Ghosts of the Ozarks Review

3 star brooding and sinister period horror tale.

Ghosts of the Ozarks is a 2022 independent mystery horror/thriller written by Tara Perry (Lucky, Twelve Hour Shift) and Jordan Wayne Long (Squirrel) who also directs alongside Matt Glass, who composed the music for the film.

It is available to stream now on Digital platforms courtesy of Signature Entertainment.

“There was a time when there were no woods here, just a single tree. But from one seed, an entire forest would grow.”

It’s post-Civil war Arkansas and former military medic James (Thomas Hobson – That Girl Lay Lay, Rekindling Christmas) has been unexpectedly summoned by his Uncle Matthew (Phil Morris – Bosch Legacy, Craig of the Creek). He is to join him in the small town on Norfork, a supposed utopia deep in the forest.

Without any real directions and following a disturbing encounter with a stranger and some creeping red mist, he finally makes it to town. There he finds the local hostelry, run by blind landlord Torb (Tim Blake Nelson – Leaves of Grass, The Incredible Hulk) who also doubles as the town butcher and his lovely wife Lucille (Angela Bettis – May, Girl Interrupted) who offer him a room.

He also meets the local shopkeeper Douglas Giuseppe Dubois (David Arquette – Scream, Eight Legged Freaks) who welcomes him to the town. It’s not long before he’s put to work and starts to get the lay of the land. The locals are very superstitious and believe the woods are haunted by ghosts who maintain law and order. Evidence to support this theory is pretty strong and everyone is happy to stay safely within the walls.

When he meets the town hunters Annie (Tara Perry) and William (Joseph Rudd – WWE Raw, WWE Smackdown!) who live happily outside the walls and do not fear the ghosts, he begins to question whether this town and the people in it are as they seem.

“The hard part is working out what’s real. The rumours are halfway round the town before the truth can get it’s boots on.”

Ghosts of the Ozarks is a very enjoyable film and well written. It’s brooding and the special effects of the mist make it all particularly creepy. The acting is good and holds the story together well.

The themes explored, such as racism and persecution are handled quite well, but it suffers a bit from confusion in places and it feels like it loses track of itself towards the end which is a shame.

The twist is pretty good (if slightly predictable) and overall this one is definitely worth a watch.

“Get rid of the useless, that’s what I always say. Round here we don’t care none what you call yourself anyway.”

Signature Entertainment present Ghosts of the Ozarks on Digital Platforms 23rd May