Ghost Voyage (TV Movie 2008) Poster

(2008 TV Movie)

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4/10
Not Too Shabby
MsMamaBaby127 January 2008
This movie is about 7 strangers who mysteriously 'wake up' on a salvage ship out in the middle of nowhere with no idea of how they got there. Of course, they want off and, equally obvious, it's just not going to be that easy. This movie takes off a bit slow but maintains a decent flow that keeps you watching till the very end just to see how it turns out. It's a bit (quite a bit) predictable but still worthy of holding the viewers interest. It has a bit of a 'Saw' premise with a 'long, lost ghost ship' attitude. Antonio Sabato Jr. is still a good actor (I loved him in Earth 2, the series), I just wonder why he's not doing his thing in bigger movies. Another good actor in this movie is Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, he's been in quite a few movies (The Last Emporer, Mortal Kombat and Memoirs of a Geisha) and he's always interesting to watch...unfortunately his role in this movie is minimal although pivotal. If you're looking for something to kill the time then this movie is for you. Don't expect fireworks but you can prepare to be entertained or, at least, occupied for a while.
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2/10
One too many chances.
lost-in-limbo13 September 2008
Another boringly humdrum straight-to-TV horror enterprise that sinks real fast in its uninteresting, rancid story. Three times it took me to eventually get through it. I simply had trouble staying awake. From the get-go everything about it is shallow (superficial characters and abysmal dialogues) with every cliché from the handbook being unashamedly used in a sleep-inducing manner. The material is lame, as there's little in the way of mystery (not much really going on) and the twist is predictably weak. It's like a rejected idea of a 'Twilight Zone' episode. The further along the mechanical story goes and eventually unfolds (remember to follow the rules and there's always a chance to re-correct your past mistakes in some other form… blah, blah) reveals how unintentionally humorous, inconsistent and mind-numbing it is. Talk about an aggravatingly languid boat trip experience. Special effects are dodgy with many clunky moments, but nothing extremely terrible and quite the usual low-budget standard you see in these presentations. So the shocks, well the supposed attempts were completely off and incredibly dull. So were the death scenes. Direction is drab, while the pacing drags and the setting never convinces. Performances are bottom of the barrel. Quite bland, forgettable and disposable. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa appears in a nothing role. Antonio Sabato Jr. makes for a lacking lead performance, so does his opposite the lovely, but empty Deanna Russo. In all, just crumby.
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3/10
Another Sci-Fi Channel Movie of the Week
davidm-1426 January 2008
Underwear model Antonio Sabato Jr. stars as one of a group of disoriented stereotypes...er....passengers who awaken aboard a strange cargo ship in the middle of the ocean with no recollection of how they got there or where the ship is heading. Gosh, who is that strange Asian steward quoting strange rules to them? Where are they going? Where could the rest of the crew be? Why do they keep disappearing one by one? Odd advertising for this one, though. It indicates that 7 people awaken on the ship, when there are actually 9 (at the start, anyway). A few good scares, but the ending is telegraphed a mile away. Not the worst of the Sci-Fi Channel movies of the week, but certainly not the best.
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5/10
Abandon ship
MartianOctocretr512 February 2008
The opening with a group of strangers awakening to find themselves aboard an old broken down cargo vessel is sufficiently eerie enough, and the oddball spectre-like "steward" who gives the confused passengers a list of ship rules is menacing. None of them knows how they got there, or why.

It's not a bad premise, sort of a Twilight Zone approach. The movie at first looks like it's going to rip off "Death Ship" and some others, but actually finds its own direction. It manages to present the mystery of what is going on, who is behind it, etc. It avoids giving up too much information too soon and guides the audience along with well-timed expository dialog and some weird discoveries aboard the spooky vessel. It throws in some ghost-like apparitions, ancient ritualistic behavior, and a "test" which is graded coldly and positively. Not bad stuff, really.

But the longer the movie goes on, the weaker it gets. Many characters are so cliché and obviously marked for unpleasant fates, that it's laughable. Some of the special effects look like they were done with an Etch-a-Sketch toy. Most of the cast (fortunately those who make early exits) act at about the kindergarten play level. However, the longer-lasting people act better; and their characters have some dimension. The resolution actually shows some thought was put into it.

