The Ward

ARC Entertainment (II) | Release Date: July 8, 2011

7.1	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 80 Ratings

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User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

AutiTakahashiSep 28, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Kristen is an attractive young woman, and if this damn ghost would stop bothering her, she could pretty much land a career in modeling. But no, she also has to be confined in a ward for the mentally unstable. This is very unfortunate. Things are already going bad for poor Kirsten, but the worst part is that she has to share the movie with supporting characters suffering from … Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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SushiStonerMay 4, 2015

Sorry carpenter your the era is over. The ward is a lazy, generic and disappointing, Heard is the saving grace along with the soundtrack, the cinematography and editing were appalling, the special effects were disastrous, the ending was itsSorry carpenter your the era is over. The ward is a lazy, generic and disappointing, Heard is the saving grace along with the soundtrack, the cinematography and editing were appalling, the special effects were disastrous, the ending was its overall saviour. Delivers no scares or tension.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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mcmanusthebraveSep 17, 2012

Excellent

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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mykhawkeSep 17, 2012

A magnificent return to form from john carpenter, a wholly original story, consistent and creepy tone, and decent performances steer this film into classic territory, kudos, carpenter, kudos.

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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samarathenymphSep 17, 2012

We love you carpenter, but if you follow this with another ghosts of mars, i will be very disappointed, this is a perfect film, this lets us know that you are still an exceptional director, please, don't crush my faith in you - samarathenymph xoxo

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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KivaAug 30, 2013

The Ward is not original or the best thriller but it still isn't that bad.It has scary moments and some really good parts that are worth seeing them but the bad thing about The Ward is the ending that has been seen and watched over and overThe Ward is not original or the best thriller but it still isn't that bad.It has scary moments and some really good parts that are worth seeing them but the bad thing about The Ward is the ending that has been seen and watched over and over in the past years. It is quite similar to Shutter Island and Identity which were much better in many ways. However it is not that bad so as to avoid it but the sad thing is that lacks of originality… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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rotkuJan 10, 2012

Poor movie, made worst by a ridiculous ending which has been done over and over in the past. There is no glossing over the fact that this has got to be one of the poorest movie I have seen in a long time (and I've watched some rubbish!!)

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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MarcDoyleJul 10, 2011

Terribly disappointing to this horror/Carpenter fan. Heard is fine, as are the supporting actresses - the other patients on The Ward. But it's simply not scary in the least. The twist is so banal, and the final "shock" is predictable.Terribly disappointing to this horror/Carpenter fan. Heard is fine, as are the supporting actresses - the other patients on The Ward. But it's simply not scary in the least. The twist is so banal, and the final "shock" is predictable. There's just not much to it, and there's not much at stake.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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TheQuietGamerOct 11, 2016

John Carpenter proves why he's a legend in the horror genre once again. While perhaps not the most original of concepts, The Ward manages to be very entertaining nonetheless. The atmosphere, style, dialog, and score are all reminiscent ofJohn Carpenter proves why he's a legend in the horror genre once again. While perhaps not the most original of concepts, The Ward manages to be very entertaining nonetheless. The atmosphere, style, dialog, and score are all reminiscent of those cult classic horror flicks of the 70's and 80's. Particularly the ones based on Stephen King's works.

It's also got some of the best jump scares I've ever seen. Even when you can see them coming from a mile away, (which honestly most of the time you can) the way they are handled still makes for a good shock. Admittedly none of the horror is actually scary, so don't expect any of this to stick with you into the night after watching.

The plot itself is very entertaining and filled with mystery. The big reveal, while perhaps a bit confusing to wrap your head around, is very satisfying. It's nice to get the answers when they finally arrive and I honestly did not see that coming.

