![The Ghost and the Darkness](https://www.criticker.com/img/films/posters/legacy/The-Ghost-and-the-Darkness.jpg?1321524823)
The Ghost and the Darkness
1996
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
1h 50m
Set in 1898, this movie is based on the true story of two lions in Africa that killed 130 people over a nine month period... (imdb)
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The Ghost and the Darkness
1996
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
1h 50m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 44.65% from 1442 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews
(1453)
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Rated 13 Mar 2010
65
42nd
There are some genuinely decent suspense and action scenes. It takes a lot from Jaws and tries to be something unique but ends up as a mediocre effort.
Rated 13 Mar 2010
Rated 03 Dec 2013
9
21st
Rooting for the lions in this one.
Rated 03 Dec 2013
Rated 07 Jun 2010
60
19th
Drama? No. Action? Weak. Adventure? Boring. Horror? What?!?
Rated 07 Jun 2010
Rated 21 Sep 2010
65
45th
Cheeseball thriller based on true events. Hilarious at times for the wrong reasons. One of my favorite bad movies.
Rated 21 Sep 2010
Rated 24 Feb 2011
68
34th
I was halfway through this movie before I realized I'd seen it before. It's not bad, and is actually pretty entertaining for the most part. It's just not overly memorable.
Rated 24 Feb 2011
Rated 10 Apr 2011
63
42nd
Decent enough film with great performances from Val Kilmer, Michael Douglas and John Kani. Manages a commendable job of making Earthly animals, in this case lions, have horror-like abilities. Quite suspenseful in places but can't really escape it's relatively mediocre screenplay.
Rated 10 Apr 2011
Rated 12 Jun 2011
50
11th
It's just okay; the writing isn't great, the acting is mediocre, but the story itself is compelling enough to keep you watching.
Rated 12 Jun 2011
Rated 20 Nov 2011
100
90th
Great movie. Beautiful setting and scary action.
Rated 20 Nov 2011
Rated 15 Apr 2012
62
42nd
Lions are naturally more frightening than they appear to be in this movie.
Rated 15 Apr 2012
Rated 12 Jul 2012
95
63rd
Although ridiculous at times, I highly enjoyed this prey-predator story.
Rated 12 Jul 2012
Rated 15 Jun 2013
64
21st
Bloody lions vs 'husband' Kilmer & 'badass' Douglas
Rated 15 Jun 2013
Rated 05 Dec 2009
75
50th
A pleasant surprise. The story is solid, the cast is able, and the African scenery is beautiful to look at. Michael Douglas hams it up as a hunter, Val Kilmer does well in his role, and the supporting cast is good. My only qualm is that one major plot point late in the movie doesn't get the attention that it deserves. Overall, a good movie- not amazing, but worth checking out if you're looking for a classy killer wildlife flick.
Rated 05 Dec 2009
Rated 10 Jan 2014
79
55th
Not bad. I had read "The Man-Eaters of Tsavo" when I was younger and loved it, so finding this movie was a bit of a treat; It certainly didn't disappoint when it came to the lions! Despite being a badass, Douglas is an unnecessary character, and as the lead, Kilmer was very unimpressive.
Rated 10 Jan 2014
Rated 25 Aug 2016
45
14th
Haven't seen for years. Placeholder score until I can rewatch
Rated 25 Aug 2016
Rated 04 Feb 2017
90
85th
The storyline is exactly what you'll read elsewhere: two hunters have to kill the lions who are terrorizing railway workers in Africa. It sounds extremely off-putting, but this is actually a very enjoyable film if you are into the "man vs. beast" kind of thriller/horror. It pulls you into the narrative and lets you empathize with the characters. Not to give any spoilers, but Val Kilmer's character's nightmare is truly horrifying. And the photography is beautiful. Try it.
Rated 04 Feb 2017
Rated 24 Aug 2018
62
51st
Finally got around to watching this some 18 years later after its release and thought it was certainly a decent film. The cinematography is good and the late 19th century is well done with sets and costumes. The actors do a good job and there is a little suspenseful action occasionally.
