Most SyFy channel movies, with a few exceptions, range from lame to trash. Ghost Storm is one of their movies that isn't too lame and it is certainly isn't trash. It could have been much better sure, for such a good concept it was somewhat of a missed opportunity, but for a SyFy Channel movie it's tolerable. The scenery and lighting are quite creepy, and the editing and special effects actually show time and effort. The opening in the graveyard and the house ambush were also atmospherically effective, and the acting by all is quite good especially the two leads(Crystal Allen the slightly stronger of the two), who also share a sweet chemistry. Apart from a few scenes though, Ghost Storm is lacking in thrills and scares, the pace was too draggy for it to be thrilling and the scares were more predictable than they were shocking. The story has some good ideas and has its moments but can come across as too silly and formulaic with some scenes and strands that are introduced and touched upon but not developed enough. The script is also rather underwritten and can lack flow as well as too much of the cheese factor, thankfully though it is actually nowhere near as bad as most SyFy channel movie scripts(most of the time the script is one of the worst things about them). The ghosts look good and are not entirely personality-less, just that their personalities could have been even stronger, we know they're angry and such but not much else. Overall, not a bad film but could have done more with the ideas they had. 5/10 Bethany Cox
16 Reviews
YOU CALL THIS FUN?
nogodnomasters21 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
For those who watch SyFy movies because they are laughably bad, will surely find a friend in "Ghost Storm". The film starts out as it is going to be a fairly decent low budget horror production, but as 15 minutes becomes 30 minutes those hopes are smashed.
The story takes place on the NW island of Elman. The ghosts of 7 suicide victims (one only plays a role) are activated by a lightning strike and take the form of a cloud that flies around like something out of a Poltergeist sequel. The protagonists consist of Daisy (Cindy Busby) our mid twenty looking 17 year old girl. Her dad (Steve Bacic) who is the sheriff and is investigating the strange deaths. And her mom (Crystal Allen) is one of a pair of meteorologists who work on the island. Her parents are divorced.
We add to the mix a poorly developed paranormal investigator (Aaron Douglas) looking like a young Brian Dennehy, a priest, a curse, and an angry mob. The stories and characters are poorly developed. The dialouge started out good and then died as it turned corny.
I liked some of the more campy aspects of this film, including the "shocking" ending, Daisy spray foaming outlets, and the overkill of exploding bodies. I liked how the ghost took out the cell phone tower, but let the Internet intact...Daisy get off the computer mommy needs to use it. I was curious about the priests all having offspring, apparently not Catholic but some other domination that has stained glass windows. I was hoping for something similar to "The Fog" but that was not the case.
Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.
Note to self: Do not relieve yourself in a cemetery during a lightning storm.
The story takes place on the NW island of Elman. The ghosts of 7 suicide victims (one only plays a role) are activated by a lightning strike and take the form of a cloud that flies around like something out of a Poltergeist sequel. The protagonists consist of Daisy (Cindy Busby) our mid twenty looking 17 year old girl. Her dad (Steve Bacic) who is the sheriff and is investigating the strange deaths. And her mom (Crystal Allen) is one of a pair of meteorologists who work on the island. Her parents are divorced.
We add to the mix a poorly developed paranormal investigator (Aaron Douglas) looking like a young Brian Dennehy, a priest, a curse, and an angry mob. The stories and characters are poorly developed. The dialouge started out good and then died as it turned corny.
I liked some of the more campy aspects of this film, including the "shocking" ending, Daisy spray foaming outlets, and the overkill of exploding bodies. I liked how the ghost took out the cell phone tower, but let the Internet intact...Daisy get off the computer mommy needs to use it. I was curious about the priests all having offspring, apparently not Catholic but some other domination that has stained glass windows. I was hoping for something similar to "The Fog" but that was not the case.
Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.
Note to self: Do not relieve yourself in a cemetery during a lightning storm.
Downhill after the opening scene.
Stevieboy66622 January 2018
The first few minutes has teens in a graveyard when a storm breaks out and one of the boys is turned into a mouldy old corpse. Had a bit of a promising 80s feel about it. Sadly it went downhill from there. Something about an electrical storm being the souls of the dead wanting revenge for a mass killing. Or something. I pretty much gave up trying to follow the reasoning behind it as it was just so ridiculous. The Fog this certainly isn't! Lots of CGI on show, pretty cheap looking though I have seen much worse. Acting is OK, nice locations. No sex. swearing or gore. Tame, silly nonsense..
