I think expectations played a big part in the general disappointment of this film. Having heard how "horrible" it was for months, my expectations were rock bottom when I finally sat down and watched it and, wouldn't you know, I actually enjoyed it! Sure, it's a bit derivative and in no way stacks up against Carpenter's best works, but it was slickly made, well paced, moody and entertaining. Carpenter certainly has better footing at this point in his career than, say, George Romero and I look forward to what his next film will bring.
As for The Ward, a 7/10 from me.
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asgard-5
13 years ago
Just overblown expectation for an established self proclaimed/marketed auteur like Carpenter. Being an auteur is a double edged sword - you get a fanbase that's with you no matter what, but you also get a lot of scorn from broad minded general public when you don't come up with a masterpiece. For example, Werner Herzog took a lot of heat for My Son and it wasn't even bad at all - it just didn't go anywhere beyond the premise. The Ward would've been a true comeback had it been a little more original and less predictable in the story department. As it is it just shows he can direct well, no matter how bad the material is.
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Eve_of_Destruction
13 years ago
Having heard how "horrible" it was for months, my expectations were rock bottom when I finally sat down and watched it and, wouldn't you know, I actually enjoyed it!
Same thing happened to me.
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semaphore-1842
12 years ago
I watched it without knowing who the director was, and I found it to be pretty good. Not a smashing epic masterpiece by any means, but pretty good. I was genuinely surprised by the vitriol on these boards until I realised who the director was. Expectation ruins everything.
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