About the only good thing about this movie is that Julian Sands was in it. A very promising premise, there are so many great directions this story could taken. Instead, it ends up being this weird slasher movie that really has nothing to do with ghosts. And the ending is...vague, at the very least. At least I can say I saw it? Hmmm. A review must have 600 characters. So I'll just add that I like the hotel's owners, even if that is the one predictable thing I guessed from the start. I've seen a lot of ghost movies over the years. I guess that's the thing about ghost movies- when one is bad, it's really, really bad!
15 Reviews
Generally bland and uninteresting despite some positive points
kannibalcorpsegrinder28 January 2023
After arriving on the island of Cyprus, a film crew looking into the tragic history of a hotel in the area for a special documentary, but the longer they stay there come to believe the area is haunted by a series of supernatural entities due to its grisly history and must get away alive.
This was a rather enjoyable if overall cliched genre outing. One of the few standout areas here is the standard setup in play which makes for a great premise as to why the area would be so haunted. Featuring a long-winded amalgamation of curses, Satanic sacrifices, the introduction of some demon raised during one of the sacrifices, and ghostly residents trapped inside, this all offers a rather fine starting point to get everything going once the supernatural shenanigans start. That the film crew arriving and beginning their show during this final stage of the restoration process following these incidents taking place is a solid background point to get this going in the right direction. The only other part of this one that really works is the final half here where this finally manages to get its storylines out of the way and some fine action can take place. There's a nice bit to like with the various beings coming into play with the film employing nearly everything from slasher attacks including the ambush in the elevator, the cult's antics with the abduction taking place, or a series of brutal brawls that showcase the ruthlessness of the opposing group to the remaining film-crew still left alive which makes this quite a bit more gruesome than expected. It's far more energetic and kinetic than expected which is a fine touch and helps to set up the nice twist in the final moments that have an apocalyptic flavor to pay off a fine storyline from earlier to give this some positive points. There are some big flaws here that keep this one down. The main issue featured here is the overall underwhelming pace here that gives this a decidedly dull tempo for the first two-thirds of the running time. Full of exposition about the hotel's history and the exploits of the crew going through the motions of filming their show, very little actually happens here which makes for a generally dull time getting started with the lack of interest in what's going on. It also doesn't help that the other big issue here is also associated with this section in that it has way too much going on to make sense of it all, with the story of mass poisonings, secret cult happenings around animal sacrifice, ghosts, and other monsters running around which are never explained either their origins or purpose so it's all-around confusing. These factors are the major parts holding this back.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, and Brief Nudity.
This was a rather enjoyable if overall cliched genre outing. One of the few standout areas here is the standard setup in play which makes for a great premise as to why the area would be so haunted. Featuring a long-winded amalgamation of curses, Satanic sacrifices, the introduction of some demon raised during one of the sacrifices, and ghostly residents trapped inside, this all offers a rather fine starting point to get everything going once the supernatural shenanigans start. That the film crew arriving and beginning their show during this final stage of the restoration process following these incidents taking place is a solid background point to get this going in the right direction. The only other part of this one that really works is the final half here where this finally manages to get its storylines out of the way and some fine action can take place. There's a nice bit to like with the various beings coming into play with the film employing nearly everything from slasher attacks including the ambush in the elevator, the cult's antics with the abduction taking place, or a series of brutal brawls that showcase the ruthlessness of the opposing group to the remaining film-crew still left alive which makes this quite a bit more gruesome than expected. It's far more energetic and kinetic than expected which is a fine touch and helps to set up the nice twist in the final moments that have an apocalyptic flavor to pay off a fine storyline from earlier to give this some positive points. There are some big flaws here that keep this one down. The main issue featured here is the overall underwhelming pace here that gives this a decidedly dull tempo for the first two-thirds of the running time. Full of exposition about the hotel's history and the exploits of the crew going through the motions of filming their show, very little actually happens here which makes for a generally dull time getting started with the lack of interest in what's going on. It also doesn't help that the other big issue here is also associated with this section in that it has way too much going on to make sense of it all, with the story of mass poisonings, secret cult happenings around animal sacrifice, ghosts, and other monsters running around which are never explained either their origins or purpose so it's all-around confusing. These factors are the major parts holding this back.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, and Brief Nudity.