A Few Interesting Ideas but the Story Just Doesn't Work
Michael_Elliott10 November 2012
Ghost Storm (2011)
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Former couple Ashley (Crystal Allen) and Hal (Carlos Bernard) must fight a mysterious storm that is killing people on their small island. This isn't your typical storm because this one is built upon the spirits of a group of people who killed themselves years earlier and now they've come back for revenge. GHOST STORM has some good stuff scattered throughout it but in the end its just way too serious to be taken serious and it's certainly never scary. Writer-director Paul Ziller has a couple interesting ideas floating around here including how evil can build itself up in something like a storm but for me it just never really added up to anything memorable. I found way too many moments to be rather silly and especially the scenes where the spirits would have their images show up on people's cell phones. I'm sorry but this was just a bit too much for me. I also didn't know why the film was pretty much blood free during the first half only to then turn on the gore during the second half. I did think the performances were actually pretty good and this is especially true for the two leads. I thought Allen and Bernard had some really good chemistry together and they really came across like a real couple. The supporting players were also good in their roles. I'll also give credit to the special effects, which were much better than you'd normally see in a film like this. Still, GHOST STORM is just way too silly for it to really work and the lack of scares is just a death nail.
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Former couple Ashley (Crystal Allen) and Hal (Carlos Bernard) must fight a mysterious storm that is killing people on their small island. This isn't your typical storm because this one is built upon the spirits of a group of people who killed themselves years earlier and now they've come back for revenge. GHOST STORM has some good stuff scattered throughout it but in the end its just way too serious to be taken serious and it's certainly never scary. Writer-director Paul Ziller has a couple interesting ideas floating around here including how evil can build itself up in something like a storm but for me it just never really added up to anything memorable. I found way too many moments to be rather silly and especially the scenes where the spirits would have their images show up on people's cell phones. I'm sorry but this was just a bit too much for me. I also didn't know why the film was pretty much blood free during the first half only to then turn on the gore during the second half. I did think the performances were actually pretty good and this is especially true for the two leads. I thought Allen and Bernard had some really good chemistry together and they really came across like a real couple. The supporting players were also good in their roles. I'll also give credit to the special effects, which were much better than you'd normally see in a film like this. Still, GHOST STORM is just way too silly for it to really work and the lack of scares is just a death nail.
Where The Fog meets The Blob
Leofwine_draca1 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
GHOST STORM is a cheesy, low budget Canadian sci-fi/horror movie of the kind familiar from the SyFy Channel. It can best be described as THE FOG meets THE BLOB, as residents of a small town find themselves attacked by a electrical fog which contains the souls of the anguished deceased looking to take revenge on the living.
It's a preposterous premise, but GHOST STORM favours action over realism and doesn't worry about looking silly. For what it's worth, I enjoyed it, at least on a superficial level. Sure, you don't care about the characters or anything, but at least the CGI effects are pretty decent in this one and fit the theme quite nicely.
Many scenes reminded me of THE BLOB in the way the survivors have to hide out and block gaps to stop the ghosts attacking, utilising a fire extinguisher in much the same way as Steve McQueen. Inevitably, Carpenter's THE FOG is also a big influence, although this film is much faster paced with a comic book feel. It's cheap, cheesy and cheerful, and I didn't mind it at all.
It's a preposterous premise, but GHOST STORM favours action over realism and doesn't worry about looking silly. For what it's worth, I enjoyed it, at least on a superficial level. Sure, you don't care about the characters or anything, but at least the CGI effects are pretty decent in this one and fit the theme quite nicely.
Many scenes reminded me of THE BLOB in the way the survivors have to hide out and block gaps to stop the ghosts attacking, utilising a fire extinguisher in much the same way as Steve McQueen. Inevitably, Carpenter's THE FOG is also a big influence, although this film is much faster paced with a comic book feel. It's cheap, cheesy and cheerful, and I didn't mind it at all.
Poor and weeks and very bad movie
sof-6646129 May 2021
The physics are all over the place.
Otkon7 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Is it fog, electricity, blood? I mean right there, what states of matter and dynamics are we expected to believe we are dealing with here?
Because if the movie is trying to get us to buy into its premise, its internal logic cannot be so willy-nilly. I think that is the major issue as to why this movie doesn't work. I am all for low-budget, mindless made-for-tv horror but the ridiculousness has to be balanced with some cinematic sense.
I was fine with the movie as long as the ghosts were ionically-charged clouds moving through the wiring, But when they became tentacle blood commode, they lost me.
