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Cast: Jeffrey Johnson, Linara Washington, Charley Koontz, John Zderko, Bill Lithgow, Dee Wallace
A group of ghost hunters must up their game to compete in the competitive world of paranormal TV shows, leading them to a truly haunted prison with a grisly past that proves to be more than they bargained for.
The "Ghost Sightings" Television show is struggling to make ratings. The head of the TV network, Ms. Simon is threatening to cancel the show if they do not come up with some more solid findings soon. The team insists it is not easy without a higher budget for more equipment and for travel expenses so they can make it to places a bit more interesting but Ms. Simon is not buying that. The team consists of Joel, his wife Kate, Berger and Roger leave the meeting just a warning but then luck strikes. Right after their meeting a man arrives asking to see the team about some paranormal activity. With a bit of persuading the team decides to take the man up on his offer. The team is led to a closed down prison where grisly things happened including terrible experiments on the inmates by a crazed Doctor and a prisoner who was a cold blooded killer outside and inside the prison. Despite the warnings about the prison by some the locals the team forges ahead having no idea what was about to happen.
"Haunting of Cellblock 11" is Writer/Director, Andrew P. Jones' first feature film since his 2008 film, "Kings of the Evening." Haunting was done on a very small budget but you would never know that by watching the film because looks and sounds fantastic.
The film starts off a bit slow while it sets up the story and introduces the characters to us. This is very important so you can gain feelings towards them for later in the film. The plot is simple yet complex enough to keep you interested the entire time. The story has plenty of drama and suspense and even a bit of humor as well to lighten things up a bit.
Once the team gets to the prison the film slowly becomes a suspense filled thrill ride that has you hanging on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. There are several twists and turns in the film and a shocking and very satisfying surprise at the end. "Haunting of Cellblock 11" is one best executed ghost stories I have seen in some time, it is a well-written, clever film that gets under your skin and in your head and it stays there long after the film is over.
The film was shot in Jefferson City, Missouri and the use of the closed down prison makes for the perfect setting. It provides the perfect atmosphere for the story.
And finally I must mention the job the fantastic cast did in the film, I am not going to point out any one actor here because this was an ensemble piece and each and everyone did a great job including, Jeffrey Johnson, Linara Washington, Charley Koontz, John Zderko, Bill Lithgow, and Dee Wallace. Writer/Director, Andrew P. Jones takes a genre that has been done over and over again and he breaths new life in to it. "Haunting of Cellblock 11" is a frightful and exciting horror film that blew me away. If you like horror you owe it to yourself to check this one out. The film will be release July 2014, you can visit the films Facebook page to keep up on its progress HERE.
***** Out Of *****