A decent flick for a rainy weekend afternoon.
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1/10
Unseaworthy.
sartr-114 June 2009
"You don't have a clue what's going on here, do you?" our heroine is heard to ask at one point during this floating "Sci Fi Original" slapped-together crap of a movie. A better question is, who cares? Nine strangers wake up aboard a colossal cargo ship in stormy seas finding no one else aboard but an Asian steward who prepares them for their strange voyage with a list of ship "rules". Naturally, we soon see the price of transgression as each thinly-drawn passenger in their own own way steps over the line and is stalked by seemingly random ghosties (all without being properly introduced). By the time the purpose of all this familiar and predictable spectral terror has been revealed the viewer should be struggling mightily not to start surfing from this aquatic embarrassment to another channel.

The eerie interiors are the best part of this movie for me, though a lot of them look more like they belong to a submarine than a cargo ship. The plot is as old as seafaring history and the dialog could have been written in an internet chat room. The characters aren't clearly motivated for a second and every other actor is saddled with an atrocious accent for no apparent reason. The performances range from listless to laughable but that's hardly worth mentioning since these actors have clearly been punished enough by having to read those horrifically infantile lines.

A few trolls might take some amusement from the sheer amateur ineptitude of this movie but I can't honestly recommend it to horror enthusiasts or even horror-at-sea completests. DIVE DIVE DIVE!
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5/10
Typical Poor Sci Fi Channel Original Film
SilentOne9227 January 2008
Film stars Antonio Sabato Jr with an ensemble of characters who all mysteriously wake up on a ship with no idea how they got there. Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa mysteriously appears as the steward who gives the rules. Horror ensues for the crew members as they learn why they are on the only passengers on this mysterious voyage. Very Stereotypical casting with Sabato as the eventual leader, Russo as the strong female lead, Berlin as the bombshell and the male supporting as either thugs, arrogant son of a wealthy family, sort of a middle age type and the youngster who has drug problems. Poor to average CGI and poor to average acting performance mar this film
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2/10
Pretty Awful
divory3929 April 2009
Has some nice ideas here but nothing ever comes together. The story, the actors, the special effects, all way below the industry standard. Speaking of the actors, wow, they were terrible. The accents are so over the top it is almost painful to talk and I was glad to see many of them go. The special effects, dreadful for a movie made now a days. Everything looked so fake and like someone made it on their laptop. And for the story...it started off decent with a kind of cool premise but it just gets way to drawn out and turns into pointless dribble throughout the movie. Do yourself a favor and avoid this...unless you enjoy a good laugh at a terrible "horror" movie.
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5/10
Ghost Voyage... Carnival Ship of the Damned
juliankennedy236 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Ghost Voyage: 5 out of 10: This is a SyFy Channel movie so I am grading on a curve here. Ghost voyage starts of a bit slow but quickly builds to a surprisingly suspenseful ending.

The movies plot is a little like the superior Ghost Ship. A bunch of strangers wakes up on an abandoned cargo ship with no idea where they are. A creepy and ghostly Steward gives them the rules and then fades into the background. Like some aquatic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the guests break the rules and meet various fates.

Ghost Voyage overall is straightforward with okay CGI and limited gore. Director James Oxford however squeezes some decent performances and a surprising amount of tension out of the otherwise by the numbers script.

The movies other strength is its eye-candy. For the ladies there is a former Calvin Klein Model (Antonio Sabato Jr.) for the gentlemen there is a troika of beauties.

Lead actress Deanna Russo and ghost girl Zhasmina Toskova certainly entertain enough but my money is on Julian Berlin as the blond, husband stealing flapper. Despite a lack of nudity the ladies certainly help hold a viewers interest during a slow first half.

Overall Ghost Voyage gets better as it moves along, and is entertaining enough diversion for those interested in the genre.
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1/10
Still waiting for an original Sci Fi Channel original to be even remotely adequate.
Mr. OpEd27 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Ghost Voyage falls into the long, VERY long line of movies that take a ship/boat and add some sort of ghost/alien/hungry entity.

The formula is: ship, usually lost and crew (aka "victims") meet with unspeakable horror (and lousy CGI) and barely get out with the few lives they have left, usually taking far too long to do it (can this movie really have another hour to go?!?!?!).

Some of the most recent flotsam in this category includes: Below, Ghost Ship, Deep Rising, Virus, Lost Voyage. My first memory of this genre goes all the way back to Hammer's 1968 abomination, The Lost Continent (aka Uncharted Seas), which, if you enjoy bad movies and/or losing your lunch, is highly recommended.

Ghost Voyage (GV) is also an entry in the even LONGER line of Sci-Fi Channel movies that are rock-solid lousy. There is a twist in GV, however, in that there is actually a moral story -- even a Biblical undercurrent here: we're all sinners and deserve hell. Of course, this theme only appears in about the last 10 minutes and is as poorly developed as the characters-cum-cadavers that populate GV.

