Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

The Ghost and the Darkness Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 21, 2022

Stephen Hopkins isn’t the most refined filmmaker, but there’s always been something about his career that suggests he’d rather be making high art than genre entertainment. He broke through in Hollywood with his work on 1989’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child,” and built a reputation for violent thrillers with 1990’s “Predator 2,” 1993’s “Judgement Night,” and 1994’s “Blown Away.” All of these features have significant creative problems, but Hopkins still found gigs, and 1995’s “The Ghost and the Darkness” seemed like a project capable of taking the helmer to the next level of respectability, offered material (scripted by William Goldman) that carries a frightening atmosphere while supported by some of the finest cast and crew in the business at the time, giving what’s essentially another “Jaws” knock-off some true cinematic regality. “The Ghost and the Darkness” plays like a production aching to achieve event movie status, but it never quite reaches such ambition. It’s an entertaining picture with a cracking pace for the first hour, but Hopkins is a strange choice to guide the endeavor, stuck trying to find a balance between the grisliness of the true story behind the Tsavo Man-Eaters experience and the character study of Goldman’s writing, which is often obscured through mangled editorial moves.

In 1898, British engineer John (Val Kilmer) has been hired to build a bridge across a river in Tsavo, Kenya, accepting the assignment from Robert (Tom Wilkinson), the ruthless financier of the project, who demands a quick turnaround from a new hire with a healthy reputation for results. John elects to leave his pregnant wife (Emily Mortimer) behind to travel to Africa, confident he’ll be able to complete the job and return in time to support the birth of his baby. Eager to take in the sights of Kenya, John is overwhelmed by the beauty of the land, but he faces a difficult managerial experience with the local workers, who are divided by religion and fearful of a lion roaming around the savannah. Joined by camp liaison Samuel (John Kani), John receives his first taste of threat when the creature makes its way into the area. After killing the beast, John believes he’s taken care of the issue, pushing for work to resume. However, two more predators have emerged, and these lions have a taste for human meat, complicating the completion of the bridge project, requiring the services of seasoned hunter Remington (Michael Douglas) to help with the eradication of the animals, dubbed “The Ghost and the Darkness” by the locals.

“The Ghost and the Darkness” is based on a real incident from 1898, giving Goldman a solid foundation to help him create a story about an outsider coming to Tsavo to oversee a simple operation, only to find himself dragged into a lengthy battle with nature. It’s a primal tale of ego and survival, and the opening act of the film sets the mood of the feature with authority, following John’s initial hiring, with Robert an admitted monster of a man who requires construction to be completed on time, believing he’s found an engineer capable of achieving such a goal. Robert’s looking to “save Africa from the Africans,” with Goldman emphasizing British hubris while depicting John as someone craving a look at Africa after studying the continent, giving him a softer side of wonder and impending family business, determined to leave his expecting wife for only a short amount of time.

Hopkins gives “The Ghost and the Darkness” a sense of scale, while Goldman deals with a few psychological issues, and the whole thing has an impressive gallop to it for the first half. We watch John survey his surroundings, getting in touch with agitated construction workers, and he manages to kill a lion with a single shot, boosting his ego as he’s turned into a hero, allowing work to return to a rapid pace. Supporting characters are introduced, including a doubting doctor (Bernard Hill) and a twitchy assistant (Brian McCardie), and suspense emerges quickly with the reality of two lions on the prowl, forcing John to use his limited experience with animal instinct, which results in fresh waves of dead men.

Dramatic essentials are present, but execution on this notoriously difficult production (Hopkins has voiced his displeasure with the picture) is noticeable, starting with the use of clumsy narration from Samuel to cover for some missing pieces of the plot. Characters fall in and out of the endeavor, including one particularly unceremonious death, and the addition of Remington (the film’s Quint) fails to transform “The Ghost and the Darkness” into a study of two hunters facing an unusual threat level with a malicious lion. Douglas takes over the feature with his broad performance, pushing Kilmer into the background, which confuses dramatic focus in the second half of the movie as a flashier character constantly tries to make himself seen.

Pieces seem to be missing from “The Ghost and the Darkness,” but it doesn’t paralyze the feature, which maintains forward momentum as the lion situation worsens. Hopkins creates a few nightmare scenarios (including a literal one) and tries to sell the frightening ways of the lions through some abstract imagery, which doesn’t always connect as intended. Also helping the cause is wonderful cinematography from Vilmos Zsigmond, who communicates the heat of Africa and the horror of helplessness, and the score by Jerry Goldsmith provides the bigness of adventuring that Hopkins isn’t always capable of communicating on his own.

The Ghost and the Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"The Ghost and the Darkness" comes to Blu-ray with a "New 4K scan from the original negative." The AVC encoded image (2.12:1 aspect ratio) presentation handles Vilmos Zsigmond's intense, slightly softer cinematography well, preserving fine detail with the sweaty and unshaven particulars of the cast. Facial surfaces retain some roughness, and textures extend to costuming as well, dealing with tougher hunter outfits and crisper formal wear. Work site distances are dimensional, and building interiors are open for study. Colors favor the warmth of Africa, with distinct greenery. Clothing registers as intended. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition.

The Ghost and the Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix does especially well with atmospherics, capturing the bustle of the work site and the movement of creatures. It's an active track, and one that won an Academy Award for sound editing, showcasing the deep growling of lion attacks, train engine rumbling, and snappy gunfire during the hunting sequences. Dialogue exchanges are crisp throughout the listening experience, handling accents and emphasis. Scoring cues are clearly defined, supporting the adventure with sharp instrumentation, giving Jerry Goldsmith's music a full sense of orchestral presence.

The Ghost and the Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:14, SD) is included.

The Ghost and the Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If one really studies the stitching of "The Ghost and the Darkness," the feature's shortcomings are impossible to ignore. It's assembled in a panicky manner by a production team likely spooked by the possibility of a more internalized journey for the characters and their individual responses to Tsavo, "the worst place in the world." And yet, the movie isn't a mess, showing some hustle with lion threats and creative achievements. "The Ghost and the Darkness" isn't a drag to watch, and "Jaws" mode is occasionally successful, giving viewers a few authentic nail-biting moments to help counteract some mild confusion.