Overlooked and underrated over the years. But in an era that appreciates pulp cinema for its own gleefully cheesy values, Ghost and the Darkness represents a fairly unique marriage between lowbrow creature feature and highbrow historical epic.

| Original Score: 82/100 | Dec 17, 2024

The film has a core competency - being a meat-and-potatoes thriller about killer lions - and as such, it's kind of frustrating how much time it spends not doing that.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Sep 29, 2022

It’s a handsome, robust, old-fashioned adventure yarn, packed with spectacle and action, and populated with colourful characters—the kind of solid, entertaining programmer we used to make dozens of every year.

| Aug 30, 2022

The Ghost in the Darkness tries to give the audience a connection between the desire to finish what one has started with the notion of fatherhood, but some of that salience is lost by the films exciting finale.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Feb 12, 2022

Aurally, the movie sneaks up on you from all directions with maximized terror.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 11, 2021

The use of real Maasai warriors and location shooting in South Africa increases the authenticity of the production.

| Original Score: 3/10 | Sep 14, 2020

Lions terrorize bridge-building crew; gore and violence.

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 21, 2020

Hopkins' direction is competent, and Goldman's screenplay merely serves its purpose.

| Original Score: C | Jun 23, 2019

| Original Score: C | Sep 7, 2011

| Original Score: 6/10 | May 6, 2006

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

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 6, 2005

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

| Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 10, 2005

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

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 25, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 1, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Apr 13, 2005

atmospheric but uneven thriller

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 8, 2004

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

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 3, 2004

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 29, 2003

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 19, 2003

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

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jul 11, 2003