The CGI is not good. Most CGI ships are even less believable than most miniatures used in the past since there's not even the semblance of reality to them which a miniature innately has.

The "scary" demons aren't. Not only are they un-scary, but they are presented with the dropped-frame, strobe, effect that stopped being interesting about 412 movies ago. And if they weren't scary the first time we see them, they're not going to become any more chilling after the umpteenth visit.

The acting (and accents) and dialog? I hate to be mean, but they aren't professional. The direction of same isn't any better (a good director can stage around clunky words and stars).

Look, Sci-Fi channel. You have some good people working on your TV shows. Use them on these movies, too. Or PLEASE stop showing them. I'd rather have the guilty displeasure of watching The Lost Continent again then watching another GV.
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Even for Sci-Fi Pictures, this is bad
Wizard-830 November 2009
When was the last time a decent movie came out of Sci-Fi Pictures? I honestly can't recall even a mediocre one. This one continues their unbroken chain. I will admit that it gets to an intriguing start, placing the characters in a mysterious situation they can't figure out. The sets are also passable for what must have been a low budget.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take long before the movie starts to collapse. The movie beings with a brisk pace, but it doesn't take long to slow down, enough that the movie is progressing at an agonizingly slow crawl. Also, the characters are poorly developed. They are dull, and don't seem scared or confused that much by the situation that they are finding themselves in. And they are pretty interchangeable in their actions - not one character stands out.

Oh, and the CGI is horrible as well, though you probably guessed that when I announced this was a Sci-Fi Pictures movie.
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1/10
absolute trash
scoop_017 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I would rather have needles stuck in my eyes than have to sit through this,totem pole actors,stupid plot,laughable script and comedic effects.Please please please do not waste your time watching this drivel.How on earth do they manage to fund this,scooby doo is more believable and scary.The characters are so one dimensional and the dialogue so predictable,I managed to watch about forty five minutes before changing channel.Avoid at all costs.The sex scene with the movie star and the wannabe actress is hilarious.I just wish I could claim those forty five minutes of my life back. z list production,z list cast z list writers,z list effects
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8/10
Like the Movie Cube, but better
abominablebro10 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Much better than the usual Syfy originals. I thought this wasn't very bad at all actually. A little bit of rough acting, but mostly very well performed. The plot was much more interesting that the regular as well. Not really a scary movie, but that wasn't the goal of the film anyway. I also really liked the scenes where Michael and Serena find out why they are on the ship. This movie is definitely worth a watch for those interested in the paranormal-type of films. The ending was also well performed and very satisfying. The idea of a test to decide whether you will be processed or returned is awesome. Believable characters and excellent story make for a pretty cool movie that I could watch again and again.
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6/10
It has a very good twist
Killa4227 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I can't stand how IMDb both considers everything a spoiler and they require ten lines, my reviews are sweet, short, and to the point so they can get off of their high horses and just approve this. Anyways, here's the review:

What a cool example of a typical "B" SCIFI.

Perfect for the no brainier late night flick where you just need your little shot of horror.

Bit of a spoiler here but I had to say that the best part of the film was when they sprayed one of the fiery ghosts with a fire extinguisher.

I laughed my ass off at 2am
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3/10
Could have been worse, but generally a clunker of a voyage if you ask me
TheLittleSongbird4 May 2012
This is not the worst I've seen from SyFy, but it was a movie that was sorely lacking in my view. Its redeeming values are some good ideas, some nice eerie interiors(if never really convincing authenticity-wise) and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa trying his best with a character that is really beneath him. However, the special effects while not horrible are clunky at best, while Antonio Sabbato and Deanna Russo are bland in the leads, the story is sluggish and predictable with a twist that manages to fare even worse and next to no thrills or memorable death scenes, the characters are never engaging and are very stereotypical, the direction is dreary and the script never feels as though it is flowing naturally, all feeling clichéd and stilted with nothing much surprising. Overall, had some good ideas but as said already, the sluggish story, hackneyed script, bland acting and the whole forgettable feel of the movie stop it from being anything more than that, and at the end of the day it just doesn't come together. 3/10 Bethany Cox
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1/10
retarded as retard as they come
optimusprime1234519 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
First I like too point out the acting in this movie is just horrible but you all know that. Second the Russian guys accent is horrible it is so bad i could copy it perfectly. Third I hate that Sci-Fi is now Syfy and that don't even make since, since that's not how you spell Sci-Fi.

