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Ghosthunter

Play trailer Poster for Ghosthunter 2018 1h 36m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 50% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A security guard who is a part-time ghost hunter searches for his absent father in a bid to make sense of his traumatic past.

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Ghosthunter

Critics Reviews

View All (7) Critics Reviews
Karl Quinn The Age (Australia) It's a remarkable journey into a deeply scarred life, an empathetic exploration that stays just this side of exploitation. Jan 5, 2019 Full Review Brad Newsome Sydney Morning Herald Lawrence and producer Rebecca Bennett have done extremely well....in the difficult task of illuminating the effects of childhood trauma while doing their best to maintain their duty of care to their subjects. Nov 27, 2018 Full Review Jake Wilson The Age (Australia) Truth, in this case, really does turn out to be stranger than fiction - and more troubling and fascinating to boot. Sep 21, 2018 Full Review Jim Schembri 3AW Ghosthunter is a very unusual, unexpectedly powerful bio-doc about the life-long aftershocks of abuse and the search for a missing father. Rated: 3/5 Nov 5, 2018 Full Review Craig Mathieson The Sunday Age A quest for knowledge becomes one of atonement, as the narrative folds in childhood friends and police enquiries that slowly pierce a time King has "walled off". Rated: 3.5/5 Sep 22, 2018 Full Review Sarah Ward Screen International The documentary's candid subject, important subject matter and involving story go as far as they need to. Jun 12, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (3) audience reviews
Audience Member Shot well. Good looking film. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member Writer and director, Ben Lawrence originally saw 'Ghosthunter' as a story about grief. Seeing an advertisement in the paper about a Ghosthunting business, and then finding out Jason King, founder of the Ghosthunting crew, had started the business when he had his eyes opened to the Other side because he saw the apparition of his recently departed brother, sitting on a couch across from him - Ben wondered if Jason was projecting his grief outward. He organises to meet with Jason, finding a Western-suburb, large-as-life Sydney boy working security, who doesn't like to read, and had only found his recently passed brother in adulthood because he turned up and announced he was his brother. Jason questioned his mother about the existence of this brother, who confirmed that yes, it was true, and for reasons he couldn't fathom, had never told him. Did they have the same father? Documentary director Ben was happy to help solve this mystery without realising the story he was about to uncover. Sourcing hospital records about Jason's medical history, it becomes apparent he had multiple hospital admissions with what was noted as clumsiness. Soon becoming obvious that Jason suffered from chronic abuse. It was a question of asking Jason, Do you want to continue? Do you want to find this mysterious father? Denial from his mother about the injuries and any further responsibility or input into the documentary, the research continues over seven years as layers keep being peeled from Jason's past - the gaps in his memory revealed as victims of his father's abuse reach out. There are so many complicated emotions as this unexpected story unfolds with the interviewing of Jason and his friends, family and other victims. Along with the police involvement tackling the crime, the film turns into a more unsettling reveal of a deeply damaged individual struggling to keep his good heart. We see Jason's ignorance turn to revelation and all the ugly that comes with the knowledge his dad was an abuser. What crushed me was the fact that after all these years of Jason trying to find his father, then finding out he's a monster, then to fill in those gaps of memory - to see the victims names written on the bricks of an apartment hallway where he used to live but had forgotten until seeing those names - then for his father to say he doesn't remember him, his son. It's devastating. I went to this particular screening because of the Q&A with director, Ben Lawrence. When questioned as to how he handled the unfolding of such a confronting story, one where he had no idea where it was headed but doing his best to uncover, give air and still remain safe, I wasn't surprised when Ben answered that he seriously considered taking on the advice of people telling him to pour a circle of salt around his person because that's what you do to keep out the ghosts. It took courage to keep following Jason as he remembered his father, while walking down those cinder-block hallways as lights flickered into darkness. Ben followed for seven years. It picks at me because the story is still unfolding as Jason fights against the damage already done - he keeps saying he just has to move forward... Into what? It's a documentary that gives insight into a wider range of current mental health and social issues - a one-man tale that makes you really think. Yet remain on-edge because the story hasn't finished. Not an entertainer but certainly a unique, bizarre and thought-provoking film. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member It's an odd film that unwinds in a weird, uneven way - sometimes good, but other times confusing or pedestrian. It feels like after filming the guy for 7 years, they had *some* interesting stuff, but not enough to craft a more thrilling narrative. Also, I hate to be that *that* guy, but I wanted to see more ghosthunting.. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Ghosthunter

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A security guard who is a part-time ghost hunter searches for his absent father in a bid to make sense of his traumatic past.
Director
Ben Lawrence
Producer
Rebecca Bennett, Ben Lawrence
Screenwriter
Ben Lawrence
Production Co
Madman Entertainment
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
Australian English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 22, 2020
Runtime
1h 36m
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