Let's be constructive
EternalOwl2027 November 2022
Lighting: atmospheric 5/5
Plot: It could've been better. The story itself has potential but the delivery is quite awkward.
Acting: First 15 minutes was nice because it's full of mystery then comes the awkward and cliche acting to the point it was too funny. I really laughed in the cinemas (not trying to insult) because of the awkwardness is so beyond my comprehension.
You can already tell who's the antagonist and what's going on without even thinking.
Impact: No impact at all, even at the climax of the story gave me a laugh.
Sound: they use the "horror" sound too much to the point it doesn't scare the audience anymore or keep them on their toes.
The verdict: Story could've been better, Awkward delivery, acting and camera angles especially when they emphasize the antagonists.
Plot: It could've been better. The story itself has potential but the delivery is quite awkward.
Acting: First 15 minutes was nice because it's full of mystery then comes the awkward and cliche acting to the point it was too funny. I really laughed in the cinemas (not trying to insult) because of the awkwardness is so beyond my comprehension.
You can already tell who's the antagonist and what's going on without even thinking.
Impact: No impact at all, even at the climax of the story gave me a laugh.
Sound: they use the "horror" sound too much to the point it doesn't scare the audience anymore or keep them on their toes.
The verdict: Story could've been better, Awkward delivery, acting and camera angles especially when they emphasize the antagonists.
Risible
tonyandsilvia19945 November 2022
Having just had the misfortune to spend 1 hour 17 minutes watching this, I'm struggling to think of a movie I have watched in the last few years that could be considered worse than this.
Firstly, we have the terrible acting from the main protagonist Eric, whose acting range seems to solely based on whether he has his mouth open or not. The actress playing his wife spends the movie in some sort of trance. Let me be clear, this isn't intentional, she just can't act.
And then we have the plot, if that's the word for it. Nonsensical. Are there ghosts? Are there monsters? Do we care? No we don't. There is no build up, no scene laying or narrative.
What did impress me was there was a lift that has been the scene of a very unfortunate event can be spotlessly clean within minutes. Now that's what I call housekeeping.
And then there's Julian Sands. If he's your main actor then you know you're in trouble.. he may have been in good movies (although none spring to mind) but he tends to be the worst thing in anything he's in. Remember that cheesy scene in Anaconda of Jon Voight leering at Jennifer Lopez. Sands' character here spends this movie being new levels of sleazy. No exaggeration, he creepily delivers a line asking someone sharing a late night drink with him around 10 times in this film.
In short , a 1 hour17 minute film that is 1 hour 17 minutes too long.
Firstly, we have the terrible acting from the main protagonist Eric, whose acting range seems to solely based on whether he has his mouth open or not. The actress playing his wife spends the movie in some sort of trance. Let me be clear, this isn't intentional, she just can't act.
And then we have the plot, if that's the word for it. Nonsensical. Are there ghosts? Are there monsters? Do we care? No we don't. There is no build up, no scene laying or narrative.
What did impress me was there was a lift that has been the scene of a very unfortunate event can be spotlessly clean within minutes. Now that's what I call housekeeping.
And then there's Julian Sands. If he's your main actor then you know you're in trouble.. he may have been in good movies (although none spring to mind) but he tends to be the worst thing in anything he's in. Remember that cheesy scene in Anaconda of Jon Voight leering at Jennifer Lopez. Sands' character here spends this movie being new levels of sleazy. No exaggeration, he creepily delivers a line asking someone sharing a late night drink with him around 10 times in this film.
In short , a 1 hour17 minute film that is 1 hour 17 minutes too long.
