Reviews: Ghost in the Graveyard (2019) Movie Review
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Drama, Action, Romance
Subgenres: Haunted House, Psychological, Supernatural, Haunted, Haunted House - Cursed, Killer Kids, Teens
This in-depth review of Ghost in the Graveyard (2019) explores its story, characters, and scares in detail, offering insights for every horror fan.
Ghost in the Graveyard (2019), directed by Charlie Comparetto, is a supernatural horror film that mixes themes of grief, trauma, and ghostly vengeance in a small-town setting. While the premise has potential and the atmosphere is occasionally eerie, the film struggles to deliver consistent scares or emotional impact, bogged down by uneven pacing, awkward dialogue, and underdeveloped characters.
Ghost in the Graveyard (2019) – A Haunted Past, A Hollow Present
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
The story follows Sally Sullivan (played by Kelli Berglund), a teenage girl who returns to her hometown years after witnessing the tragic death of her childhood friend, Martha, during a game of “ghost in the graveyard.” Now a high schooler grappling with the trauma of that day, Sally finds herself at the center of increasingly bizarre and supernatural events. As ghostly visions and cryptic warnings pile up, it becomes clear that Martha’s spirit — or something more sinister — has returned.
Thematically, the film aims to explore survivor’s guilt, spiritual justice, and the ripple effect of unresolved trauma. Unfortunately, these ideas are touched on only superficially. Sally is meant to be a complex protagonist, but her character arc lacks depth. Her emotional responses are muted, and her relationships — particularly with her father (played by Jake Busey) and the townspeople — are too thinly drawn to carry weight.
The film also introduces a subplot involving a secretive church group and occult symbolism, but rather than enhancing the mystery, these elements feel tacked on and confusing. They distract from the central haunting rather than building tension around it.
Acting and Cinematography
Kelli Berglund gives a sincere performance, doing her best to convey fear, confusion, and inner turmoil. She manages to ground the film somewhat, even when the script falters. Jake Busey, playing her father, brings a quirky presence to the screen, but his character never feels fully fleshed out. The rest of the cast delivers uneven performances, ranging from stiff to overly dramatic.
Cinematography is one of the film’s stronger aspects. Director Charlie Comparetto, who also wrote the screenplay, captures the small-town setting with moody lighting and autumnal tones. Fog-draped graveyards and darkened hallways give the film an appropriate visual identity, though the scares rarely capitalize on the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the editing and shot composition often fail to build tension. Scenes meant to be chilling come across as either too slow or clumsily executed. The ghostly apparitions are underwhelming, and the use of CGI effects feels dated and unconvincing.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Charlie Comparetto clearly has a vision — a slow-burning supernatural mystery with personal stakes — but the execution falls short. The film lacks narrative cohesion and emotional buildup. It often meanders, with repetitive scenes and dialogue that stall momentum. Key plot points are introduced abruptly, and the final reveal lacks the impact it needs to justify the buildup.
The idea of using a childhood game as the foundation for a horror story is a smart one, but it’s never fully realized. Instead of tapping into the primal fear of innocence lost, the film gets bogged down in half-explored ideas about religion, curses, and fate.
Strengths:
Atmospheric setting with effective use of location and lighting
Kelli Berglund’s performance brings sincerity to a flat script
Interesting core concept with psychological and supernatural potential
Haunted small-town backdrop provides solid horror framework
Weaknesses:
Sloppy pacing with repetitive and meandering scenes
Lack of character development, particularly in the supporting cast
Weak scares and underwhelming supernatural moments
Narrative confusion due to overstuffed subplots and tonal inconsistency
Underutilized premise, failing to fully exploit the game-based horror setup
Final Verdict & Score: 4/10
Ghost in the Graveyard has the bones of an effective horror story — a ghostly childhood trauma, an eerie hometown, a guilt-ridden heroine — but it never manages to come together. Despite a few moments of visual promise and a committed lead performance, the film is ultimately undone by its lack of narrative focus, underwhelming scares, and inconsistent tone. It may appeal to fans of slow, atmospheric horror, but others will find it too disjointed and forgettable.
Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- Ghost in the Graveyard Rating Scores
- Our Score: 4/10
- Overall Score: 3.87/10
- IMDB: 3.8/10
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