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The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.4/10
Reviews Counted: 46
Fresh: 23 | Rotten: 23

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 4.3/10
Critic Reviews: 11
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 9

No consensus yet.

audience

liked it
Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 50,747

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Movie Info

A man bringing modern transportation to the ancient jungles of Africa discovers one of man's oldest enemies lays in wait for him in this period adventure drama. John Beaumont (Tom Wilkinson) is the owner of a British railroad firm who is building a rail line through Uganda. A bridge is needed so that the tracks may cross a large river, and engineer John Henry Patterson (Val Kilmer) is summoned to the African nation to supervise construction. While Beaumont has placed Patterson under a strict

R, 1 hr. 49 min.

Drama, Action & Adventure, Horror

Directed By: Stephen Hopkins

Written By: William Goldman

In Theaters: Oct 11, 1996 Wide

On DVD: Dec 1, 1998

Paramount Home Video

The Ghost and the Darkness Trailer & Photos

Cast

Michael Douglas
Charles Remington
Val Kilmer
Col. John Henry Patters...
Tom Wilkinson
John Beaumont
John Kani
Samuel
Om Puri
Abdullah
Bernard Hill
Dr. Hawthorne
Brian McCardie
Angus Starling
Henry Cele
Mahina
Emily Mortimer
Helena Patterson

Critic Reviews for The Ghost and the Darkness

All Critics (54) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (23) | DVD (4)

The picture is too lightweight, too posturing and too self-important to go in an introspective direction.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle

| Comment

Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

Ranges in quality from adolescent boys' adventure stories to Heart of Darkness.

April 12, 2002 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

| Comment

Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

When the movie sticks to fact, the result is a hypnotic spectacle.

May 12, 2001 Comment

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Top Critic

Can't transcend a too-familiar script.

February 14, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times

| Comment (1)

Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

Top Critic

A scenery-chewing Michael Douglas is the highlight of this passable landlocked variation of Jaws.

October 6, 2005 Comment

Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

Effectively wipes out the lion's cuddly image from The Lion King and reinstates its rep as the fearsome king of the jungle.

September 10, 2005 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com

| Comment

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

It sounds like it might be a good movie, but it ain't.

August 25, 2005 Comments (2)

Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

A roaring adventure.

January 28, 2005 Full Review Source: StaciWilson.com

| Comment (1)

Staci Layne Wilson

StaciWilson.com

atmospheric but uneven thriller

November 8, 2004 Comment

Rich Cline

Shadows on the Wall

Gets a bit weird and boring. Both stars can do better.

April 3, 2004 Comment

Willie Waffle

WaffleMovies.com

An exciting man vs. nature adventure that falls short of terrifying because William Goldman's script is too reminiscent of Jaws.

July 11, 2003 Full Review | Comment

Jeffrey Westhoff

Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Ghost and the Darkness

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This African hunting adventure seems to come right out of the era of great Hollywood films with similar themes. It is old-fashioned in the good sense. Two men, their guns and two lions, that terrorize a bridge-building camp in Uganda. That simply premise is delivered well here, with decent acting, enthralling lion

June 14, 2006

Jens S.

Super Reviewer

This movie is unintentionally hilarious with its cheesy lines and horrible acting. Michael Douglas turns in a hilariously bad performance while Val Kilmer is tolerable. The only thing that makes this movie interesting is that it is true (with Hollywood exaggerations of course).

December 6, 2011

Sanjay Rema

Super Reviewer

The Ghost and the Darkness Quotes

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1. Helena Patterson: Save yourself. No, send me your ATM.
– Submitted by Barbara N (8 months ago)
1. Col. John Henry Patterson: I'm a tad frightened, you?
– Submitted by Barbara N (8 months ago)
1. Col. John Henry Patterson: Gevalt! Women and children go first!
– Submitted by Barbara N (8 months ago)