The Ghosts Should Have Taken Monday Off...
Nickaloosh18 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Acting is an age old profession and one that none of the cast have seemingly ever done before. I've seen more convincing performances from the five and six year olds at my local school nativity play. And one of those was pretending to be a bookshelf.
Julian Sands is the standout. The tallest tree in an otherwise deadwood forest (wooden acting pun intended). I'd like to think he knew this movie was utter bilge, so he went to town on the worst performance of his career. He's more hammy than pork. But I'm not sure that's the case, which kind of makes it worse!
The story is not consistent, it offers up a mass poisoning, human sacrifice, ghosts, ancient demon Gods and burial sites under the building, but delivers none of them particularly well. The dialogue is truly awful, with character exchanges making you wince at times.
Even the sets are too clean. The hotel could have offered some level of fear and foreboding, considering it had been abandoned since the early nineties after the mass poisoning. But instead it's having an 'extensive refurbishment' and so everything is shiny and new. Guess the workmen didn't have any issues with the ghostly residents then?
Moments after a hack and slash job on one of the characters, from a masked assailant in a glass lift, the lift is seen in all its gleaming glory, save for one small blood spatter. I guess the ghosts are exceptional house keepers too, then?
This movie is such a turkey it could be served with spuds, veg and gravy...but I wouldn't recommend eating it. Not even on a Monday.
Julian Sands is the standout. The tallest tree in an otherwise deadwood forest (wooden acting pun intended). I'd like to think he knew this movie was utter bilge, so he went to town on the worst performance of his career. He's more hammy than pork. But I'm not sure that's the case, which kind of makes it worse!
The story is not consistent, it offers up a mass poisoning, human sacrifice, ghosts, ancient demon Gods and burial sites under the building, but delivers none of them particularly well. The dialogue is truly awful, with character exchanges making you wince at times.
Even the sets are too clean. The hotel could have offered some level of fear and foreboding, considering it had been abandoned since the early nineties after the mass poisoning. But instead it's having an 'extensive refurbishment' and so everything is shiny and new. Guess the workmen didn't have any issues with the ghostly residents then?
Moments after a hack and slash job on one of the characters, from a masked assailant in a glass lift, the lift is seen in all its gleaming glory, save for one small blood spatter. I guess the ghosts are exceptional house keepers too, then?
This movie is such a turkey it could be served with spuds, veg and gravy...but I wouldn't recommend eating it. Not even on a Monday.
Ghosts
BandSAboutMovies20 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Eric (Mark Huberman) is a TV director who has come to film a show all about the Hotel Gula, which had a hundred people die of rat poisoning in the 90s and yeah, it's been built on a burial ground dedicated to one of the Edler Gods so nothing good can come out of this for any of this movie's characters, as this goes from The Shining to The Haunting of Hill House to Lovecraft, along with a giallo-esque series of murders.
Director Francesco Cinquemani, who co-wrote this with Andy Edwards, Mark Thompson-Ashworth (who worked on Joe D'Amato's The Hyena and I predatori delle Antille) and Barry Keating from a story by Loris Curci, does a decent job of showing us what the Italian exploitation industry would be making today if it never died out in the mid 80s with a pastiche of Argento-inspired murder scenes.
I liked the idea that the host of the show, Bruce (Julian Sands), wants fake ghosts put in the movie and yet doesn't even realize that the weird old couple he drinks with every night (Anthony Skordi and Maria Ioannou) are probably spirits. Add in Eric's ex-wife - and Bruce's daughter - Sofia (Marianna Rosset) suddenly acting strange and an ancient goddess trapped in the hotel and an end of the world element that I didn't see coming and this all ends up being rather fun.
Director Francesco Cinquemani, who co-wrote this with Andy Edwards, Mark Thompson-Ashworth (who worked on Joe D'Amato's The Hyena and I predatori delle Antille) and Barry Keating from a story by Loris Curci, does a decent job of showing us what the Italian exploitation industry would be making today if it never died out in the mid 80s with a pastiche of Argento-inspired murder scenes.
I liked the idea that the host of the show, Bruce (Julian Sands), wants fake ghosts put in the movie and yet doesn't even realize that the weird old couple he drinks with every night (Anthony Skordi and Maria Ioannou) are probably spirits. Add in Eric's ex-wife - and Bruce's daughter - Sofia (Marianna Rosset) suddenly acting strange and an ancient goddess trapped in the hotel and an end of the world element that I didn't see coming and this all ends up being rather fun.
Absolutely awful
davidradlett3 August 2023
Started well - establishied an eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere and there was some interesting character interactions BUT thereafter character development suddenly stopped leaving one not caring about any of them. The plot was lost and replaced by mindless gory violence (which is a plus if you like mindless gory violence but I do not). When the gore was (more or less) done, the resolution of the story was superficial and unconvincing. And that just about sums up the whole thing. Julian Sands was wasted. Even his prodigious skill as an actor could not rescue this enterprise. I hope the less well-known members of the cast find more fulfilling roles in future enterprises.
Worst acting of the year awards competition
idonotexist25 October 2022
The title should have been the entire review but as i am forced to write more about this trainwreck, so i shall.
Every cast member cannot act themselves out of a petri dish. Made for tv random movie has 10 times the talent that is used here. Every word is flat, literally read off a piece of paper. Faces are frozen in some i don't want to be here daze; dialogue itself is pitiful and the voices and even accents are annoying. They are just annoying; no other way to put it here. Every single thing about every person in this movie is annoying and bad.
So maybe well there is a story here to make up for it.. nope. Maybe something happens that keeps you engaged.. nope.
Just skip this. Save yourself. It has no redeeming features whatsoever. I was so petrified I could not even select the worst actor of the year. It all became a blur and i wished i were a ghost so i can hoover myself out of this through the nearest wall. Viewer beware.
Every cast member cannot act themselves out of a petri dish. Made for tv random movie has 10 times the talent that is used here. Every word is flat, literally read off a piece of paper. Faces are frozen in some i don't want to be here daze; dialogue itself is pitiful and the voices and even accents are annoying. They are just annoying; no other way to put it here. Every single thing about every person in this movie is annoying and bad.
So maybe well there is a story here to make up for it.. nope. Maybe something happens that keeps you engaged.. nope.
Just skip this. Save yourself. It has no redeeming features whatsoever. I was so petrified I could not even select the worst actor of the year. It all became a blur and i wished i were a ghost so i can hoover myself out of this through the nearest wall. Viewer beware.
Another 'stinker' featuring Julian Sands
nigel_cummings23 October 2022
To call this film rubbish, would be insultive to the term rubbish. This film is 1 hour and 17 minutes of pure bilge. Directed with a plot that seems to be made up, take by take, shot by shot. This 'stinker' features some supremely wooden performances by a group of rank amateurs who run the whole emotional and acting gamut from A to B. They should not give up their day jobs! The plot seems to have stolen its scenes (and executed them very badly) from the Shining, from Ghost Ship and from a myriad of hack and slash Z-list productions. The plot stinks, the actors stink, the production stinks. Confine this bilge to the 'crapper' and don't waste a minute of your time trying to endure it!
There was a point to the story?...
paul_haakonsen15 January 2023
Well, I wasn't exactly harboring much of any expectations or hopes for this 2022 horror movie titled "The Ghosts of Monday", yet I still opted to see it. Why? Well, first of all, the movie has Julian Sands on the cast list, and secondly it was also a horror movie that I hadn't already seen.
Now, I am pretty amazed by the fact that Francesco Cinquemani, Loris Curci, Andy Edwards, Barry Keating and Mark Thompson-Ashworth could collectively manage to compile a script so mundane and bland. I suppose it goes to say that too many writers does not make for a particularly better end result.
