Sir Evan's Weekly Movie Recommendation

The Ghost and the Darkness (***) 1996

Rated R (violence)

Starring Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer, & Bernard Hill
Written by William Goldman
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Directed by Stephen Hopkins

The Ghost and the Darkness is based largely on the true story of the "Tsavo man eating lions" that systematically hunted and killed over 130 men in Kenya towards the end of the 19th century. In the film, Colonel John Henry Patterson (Kilmer), a gifted bridge builder, is sent on a difficult mission to Africa, where he must design and oversee the construction of a bridge that will advance the railroad and help "save the Africans from the Africans," as his primary benefactor so eloquently puts it.

But when a pair of killer lions begin decimating the camp, picking off one worker after another, Patterson is forced to take action, lest his entire camp disappear and his project fail. Enter Charles Remington (Douglas), a renowned big-game hunter. Sent to help Patterson pick off the lions, Remington brings attitude and experience to the hunt.

The two independent and strong willed men form a reluctant alliance that leads to a thrilling adventure story set amongst the backdrop of Africa, a rugged land of danger, mystery, and myth. The score, composed by Jerry Goldsmith, mixes African themes with contemporary energy, and they blend perfectly with the wild and beautiful landscape.

If you're looking for an exciting yarn with colorful characters, one heckuva setting, and villains with killer instincts, be sure to watch "The Ghost and the Darkness." It will deliver all of these things and more. As the tag line says, "Only the most incredible parts of the story are true."

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