Wild West woes whittle away at withering wayward wanderers wetting their whistles with whiskey when wallowing while the workers worry about unwanted unwelcome unwarranted wickedness

Written and directed by Owen Conway, Ghost Town: An American Terror is a slice-of-life period piece set in the American Wild West around the time of the Victorian era. I like how it’s a western. It’s not often associated with horror but it lends itself to the genre nicely. It has a fast-paced plot full of effective jump scares yet isn’t over-reliant on them nor are they predictable. I didn’t see most of them coming. The fully developed characters are written with distinctive personalities. Each one matters as they are all actively involved in the plot. I like how it’s a simpler smaller-scale story showing the frustration of everyday life building up until tempers erupt passed the boiling point. The amount of atmosphere because of the attention to detail for the costumes and set designs is astounding. It really feels like the Old West.

It’s a solid script up until the third act, which leaves things much too open to interpretation. The point the film is trying to make is unclear. For example, suspense is built through foreshadowing that the town is haunted but whether it is or not is never resolved. It’s frustrating because, with a title like that, you’d think the biggest focus of the film would be to establish this. Owen Conway plays Solomon Miller, the new barkeep in town while he’s visiting over the next few days. He keeps hearing this ominous growling and seeing things that may or may not be there while doing his daily chores. He does such a good job expressing a wide range of emotions. He’s so convincing that I couldn’t help but emphasize with him.

Becky Jo Harris plays Stella, a bar house whore with a heart of gold. She sees the good in Solomon despite his flaws and supports him. Their relationship has genuine sincerity because of their undeniable chemistry. Eva Hamilton plays Kate, another bar house whore. She antagonizes Solomon Miller for no real reason despite his best efforts to do a good job. She does well being either sweet or sinister depending on what she needs to display. Robert Sprayberry plays Hagan, the bar owner. He’s a hard-edged, no-nonsense businessman. He’s so strict it’s what drives the plot by pushing Solomon Miller to the brink of his frustration. His performance works on many levels because, behind the tough facade, he shows signs of generosity and humanity. Charlie E Motley plays Sheriff Hoyt. He’s trying to uphold the law in a seemingly lawless town. When trouble happens at the bar he’s the one to make sense of it and clean up the mess. He’s good at showing the struggle of trying to obtain order amidst the chaos.

Overall, I enjoyed Ghost Town: An American Terror until the wrap up. A conclusion is so vital because it could make or break any film. Everything from the directing, costumes and set designs are well done. The cast especially does a fantastic job conveying their respective characters. There are too many questions raised and not enough answers are provided, though. Perhaps a few more drafts of the script could have fully fleshed out the ideas. I’d recommend it to fans of westerns and paranormal films because it boasts good jump scares and has an amazing atmosphere. It’s an interesting concept but the execution of the writing is where I found it unsatisfactory. And remember, if you’re visiting the Wild West for the ghosts you may end up staying for the boos.

6 out of 10