The storyline in director Francesco Cinquemani's 2022 movie was bland. And as the movie came to an end after 78 minutes, I must admit that I was left with a sensation of 'was that really it?'. Yeah, this wasn't by any means a memorable or outstanding horror movie experience. It was watchable, sure, but you're not in for a stellar experience.
The acting performances in the movie were adequate. Nothing outstanding here really, but then again, the actors and actresses didn't really have all that much of properly constructed material to work with.
Visually then "The Ghosts of Monday" was adequate. Though, keep in mind that this movie is not heavily relying on special effects, so you're not going to be blown away by a display of grand CGI and practical effects. There were some effects here and there, and they worked out well enough.
"The Ghosts of Monday" is the type of movie that you watch once, then shelve it and never return to it a second time.
My rating of "The Ghosts of Monday" lands on a three out of ten stars.
Now, I am pretty amazed by the fact that Francesco Cinquemani, Loris Curci, Andy Edwards, Barry Keating and Mark Thompson-Ashworth could collectively manage to compile a script so mundane and bland. I suppose it goes to say that too many writers does not make for a particularly better end result.
The storyline in director Francesco Cinquemani's 2022 movie was bland. And as the movie came to an end after 78 minutes, I must admit that I was left with a sensation of 'was that really it?'. Yeah, this wasn't by any means a memorable or outstanding horror movie experience. It was watchable, sure, but you're not in for a stellar experience.
The acting performances in the movie were adequate. Nothing outstanding here really, but then again, the actors and actresses didn't really have all that much of properly constructed material to work with.
Visually then "The Ghosts of Monday" was adequate. Though, keep in mind that this movie is not heavily relying on special effects, so you're not going to be blown away by a display of grand CGI and practical effects. There were some effects here and there, and they worked out well enough.
"The Ghosts of Monday" is the type of movie that you watch once, then shelve it and never return to it a second time.
My rating of "The Ghosts of Monday" lands on a three out of ten stars.
My kinda horror
ihackedclinton27 January 2023
If you like to relax in the evening with a good horror that provides plenty of jump scares, twists, monsters and a bit of slasher gore, then this is for you.
Moreover, if you're a Julian Sands fan - like me - then it's definitely worth a watch, especially since our hearts and thoughts are with the missing Mr Sands at this moment.
A lower-end budget movie, yes, but that doesn't detract in any way - On the contrary, the production team have done a great job.
If I had any criticism it would be that the plot needed a little concentration to follow - Otherwise, the premise is good (no spoilers here) and delivers a pretty powerful ending.
Good old-fashioned horror entertainment.
Enjoy.
Moreover, if you're a Julian Sands fan - like me - then it's definitely worth a watch, especially since our hearts and thoughts are with the missing Mr Sands at this moment.
A lower-end budget movie, yes, but that doesn't detract in any way - On the contrary, the production team have done a great job.
If I had any criticism it would be that the plot needed a little concentration to follow - Otherwise, the premise is good (no spoilers here) and delivers a pretty powerful ending.
Good old-fashioned horror entertainment.
Enjoy.
Better Than I Expected Low Budget Film
icocleric1 September 2023
Strobe warning for the final scene of the film.
This film was better than I expected and they did pretty good for the budget. Julian Sands was really good, definitely the best part of the film. He carried most of the weight to be fair, some of the other actors weren't that good.
The story wasn't perfect, but it had some nice points. The story could have been a lot more interesting if it wasn't for the awkward delivery, and if it was fleshed out that tiny bit more. But overall it had some good things going on, but it was a tiny bit of missed potential.
But I did enjoy it, and I liked the twist at the end.
This film was better than I expected and they did pretty good for the budget. Julian Sands was really good, definitely the best part of the film. He carried most of the weight to be fair, some of the other actors weren't that good.
The story wasn't perfect, but it had some nice points. The story could have been a lot more interesting if it wasn't for the awkward delivery, and if it was fleshed out that tiny bit more. But overall it had some good things going on, but it was a tiny bit of missed potential.