Rated 24 Aug 2018
Rated 21 Apr 2021
3
16th
rewatch. 21-year-old me thought this was pretty badass. 46-year-old me thought it was pretty loud and stupid and may or may not have turned it off about halfway through. also wasn't Kilmer legendarily a huge dickhead when he was filming this?
Rated 21 Apr 2021
Rated 01 Jun 2021
60
58th
ger; [der Geist und die Dunkelheit]; in Afrika soll eine Brücke gebaut werden, doch der bauleiter kämpft gegen zwei gefährliche Löwen die ihn hindern das Projekt fertig zu stellen.;
Rated 01 Jun 2021
Rated 12 Sep 2021
40
31st
"The Ghost and the Darkness" is a well-made movie with some good performances. Unfortunately, the story is ineffective and doesn't create the drama needed to make it watchable.
Rated 12 Sep 2021
Rated 09 Feb 2023
80
21st
Guilty pleasure. So much fun. What a great story to adapt. Tight action. Want to see as a documentary. Not your average every day situation. In some ways, this is a period monster film.
Rated 09 Feb 2023
Rated 19 Apr 2023
50
15th
I can't believe this is the same actor that played Doc Holliday. Kilmer deserves his Razzi nomination. Michael Douglas doing a mixture of Clint Eastwood and Quint from Jaws is just too much.
Rated 19 Apr 2023
Rated 10 Jun 2023
69
35th
Fun adventure yarn starts well; Kilmer’s passive, withdrawn performance provides a solid ballast to the borderline overstated stereotypes surrounding him (Wilkinson is a particular blast as the pompous Brit). As a Douglas “Stan”, it’s a shame to say that the film loses its way once he enters the story – ultimately surplus to requirements, and he overwhelms Kilmer, killing the momentum of the film (and did the rumored production difficulties mean Douglas was unavailable for his final scene?)
Rated 10 Jun 2023
Rated 07 Aug 2007
75
47th
Will make you scared as fuck of lions.
Rated 07 Aug 2007
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
66th
Underrated.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
Rated 20 Aug 2007
78
87th
This is one of my favorite movies of 1996.
Rated 20 Aug 2007
Rated 15 Sep 2007
20
1st
Practically a slapstick comedy. This was just a silly and unscary film that had only one redeeming feature....Douglas.
Rated 15 Sep 2007
Rated 24 Oct 2007
80
58th
A surprisingly effective thriller. And I bet the woman who sat behind me with her four-year-old was really sorry when the kid had nightmares for the next several years.
Rated 24 Oct 2007
Rated 24 Jun 2008
3
24th
Nothing special but not bad by any means. Worth a watch if you're interested in anything related to imperialism. The african scenery is also nice to look at.
Rated 24 Jun 2008
Rated 16 Jul 2008
60
62nd
Pretty good.
Rated 16 Jul 2008
Rated 19 Jul 2008
75
49th
A good movie, but I've seen it like 1000 times.
Rated 19 Jul 2008
Rated 26 Apr 2009
65
38th
Not really that compelling to me. Kinda fun to rewatch due to my renewed interest in Val Kilmer.
Rated 26 Apr 2009
Rated 04 May 2009
85
44th
Good adventure film that has nothing to do with ghosts, but lions that appear out of nowhere like ghosts.
Rated 04 May 2009
Rated 11 May 2009
75
53rd
A better film than I thought it would be. Based on the true story of 2 man eating lions that attacked and killed over 100 people as they were trying to build a railway line though Tsavo... This was made when both Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas were the talk of Hollywood and both shine in their roles. This is an often overlooked gem of the mid-ninties which deserves to be watched once
Rated 11 May 2009
Rated 10 Jul 2009
81
43rd
Val was great, the other d00d, not so much.
Rated 10 Jul 2009
Rated 12 Aug 2009
54
29th
So much cooler when I was a kid. Still kind of a remarkable story.
Rated 12 Aug 2009
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