Because if the movie is trying to get us to buy into its premise, its internal logic cannot be so willy-nilly. I think that is the major issue as to why this movie doesn't work. I am all for low-budget, mindless made-for-tv horror but the ridiculousness has to be balanced with some cinematic sense.
I was fine with the movie as long as the ghosts were ionically-charged clouds moving through the wiring, But when they became tentacle blood commode, they lost me.
SyFy Channel unleashes a storm of ghosts...
paul_haakonsen20 January 2013
Every now and then SyFy Channel manages to dish out a movie that surprises in a good way and turns the general view on their production upside down. "Ghost Storm", despite the lame name, was actually one such movie. It thoroughly entertained me from start to end, although it was a bit predictable.
The story is about a small island community where something heinous lurks beneath the surface of their idyllic front. The island perish harbors a dark secret. A group of young people are in the graveyard at night when lightning unleashed the dark secret, and spirits emerge from their grave to wreck havoc on the community.
For a SyFy Channel original movie, then the effects in "Ghost Storm" was actually quite good. I especially liked the way that the ghostly mist was moving, it looked nice. However, it would have been nice to see more man-like details on the mist, so you knew that these were indeed ghostly entities, and not just a sentient mist.
The acting in the movie was also quite good, only a single familiar face or two in the cast list. But people, in general, did good jobs with their given roles.
However, "Ghost Storm" is the type of movie that you watch once, and is not likely to watch ever again. It just doesn't have that kind of quality to it. It should be said that compared to many other of SyFy Channel's original movies, then "Ghost Storm" is quite good.
The story is about a small island community where something heinous lurks beneath the surface of their idyllic front. The island perish harbors a dark secret. A group of young people are in the graveyard at night when lightning unleashed the dark secret, and spirits emerge from their grave to wreck havoc on the community.
For a SyFy Channel original movie, then the effects in "Ghost Storm" was actually quite good. I especially liked the way that the ghostly mist was moving, it looked nice. However, it would have been nice to see more man-like details on the mist, so you knew that these were indeed ghostly entities, and not just a sentient mist.
The acting in the movie was also quite good, only a single familiar face or two in the cast list. But people, in general, did good jobs with their given roles.
However, "Ghost Storm" is the type of movie that you watch once, and is not likely to watch ever again. It just doesn't have that kind of quality to it. It should be said that compared to many other of SyFy Channel's original movies, then "Ghost Storm" is quite good.
I Didn't Turn the Channel
vic-squared2 April 2014
First off, I am a fan of Steve Bacic. So discovering he was in this was a pleasant surprise.
The disappointing part was that the effects were a bit cheesy. You'd think with the advancement in special effects and what's available now that they would have thought of something better than blowing the victims up like bricks and leaving dust behind. I'm guessing the guy with the trigger finger had fun though.
As for the characters and story, I have to say I enjoyed it. For this gal not to have turned the channel or turned the TV off...that's a big thing for me. I can't be bothered with crap anymore and the movie held me..so there you go!
Imagine my shock when I googled the movie in IMDb and discovered it had a 3.5. That is so not fair in my opinion. I think in all fairness, it deserves a 6!
The disappointing part was that the effects were a bit cheesy. You'd think with the advancement in special effects and what's available now that they would have thought of something better than blowing the victims up like bricks and leaving dust behind. I'm guessing the guy with the trigger finger had fun though.
As for the characters and story, I have to say I enjoyed it. For this gal not to have turned the channel or turned the TV off...that's a big thing for me. I can't be bothered with crap anymore and the movie held me..so there you go!
Imagine my shock when I googled the movie in IMDb and discovered it had a 3.5. That is so not fair in my opinion. I think in all fairness, it deserves a 6!
Don't answer your phone!
Brucey_D16 December 2017
The spirits of the dead wreak revenge on the living in a series of freak storms on a small island.
This film has a faintly absurd premise and doesn't seem to have been made with a huge budget or anything. It also contains a fair amount of low-ish grade CGI. This much it has in common with many TV movies made for the SyFy channel, many of which are nigh-on unwatchable as a consequence.
However this one is mainly played with a straight face and the CGI isn't (for once) meant to resemble something worldly, so much as something other-worldly; this makes it to some extent easier to suspend disbelief. The plot is more rehash than original, but I really didn't mind.
The bottom line is that if you go into this with fairly low expectations (as formed from watching other similar SyFy TV movies) then it is basically going to keep you amused for an hour and a half. I've seen plenty worse.
