Movie Review: Death of a Ghost Hunter

In 2002, renowned Ghost Hunter , Carter Simms, was offered $5,000 to conduct a 3-day and 3-night paranormal investigation of the infamous Masterson House . Twenty years earlier, Minister Joseph Masterson and his family were brutally murdered inside their home. With the aid of a videographer, a reporter, and spiritual advocate, Carter set out to prove or disprove claims that the Masterson House was haunted. What transpired is the most terrifying and tragic paranormal investigation in the history of modern Ghost Hunting .

The synopsis on Amazon.com (above) would have you believe that Death of a Ghost Hunter was based on a true story, as would the caption in the beginning of the movie. After some research, I found some commentary on the TAPS blog which leads me to believe that this is fiction . . . much like The Blair Witch Project. A good point that one of the commentators made was the lack of thanks to relatives and credits to resources.

Several things bugged me about this film: the reference to the infamous movie above, the low-budget acting and equally low-budget filming. Don't expect any heart-stopping moments or Hollyweird gore. That said, I enjoyed this movie because of the backstory and the creepy elements (minus the "possession" episode, which is sooo tired), especially the Bible-thumping girl that came out of nowhere and invited herself into the paranormal investigation. Those two factors kept me watching long after I got tired of the main characters. I wanted to see how she fit into this story and what would ultimately become of her.

I felt that the ending was believable, if not the most creepiest aspect of the movie. While I wouldn't rush out and buy the DVD, I didn't regret renting it.