This is a simple story revolving around three men, a love interest, and a mystical coffin.
The original title was "Box of Shadows", and if you think of coffins as just boxes, and deep latent desires as shadows, then the title is great. But I like the current title, The Ghostmaker, because it is more direct and relevant when presented with trailers or synopses.
The storyline revolves around a long lost coffin invented by a mad man centuries ago. It is soon uncovered by Kyle, a good looking college junkie who only cares about refurbishing used collectibles for resale to fund his addiction and his lavish lifestyle with girlfriend Julie. Joined by his two buddies -- Sutton, a wheelchair-bound college mate who generously sponsors his board and lodging, and Platt, a steady, down-to-earth intellectual -- Kyle uncovers hidden biomechanical contraptions while cleaning out the casket, and ropes them in to figure out the who's, whats and how-much of the treasure.
As it turns out, the contraption has mysterious powers that give the living "occupant" a taste of the afterlife for a few short minutes. As the story unfolds, we discover how these addictive escapades unleash the deepest, darkest shadows trapped inside the kids. But their wanton abuse of the ghostmaker carries a heavy price, as the trio soon discover and subsequently attempt to outwit.
The story plods along smoothly and at a comfortable pace, drawing the viewers into the scenes and engaging their empathy with the characters. The smooth continuity and flow helped me to enjoy my voyeuristic journey with Kyle, Sutton and Platt, to discover exactly what dark secrets and consequences lie beneath the ghostmaker. The elements of suspense and science fiction help to cast away our sense of logic and doubts, to just enjoy the movie for the simple premise that it offers: a glimpse of what is possible if we can affirm the existence of the afterlife; to experience extra-corporeal abilities; and to explore how such newfound powers can simultaneously inspire and corrupt our mortal consciousness.
Overall, this is not a high-budget flick, but it makes optimal use of limited resources to convey an interesting plot in a simple, engaging way. The possibilities of ghostmaking are broad enough that there is even some potential left for a sequel!