This film has a faintly absurd premise and doesn't seem to have been made with a huge budget or anything. It also contains a fair amount of low-ish grade CGI. This much it has in common with many TV movies made for the SyFy channel, many of which are nigh-on unwatchable as a consequence.
However this one is mainly played with a straight face and the CGI isn't (for once) meant to resemble something worldly, so much as something other-worldly; this makes it to some extent easier to suspend disbelief. The plot is more rehash than original, but I really didn't mind.
The bottom line is that if you go into this with fairly low expectations (as formed from watching other similar SyFy TV movies) then it is basically going to keep you amused for an hour and a half. I've seen plenty worse.
Wonderfully mindless entertainment
tattoopig23 July 2018
As I've often said in my Facebook group Jaded Horror Hound, SyFy Channel films are generally terrible. One or two that I've seen hit the spot (Flight 666 for example), and here we have another one that gets most of it right and totally entertains.
It's about a strange electrical storm which is led by angry souls from a mass suicide looking for revenge on the townsfolk of a small island community.
Passable CGI FX, relatively good acting and some rather nice camera work, all prove that SyFy can release some semi-decent films when they want to.
Cut and paste this may be, but it's non stop action and exploding bodies turning to ash all the way!
I'm actually gonna keep this in my collection....
Rather disappointing but still enjoyable
kannibalcorpsegrinder15 January 2013
When a series of strange accidents leave the residents of a small island community frightened of a mysterious electrical storm, a group of survivors try to solve the long-hidden reason for it's release to placate the storm and restore peace on the island.
A pretty middling affair overall, though it's also frustratingly full of potential that could've made this one quite enjoyable had they been utilized more. The general concept of the storm and it's creation are quite clever with the revelation made late about it's true origins and intent make for a really neat twist to the formula, as well as a pretty original tactic of having it form a moving tentacle-of-mist that snakes out and calcifies victims to turn them into dust which creates a couple creepy scenes including the graveyard opening and the house ambush. It's got some action as well when it whips through the main street of the town harvesting bodies, and the final measure of defeating it generates some fun. Unfortunately, the fact that there's no consistency in the beings' actions since it'll turn them to dust in the beginning then vaporize them later, seemingly at random points in the script, makes no sense and the objects fascination with modern technology is never really explored so it's quite distracting. The usual Sci-Fi Channel problems are still in effect, so those as well work against this one to lower this one significantly.
Rated R: Violence and Language.
A pretty middling affair overall, though it's also frustratingly full of potential that could've made this one quite enjoyable had they been utilized more. The general concept of the storm and it's creation are quite clever with the revelation made late about it's true origins and intent make for a really neat twist to the formula, as well as a pretty original tactic of having it form a moving tentacle-of-mist that snakes out and calcifies victims to turn them into dust which creates a couple creepy scenes including the graveyard opening and the house ambush. It's got some action as well when it whips through the main street of the town harvesting bodies, and the final measure of defeating it generates some fun. Unfortunately, the fact that there's no consistency in the beings' actions since it'll turn them to dust in the beginning then vaporize them later, seemingly at random points in the script, makes no sense and the objects fascination with modern technology is never really explored so it's quite distracting. The usual Sci-Fi Channel problems are still in effect, so those as well work against this one to lower this one significantly.
Rated R: Violence and Language.
Watchable Horror
Pairic17 October 2019
Ghost Storm (2011): The ghosts of a religious cult who had committed mass suicide on an island in 1912 are freed from their tomb by an electrical storm. The ghosts send out strands of mist to suck the life force from their victims leaving them desiccated. As the ghosts gain strength they blast their prey to pieces and form a cloud which floats over the island. Similarities to The Fog abound, the island is in the US Pacific North-West, there is a conspiracy regarding the mass suicide, descendants of the cult's enemies are targeted by the ghosts, the killer mist/fog. The CGI is a bit ropey but writer/director Paul Ziller (well known for his TV horror films) makes the best of a low budget to deliver a watchable horror thriller. 5.5/10.
I liked it...
Wuchakk8 August 2013
...for a low-budget cartoony horror adventure, along the lines of "The Fog". Like that film, "Ghost Storm" (2011) takes place on an island off the Northwest coast, involves an eerie menace that manifests as creeping fog, an old priest and the corresponding journal that hides a shameful past. Other than these similarities the story's completely different.
