Chasing Ghosts

REVIEW
Chasing Ghosts is an unabashed low-budget failure of a crime drama starring raspy, monotonic Michael Madsen as a cop with a haunted past. The film features a bizarre assemblage of actors including Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight’s Tale), Michael Rooker (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), Meat Loaf (Bat Out of Hell), and Gary Busey as a gangster in what is possibly the most over-the-top performance of his career. Newcomer Corey Large goes 0 for 3 with a story credit, executive producer credit, and co-star credit as Madsen’s new partner. Large’s friends and family have obviously fooled him into thinking he can act, as is evident after a mere thirty seconds of screen time. Every single one of Large’s reactions and deliveries are simultaneously both excrutiating and hilarious making him an unintentional joy to watch unless you’re one of the visibly frustrated actors in the film. The film’s plot concerns a series of murders that are linked to Madsen’s shameful stint as a crooked cop. He’s reformed now and hot on the heels of the mystery murderer with the help of his trusty crew of scientists and SWAT teams. Few scenes in modern cinema are as outrageously misjudged as the film’s twist finale which recalls The Usual Suspects with a touch of The Matrix. Support your loved ones, but not when they want to make films like this one.