. The police pick her up, she screams, and she ends up in a mental hospital. She is surrounded by various beauties who are all supposedly insane, a stoic nurse, bumbling orderlies, and a sly doctor whose loyalties remain dubious throughout. On the first night in the ward, Amber Heard's Kristen notices her blanket stolen from her room, although it was locked. This occurrence slowly progresses to a realization that there is a ghost in the ward, and that that ghost has a lot to do with the other patients in the ward.
 THE WARD features all of the clichés of the 00's horror films: a hot lead, music used to create surprise when something jumps out at you, nonsensical plotlines, implausible characters, bad acting, the mental ward. And yet, I have an admiration for THE WARD. In reviews, the film is made out to be like these 00's horror films in every way, shape, and form. But I only saw the similarities mentioned above and these things were only referenced rather than being integral. Critics make the film out to be like the 00's horror films: generally quickly-paced, predictable, stupid, and reminiscent to a shopping list when considering "who's going to get it next". These are the true characteristics of the schlocky 00's films, and the hot lead, music, acting, etc. are just lesser aspects. Instead of being fast, gory, stupid, and overly sexual, Carpenter has an admirable control over his scenes. In one scene where the girls of the ward are all showering, his tracking shots over their backs and clay-thick hair is more effective than the topless jaunts in, say, FRIDAY THE 13th or PIRANHA 3D.
In THE WARD, there is true surprise at plot (however silly it may be), and a slow build-up of wonderment over what's going on. Carpenter's direction of Amber Heard is especially commendable. I once heard that there are no bad actors, just bad directors, and Heard's reputation as a bad actress didn't hold up under Carpenter's direction, which composes Heard in scenes of bored frustration on benches and chairs that consistently worked and was believable. I also liked the twist at the end, which was clever and not unlike Darren Aronofsky's BLACK SWAN, put a new light on earlier events, and made me appreciate intentional clichés more than I would have if I had believed that they were unintentional mistakes. THE WARD is not a great film by Carpenter, and I fear he'll retreat into cinematic hiatus at the bad reception THE WARD has been getting and will probably continue to receive. Rather, this is a solid film and easily preferred over a gratuitously stupid / gory horror flick.
The Ward: ★★★