The original "The Fog" (1980) created a nice creepy atmosphere, but it always struck me as kind of boring; the '05 remake was more compelling IMHO. While "Ghost Storm" lacks the big-budget finesse of those films, particularly the original, it makes up for it with more energetic storytelling and over-the-top death scenes. The downside is that it comes across as comic booky. Despite this, the actors and filmmakers deliver the goods with a straight face. So it might be cartoonish, but it's not campy. Think "Gargoyles" (1972) or "Bay Coven" (1987) and you'd have a good idea of the approach of "Ghost Storm." All three are comic book horror films made for television.
If you enter into "Ghost Storm" with that understanding you'll be able to enjoy it for what it is; if not, you won't. Since the CGI is cartoony and the death scenes are OTT they might elicit laughs from some viewers; so the movie can be enjoyed on this level as well.
Other than the positives already noted, "Ghost Storm" has a quality cast, certainly better than the original "The Fog." The main protagonist is the sheriff of the island, played by the very likable Carlos Bernard. Then you have the sheriff's ex-wife, played by the striking Crystal Allen. Next you have their daughter, played by the beautiful Cindy Busby, and her cutie friend (Kacey Rohl). Lastly you have a paranormal investigator played by a guy who looks like a younger Brian Dennehy, Aaron Douglas.
I also really liked the love the protagonists show toward each other, particularly as the story proceeds. They're likable, worthy people and you find yourself rooting for them. There are also hints of forgiveness, acceptance and redemption.
At the end of the day, "Ghost Storm" is nothing that'll blow you away; it's formulaic and hackneyed. But, still, it works for what it is. It takes elements of "The Fog" and creates a more snappy and micro-budgeted comic booky movie with a better cast.
The film runs 90 minutes and was Shot in the Vancouver area.
GRADE: B/B-
The original "The Fog" (1980) created a nice creepy atmosphere, but it always struck me as kind of boring; the '05 remake was more compelling IMHO. While "Ghost Storm" lacks the big-budget finesse of those films, particularly the original, it makes up for it with more energetic storytelling and over-the-top death scenes. The downside is that it comes across as comic booky. Despite this, the actors and filmmakers deliver the goods with a straight face. So it might be cartoonish, but it's not campy. Think "Gargoyles" (1972) or "Bay Coven" (1987) and you'd have a good idea of the approach of "Ghost Storm." All three are comic book horror films made for television.
If you enter into "Ghost Storm" with that understanding you'll be able to enjoy it for what it is; if not, you won't. Since the CGI is cartoony and the death scenes are OTT they might elicit laughs from some viewers; so the movie can be enjoyed on this level as well.
Other than the positives already noted, "Ghost Storm" has a quality cast, certainly better than the original "The Fog." The main protagonist is the sheriff of the island, played by the very likable Carlos Bernard. Then you have the sheriff's ex-wife, played by the striking Crystal Allen. Next you have their daughter, played by the beautiful Cindy Busby, and her cutie friend (Kacey Rohl). Lastly you have a paranormal investigator played by a guy who looks like a younger Brian Dennehy, Aaron Douglas.
I also really liked the love the protagonists show toward each other, particularly as the story proceeds. They're likable, worthy people and you find yourself rooting for them. There are also hints of forgiveness, acceptance and redemption.
At the end of the day, "Ghost Storm" is nothing that'll blow you away; it's formulaic and hackneyed. But, still, it works for what it is. It takes elements of "The Fog" and creates a more snappy and micro-budgeted comic booky movie with a better cast.
The film runs 90 minutes and was Shot in the Vancouver area.
GRADE: B/B-
No Realism, meaning everything looked fake!
mzzkjoplus1197428 April 2019
The movie Ghost Storm looked like inexperienced teens got together for a day and just threw stuff together in order to try and make a movie! The acting was terrible, sorry but I'm honest! I was excited for something scary, instead I was greeted with rubbish,not much thought,put into this movie to grab the audiences attention guys.. !💛🙏
A mysterious electrical storm releases revenge.
michaelRokeefe21 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
SyFy channel presents another low-budget time filler. Actually not so bad, but overall worth watching. A mysterious electrical storm seems to attack a small island off the Northwest coast. As a group of teens are trying to have a little fun in a graveyard at night, a lightning bolt strikes a monument that releases a tentacle-like cloud that begins taking bodies. The fast moving clouded mist seems to be the avenging dead souls of victims of a mass suicide. The cloud strikes its victims turning them into a pile of dust, of course that is after a body splatter. Sluggish action, bursts of energy and interesting CGI death scenes. There is really no character development, but Carlos Bernard and Crystal Allen play the strong lead roles. Others in the cast: Steve Bacic, Cindy Busby, Aaron Douglas, Kacey Rohl and Andrew Dunbar.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
