Ghoster, le fantôme aux miroirs

I was surprised to see the Lionsgate logo at the start, because this has everything you would expect from a The Asylum movie.

I don't think this movie even try to hide the fact its a Casper ripoff from the name, the poster, the plot, there is not much originality in there. So i knew what i was gonna watch. Now Casper is almost 30 years old, so its not necessarily a bad thing to have something similar that is new. The issue is everything was done better in Casper and hold up to today standards and is a much better movie still on all front.

The CGI in this is kinda servicable for what its going for. Its clearly not meant to be a realistic movie. But my main issue is there is barely any atmosphere or identity to the movie. For instance when they arrive to the "mansion", we do see a few rooms to show its big, but we barely ever seen anything again of it. Almost every mansion scenes are filmed in broad daylight so you never get that Halloween/Spooky vibe you had in Casper despite being a family movie.

The budget must had been very low. The third act do offer a few more interesting stuff, and a TINY bit of originality but it ain't much.

If you reading this on Letterboxd, i am giving the movie 2.5 Stars because its barely an average movie at best, but i will make an exeption and give it a yellow heart anyway (wich i usually reserve for 3 stars/6 and up) because i can't say i disliked it, it was late at night and i was bored and it "entertained" me enough. The young lead actress was also likable. But note i am someone easy to please when it comes to movies and i am a big of an "adult kid".

But even for young kids, i doubt they will want to return to this movie like i did myself many times with Casper as a kid. Obviously these days you have much more choice and accessibility, wich we didn't in the 90s, but even taking that into consideration.

Ghoster is another one of the lower-budget movies Lionsgate puts out with no stars. However, the filmmakers did a great job of stretching the budget! This movie looks really good. The locations and sets are really impressive and there is a bunch of well done cgi/vfx. I am not sure where this was filmed, but the area and buildings just has a great old time feel to it. Sure, this is basically a low budget Casper clone, but Casper came out (checks notes) almost 30 years ago! Kids today are due for a new take on the friendly ghost idea. Overall, this is a cute movie that is well made for the budget. I say it is definitely worth a watch with the kiddos.

Ghoster is a spooky family film with twists, puzzles, and some comedy mixed in that is perfect for an autumn night. This exciting film invites you into a world of ghosts, dragons and legends that is both entertaining and filled with surprises. I was drawn into the magic, the unbreakable family ties, and the collaborative efforts of the characters as they race against time.

In Ghoster, Elizabeth (Sophie Proctor) learns she's the heir to Echoville Manor. Yuto, a wicked ghost dragon, is trying to fulfill a task that intertwines with the lives of Elizabeth, and those around her. When she and her father (J. R. Brown) arrive, she encounters Ghoster,(David Henrie), who implores her and her new friend, Mateo, (Josh Escayg), to help him find the light knife and destroy Yuto. They must work together or risk losing everything they care about.

My favorite scene is when Elizabeth and the rest of the "scare squad" forge a plan to scare away the bankers who want to take possession of Echoville Manor. The scenes are both suspenseful and humorous. The reactions and facial expressions of the characters to the hauntings are delightfully entertaining. However, some of the scare tactics didn't seem as though they would really scare anyone. Elizabeth and her father share a bond that is unbreakable, even in several trying situations. The actors work together to make this bond believable and touching. Elizabeth (Proctor) and Mateo (Escayg) also forge a great friendship and work well together in the film. The setting of Echoville Manor is well decorated to portray an older estate. The old furniture and details of many of other furnishings, like the mirrors throughout the manor, showcase the age well. The CGI is meticulous in detail, such as the spikes on Yuto which are very detailed. The background music and sound effects really capture the moods, especially the suspenseful ones. Some of the storyline is predictable but there are enough twists in the plot to keep the viewer entertained.

The message in this film is that it sometimes takes courage to do what is right and to conquer your fears. Elizabeth is nervous about the challenges she faces to defeat Yuto. However, she knows it is the right thing to do to help Ghoster, so she faces it head on with the help of her family and friends. Parents should be aware there are some scenes which may be scary for young viewers.

I give Ghoster 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 12 to 18. Ghoster releases on Digital, VOD and DVD October 11, 2022. By Carlee S., KIDS FIRST!

Definitely targetted at a young audience of children, who like to watch an only very mildly scary movie, with some ghosts and monsters, so I guess it is suited for the ages of 8,9 years and up.

The story is a typical adventure story, nothing out of the oridinary. The special effects are kinda cheap looking but perhaps young kids wont mind that at all.

Unfortunately this is not a movie which is suited for adults as well, because it is a bit bland and lacking in spark. The leading kid actors arent the most charismatic either.

I would prefer to watch any other classic kid's adventure movie instead of watching this, but this movie will do when there is nothing much else to choose from...

This movies ideas are wasted on poor scriptwriting which quite frankly could of been written by a 5 year old if I didn't know any better, shocking acting by all involved and jokes a child would not even laugh at . If you are looking for Casper this isn't it not even close. The whole movie just feels dumb, and the dragons challenges, really? A newborn could of solved them. This has all the hallmarks of TV Movie. I just don't get why people bother making these movies or what they were thinking? Movies like this make it very easy for people looking to make there own movies because the bar is set really really low here. Avoid.