Ghoul

I don't understand why the creators cling to the label "dark thriller" when it's as horror as it gets. Although it's not as scary as its reputation makes it out to be, being more of a cheap B movie, it's qualitatively fully comparable to American horror movies of the same genre. In this respect, it is a victory for Petr Jákl, who managed to make a genre-pure Czech film that has a chance to make a mark in the world. It is relatively functional, atmospheric and in some respects even better than the equivalent foreign competition, so there is no need to be ashamed of it. (2015-02-26)

I appreciate that Petr Jákl has made a truly unconventional horror with an unusually built plot, relying a lot on the classic Hitchcockian - we are most afraid of what we do not see. The connection with the real story of Čikatilo is also interesting in its own way. Nevertheless, I probably expected something more. Still, I am very happy that a Czech director has succeeded abroad and Ghoul can be considered a successful project. (2015-08-29)

This is still found footage, and in its execution, it’s quite typical. I'm not enjoying these films, and neither Jákl nor Czech coproduction nor the fact that it has a very good visual side helps with that. This genre doesn't have much left to say, and the interesting information that Ghoul conveys could be communicated in a classic horror movie, which, of course, there was not enough money for. (2015-12-16)

Finally, someone from Czechia whose genre films are not hindered by Eastern European shittiness, have balls and can be sold globally. Ghoul is a universally effective horror movie in the Hollywood Paranormal Activity / Blair Witch style, with better direction than a lot of similar projects, such as Chernobyl Diaries and The Dyatlov Pass Incident (which makes Petr Jákl a better director than Renny Harlin :-D). The film is composed of things we’ve seen elsewhere, but it works, especially because of the name Chikatilo, which sends chills down one’s spine. Too bad this name is not evoked earlier in the film, as it would have lent the introduction a more powerful atmosphere. And too bad that Jákl didn’t make this earlier. Today, this film is just one of many. (2015-02-25)

Since I'm going to see Jákl's new film Medieval today, it seemed fitting to revisit his earlier work. Besides Kajínek, this Czech director also made a found footage horror set in the intriguing landscape of Ukraine with a rather interesting premise. Sure, Western cinema has produced higher-quality entries in this genre over the years, but keep in mind that this is a Czech horror film (with an international cast). The setting in remote Ukrainian forests provided a reasonably chilling atmosphere. The acting wasn’t top-tier, but it wasn’t particularly off-putting either. I was pleasantly surprised by the way they combined the theme of cannibalism with the case of Chikatilo, the serial killer who murdered dozens of people in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. This gave the ending an extra punch. For me, it’s 5.5/10. (2022-09-12)