Next this is like a really bad bad rip off of ghost ship. Also I hate how the Sci-Fi channel says it a Sci-fi original and it's not. Well I guess it it is because they buy the rights too show the movie first after it's released on DVD. All D rated actors except the guy that played Shang T. sung in the Mortal Kombat Movies. I was so horrified by this movie just wanted them too kill the actors off because the acting was so bad.
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9/10
Pretty decent and surprisingly watchable
kannibalcorpsegrinder29 October 2014
Awakening on a strange ship, a group of passengers find the ship haunted by ghosts determined to teach them the error of their past lives and must find a way off the ship.

This was a highly impressive effort that has a lot of great things going for it. The main thing to this one is the incredible suspense that this one has with several elements helping that along. The mystery about why they're there is the best part about the beginning of the film as the more they discover about what they're doing there and the strange circumstances surrounding the ship, it gives the film a great atmosphere about how well-supported the mystery is. The ship itself is absolutely incredible as the design and layout looks creepy without the ghosts as the dark corridors, crowded rooms, mysterious passageways and overall creepy demeanor is simply marvelous. Throw the ghosts into that kind of situation and it becomes all the creepier as they look really great with the appropriate dead air in their eyes which gives the film a really nice touch. The attack scenes are really great and manage to get some tension in the film with everything from the ghostly whispers heard off in the distance to a simple little shock appearance or long, extended confrontations of them attacking the passengers like the confrontation with the creature of fire tentacles, and the fact that there's quite a few of them manages to keep it exciting and fun. Along with the rather nice gore on display, there's a lot to like here while the only true flaw is the sudden inclusion of a weird sense of morality into the ending. The spirituality mentioned fits into what is talked about in the film, yet there's the feeling that there's nothing really important for it to be involved much in the film. This is really all that's wrong with this one.

Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
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7/10
Haunted Ship at Sea
Carrigon27 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Does the movie float? Actually, yes it does. It's not that bad for a Saturday SciFi movie. It sticks to a very formulaic script. Very predictable, but at least it starts out with a solid story.

A bunch of people wake up on board a strange, creepy ship. A man calling himself the Steward gives them some rules and disappears. And they all have to figure out what's going on.

Lots of ghost stuff, cheap scares. CGI looking FX.

But, all in all, it's really not that bad. The ending was a little too neat for my tastes.

It's less gory than Ghost Ship, but if you liked that movie, you'll probably like this one.

I gave it a seven rating. Kind of high for me. It's better than most of the junk SciFi usually cranks out.
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7/10
Last chance: Damnation or Redemption?
Wuchakk14 November 2012
I was surprised how good "Ghost Voyage" (2008) is. The plot concerns a group of nine people, mostly strangers, who suddenly awaken on a mysterious ship in the middle of the ocean. An enigmatic Asian steward appears and instructs them to follow the rules. Some do, and some don't, to their own peril.

Although quite a bit of the CGI is questionable and the plot is predictable from the get-go (think "Carnival of Souls" or "Purgatory"), the emphasis on character wins the day. At about 90 minutes the film moves right along, maintaining your attention, with a nice increase of suspense toward the end.

Shot in Bulgaria, the film features a nice smörgåsbord of worthy Euro females, starting with the girl-next-door brunette protagonist, played by Deanna Russo, followed by the blonde ghostly seductress, played by Jasmina Toshkova.

The possibility of redemption for those who have ears to hear is hinted at early on and the culmination of this aspect is actually kinda moving.

GRADE: B
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A not particularly good movie that really fell down at the end. Contains possible spoilers
tom_jeffords27 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Ghost Voyage starts with a group of strangers awakening to find them selves stuck on a ship in the middle of the ocean with no idea where they are and how they got there. A mysterious figure known only as the Steward gives them a set of guidelines on how to behave and then disappears. Naturally in best horror film fashion they start wandering around the ship and the fun begins. The SciFi Channel is well known for making unbelievably bad movies. Ghost Voyage is one step above as it is believable that someone could make a movie this bad. Why is the question. The premise has potential. The forgotten classic Outward Bound was probably an inspiration for this dreck. I assume the people at the SciFi Channel who are in charge of lousy movies came across Outward Bound and decided to remake it as a slasher movie with. Really at this point it's clear that the SciFi Channel isn't even trying. I don't know how their economics work but garbage like this is not going to bring in viewers or advertisers. They could have done a faithful remake or even rerun Outward Bound and done better. Would have cost less (even lousy CGI cost money) and gotten better ratings.
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