But I did enjoy it, and I liked the twist at the end.
welcome...
ops-5253524 October 2022
To ''the bad luck hotel'', most surtainly an experience weve all been dragged into once upon your lifetime, a hotel with bad vibes and bad omens , because the real estate of land, or as they call it in the mediterranean area, an ''imobillien'' or hypobank offers, where rinsed and caved out on an ancient gravesite, making the sleeping spirits of mortals wake up in anger, full of revenging vibes...just like a ghost...
this is not a spoiler of the plot, rather a thinking of my tank what the makers of this antiscare horror movie, with sudden flashes of sound and glimpses of something. Its a cheap financial project happening in a tv-series pace and style, and at the end you feel just as stupid as the caracters why you entered the show.
So ''let there be ghosts'', i do believe in the phenom,enon, but not in this bluesued shoe like highbrow circles of human kind. Its not scary, romantic, nor funny if youre in for that. A weak try, go somewhere else for your holidays thinks the grumpy old man.
this is not a spoiler of the plot, rather a thinking of my tank what the makers of this antiscare horror movie, with sudden flashes of sound and glimpses of something. Its a cheap financial project happening in a tv-series pace and style, and at the end you feel just as stupid as the caracters why you entered the show.
So ''let there be ghosts'', i do believe in the phenom,enon, but not in this bluesued shoe like highbrow circles of human kind. Its not scary, romantic, nor funny if youre in for that. A weak try, go somewhere else for your holidays thinks the grumpy old man.
Solid film-making for low budget genre
lorisopenframes6 January 2023
Great cinematography and very good production value for the kind of budget this film was made for. Acting is solid throughout and, yes, you've seen this before. Not the kind of film you´re going to write home about, but there are a bunch of good twists that´ll likely keep you awake.
There´s a big of Argento, some De Palma, a couple of obvious homages to THE SHINING and that italian giallo feeling that probably comes from the director´s background.
For die-hard horror fans, there´s some solid acting from Julian Sands.
Loved the soundtrack.
All in all, a slow-burner but delivers good amounts of blood and gore in the third act.
There´s a big of Argento, some De Palma, a couple of obvious homages to THE SHINING and that italian giallo feeling that probably comes from the director´s background.
For die-hard horror fans, there´s some solid acting from Julian Sands.
Loved the soundtrack.
All in all, a slow-burner but delivers good amounts of blood and gore in the third act.
Just being honest here
shuravalentine23 February 2023
The twist toward the end is great.
But the content toward the mid-late are really bad. The movie trying so hard to establish their relationship but it just wasted a lot of time that can be used to build the lore for the ''story''.
The main women actor doesn't have a memorable moment at all just plain reading the script.
The main character is so hot tempered that he become unlikeable character when we supposed to cheer on him.
The 2 kids never got any explanation on why they exist ,the lift being cleaned up in just the spans of few hours is ridiculous.
The script might be great but if the director doesn't have any idea on how to progress a scene without making people realizing the obvious plot this should be good.
Last but not least, using a high volume jumpscare when it's not a jumpscare is a cheap tactic and it cheapen the quality of the movie overall.
-Good watch toward the end.
But the content toward the mid-late are really bad. The movie trying so hard to establish their relationship but it just wasted a lot of time that can be used to build the lore for the ''story''.
The main women actor doesn't have a memorable moment at all just plain reading the script.
The main character is so hot tempered that he become unlikeable character when we supposed to cheer on him.
The 2 kids never got any explanation on why they exist ,the lift being cleaned up in just the spans of few hours is ridiculous.
The script might be great but if the director doesn't have any idea on how to progress a scene without making people realizing the obvious plot this should be good.
Last but not least, using a high volume jumpscare when it's not a jumpscare is a cheap tactic and it cheapen the quality of the movie overall.
-Good watch toward the end.
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