Mix in fantastic performances all around and you've got a really entertaining horror film. Carpenter excellently brings back the horror movies of yesteryear after a lengthy departure. It's already been a few years since this one has come out, and based on what I've seen here, I really hope he doesn't wait as long to return to filmmaking like he did after Ghosts of Mars. I personally want to see more new stuff from the guy.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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monsterocketAug 26, 2011

I had high hopes for this movie but inevitably avoided watching "The Ward" in theatres after reading so many negative reviews. Needless to say, I ended up renting for my own disappointing experience. Terrible character development and theI had high hopes for this movie but inevitably avoided watching "The Ward" in theatres after reading so many negative reviews. Needless to say, I ended up renting for my own disappointing experience. Terrible character development and the supposed twist of an ending will likely be predictable for most. I give props to the makeup artists and for a few scenes that made me jump a bit but overall, Carpenter's latest flick failed to deliver. I would not recommend this movie to a friend and will avoid watching this in the future.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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mcg1986Nov 14, 2015

Why are all these psych-ward patients hot, young, well-dressed girls? Like a horror mystery made for dumb people, Carpenter’s last film is trying so hard to be scary and failing at every turn. Poorly directed and completely boring.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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HellHoleHorrorFeb 14, 2022

It looked stunning and had great suspense and tension. They found new and interesting ways of creating jump scares which I loved. The characters were pretty dull and couldn’t carry the moments between the fear. I really did’t like the endingIt looked stunning and had great suspense and tension. They found new and interesting ways of creating jump scares which I loved. The characters were pretty dull and couldn’t carry the moments between the fear. I really did’t like the ending and generally found it unoriginal but worth watching for the scares.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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HaithamBayazeedMay 5, 2013

The movie is average, it is not that great, but it stands out as a horror movie with a thought provoking story that makes the watcher asks questions that can't be answered, this is what makes it special, especially with the end that makes youThe movie is average, it is not that great, but it stands out as a horror movie with a thought provoking story that makes the watcher asks questions that can't be answered, this is what makes it special, especially with the end that makes you confused which is a good thing about movies, it is just not a simple ghost story with characters, no it is a terrifying story of murder and revenge, although it has a tall boring scenes and not that shocking and scary as you think it might be but it is way too better than other ghost stories.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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MattBrady99Oct 29, 2020

John Carpenter, am begging you, please do not let this be your "final" movie. End with a bang, not a whimper.

'The Ward' is by far Carpenters worst movie. It's a generic horror thriller that lacks any suspense or atmosphere. Instead the moveJohn Carpenter, am begging you, please do not let this be your "final" movie. End with a bang, not a whimper.

'The Ward' is by far Carpenters worst movie. It's a generic horror thriller that lacks any suspense or atmosphere. Instead the move relays way too much on jump scares to the point it became irritating to watch. It also doesn't help that the twist-ending is just the worst.

Some of the performances were pretty decent; the standout being Jared Harris who is at least trying, bless his heart. However the other performances were pretty terrible; the standout being Amber Turd.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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FilipeNetoJul 6, 2018

Dark and scary places with ghosts, questionable therapies and some disrespect for it's patients humanity... usually, this is how we imagine an insane asylum. This recipe, which has allowed most of old sanatoriums to gain a reputation forDark and scary places with ghosts, questionable therapies and some disrespect for it's patients humanity... usually, this is how we imagine an insane asylum. This recipe, which has allowed most of old sanatoriums to gain a reputation for being haunted, is quite visible in this film, which tells the story of a mental patient who is terrified by a ghost. Set in the sixties (it seems that John Carpenter truly enjoys this period, where his career began), the film quickly creates a positive tension and suspense. This is done by putting together these ideas and a plot full of unanswered questions. Some scenes in the beginning of the film are only understood in the end, as if they were clues for the public to find its own answer. Some of the movie's most intense scenes, unsuitable for the faint-hearted, resort to scary medical techniques that were top-of-the-line at the time. Amber Heard is the protagonist, and is OK in her character, fulfilling without surprising; Mamie Gummer and Danielle Panabaker gave life to the crazy colleagues I liked the most, as they are the opposite of each other but interact very well with Heard. Jared Harris has been convincing in the role of the doctor. So, this film is far from completely satisfying Carpenter's fans, but was enough as an appetizer for them.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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DaniMetJan 22, 2023

You know those films which you see bad reviews of online but then you're totally confused why when you watch them cause it turns out that they're actually really good? Yes, this is one of them. Contrary to those that criticize Carpenter forYou know those films which you see bad reviews of online but then you're totally confused why when you watch them cause it turns out that they're actually really good? Yes, this is one of them. Contrary to those that criticize Carpenter for this film, I actually commend him for it as I find that it reflects his growth and sophistication as a director and as a human being. It's not just really entertaining but also thought-provoking. Watch it and you'll see what I mean.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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