The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)

How sad is this?

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Nothing bad at all about this movie at all I actually found it's quite entertaining I praise Stephen Hopkins for directing this one of my favorite directors who also directed Nightmare on Elm Street 5 the dream child Predator 2 Blown Away I found the cinematography excellent the movies very well made and fine editing indeed what gets me mad is the fact that Val Kilmer supporting actor Razzie Award nomination when I thought he really did an excellent job in the movie even Michael Douglas even though appears halfway in the movie and the fact that it's based off a true story make this movie even more wonderful movies that are based off a true stories tend to end wonderfully which also makes this movie excellent indeed which should make it a cult classic.

The Tsavo Man-Eaters were a pair of notorious man-eating lions responsible for the deaths of a number of construction workers on the Kenya-Uganda Railway from March through December 1898. For the longest time, it seem like nobody can stop them. It wasn't until, bridge engineer and an experienced game hunter, Col. John Henry Patterson came aboard, that the killing finally stop. Without spoiling the movie, too much, from all of the films that was inspired by this historical event, such as 1952's 'Bwana Devil" & 1959's 'Killers of Kilimanjaro', this film is most accurate to Patterson's in-depth account of his experiences with the lion; despite only being loosely based on it. However, Patterson's book "The Man-Eaters of Tsavo" might not be accurate, as well. It is possible, if not probable, the count of 140 deaths may have been trumped up a bit to sell more books. After all, modern scientific analysis estimated that both animals ate the equivalent of 35 humans last 3 months of their lives. This reduced total was also based on Colonel Patterson's original journal, and Colonel Patterson's original publication 1907 report. Yet, this research does not disprove the claims that the attacks happen, year long. Honestly, if you multiply 35 times 4 you get to 140. So the whole 135 people killed thing seems very plausible if the other assumptions are true. Plus, the research doesn't disprove the claim that the lion ate also locals, or the claim that they were killing, just merely to kill. Still, the book got a few things right that the movie did not. Some good examples is the fact that Patterson did all the hunting, by himself with little to no help from the Maasai natives. In truth, the Maasai were little help, as they felt that the building of the railroad, interfere with their normal lives. So, Indian workers were made to work on the project. Also, the fame hunter character, Charles Remington that the British company brought in the film; also highly fictionalized. I guess, Val Kilmer was just that boring as the lead as Colonel Patterson, that the screenwriter, William Goldman create another character, just to get the full of energy, actor Michael Douglas into the film to bring some life into the project. While, Douglas indeed brought, something new to the table as the fanciful, fictitious hunter; in production, the working relationship between Douglas and the director, Stephen Hopkins became very stressful and tense because of that. Since, Douglas was also producer, and have a say on the final film, the movie had to be completely recut in post-production removing 45 minutes of scenes in order for him to have more screen time. This also explains why, certain story parts go nowhere and plot holes developed. Because of this, Hopkins expressed disappointment with the final cut of the film, as it doesn't explain the slavery subplot that help explain, why these animals were attacking, as the slave trade route, contributed to a considerable number of abandoned bodies on the way. Despite that, in my opinion, this movie is still unbelievable good. I'm not lion. Trust me! I like the fact that only one scene involving an animatronic lion. All the other shots were used using two real life lions named Bongo and Caeser, who best known for, appearing in 1997's 'George of the Jungle'. It's quite scary to know that. If there is one thing, I kinda wish, the movie could had done, better. It would be the point, that the lions that attack the Kenya-Uganda Railway were in fact, maneless. So, it was kinda jarring, to see, these types of lions, appearing outside their normal environmental. Plus, the film doesn't really does a good job, explaining how these beast got through the boma or thorn fences. Despite that, this movie action certainly fit in with the Western notion of the "epic adventure movie" of that time period. The cinematography from Vilmos Zsigmond was just as breath-taking. It really did felt like a safari, when watching this movie. The beauty of Africa and the dangers lurking underneath is represented by the tall brown Savannah grass, made it, very suspenseful. The unseen animals seem to be almost supernaturally cunning and stealth. It really works as a horror movie. The gore and special visual effect were just as good. Added to that, was the music from composter, Jerry Goldsmith was equally as magnificent. It's very suspenseful. Even the pacing wasn't that bad. Overall: I have to say, I would recommend watching this movie to just about anyone. It's an absolutely thrilling movie to watch in your lion den. So check it out.

Nice story set in Africa based on a real life story about a construction site in the Tsavo region terrorized by two African lions The story is nice Val Kilmer acts perfect as Paterson and Michael Douglas as Remington is good too the movie is nice, edging and scary i mean, after all, i believe that after been eaten by a great white shark think about been killed by a lion must be the second scariest thing...Really nice movie and, like i said, think that this was actually a real story it scares you more because "that happened" which means that nature can be truly scary... real but scary...Watch it if ya can...

The Ghost and The DarknessThe only time it's acceptable to kill a lion is if it's dressed like a cow, chicken or pig.Mind you, the most consumed animal in this action movie is man.Sent to Kenya by his boss (Tom Wilkinson) to expedite work on his railroad, military engineer Col. John Henry Patterson (Val Kilmer) is advised by the project supervisors (Brian McCardie, John Kani) that two man-eating lions have been holding up progress.When he fails to slay the stealthy predators, Patterson's boss hires an experienced hunter (Michael Douglas) to eliminate the threat for good.But even the famed huntsman can't kill the cunning cats, and he soon finds himself on their dinner menu.Based on Patterson's book, this adaptation of his harrowing account is as frightening as it is fascinating, with the lions serving as truly menacing antagonists.But to fair, big game hunters should have to dress as injured gazelle.Green Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca