“Ghosted” is a term meaning “to abruptly cut off contact with someone without giving that person any warning or explanation for doing so.” Director Lokesh Babu Akula and director-screenwriter-star David Bermudez tap into the modern-day dating scene, riffing off Fatal Attraction, among others. Is there anything new in the sexual thriller subgenre, or has it gone stale?
After a series of disappearances in Oakland, immature playboy Jaylen (Bermudez) becomes the next target due to his philandering ways. Jaylen and his friend Shawn (Myles Brown) find themselves kidnapped after a blind date with Karina (Nisha Steiger) and Lila (Saisha Teagues) goes wrong. Upon trying to escape, they get caught up in a web of revenge, murder, crushed relationships, and shattered romantic dreams. But their fight for survival is even more fraught, as Jaylen must confront his attitudes and actions toward women if living is something he seeks to continue to do.
Ghosted features actors of color with a small role and a somewhat demeaning part for one Caucasian male. Perhaps the intent is to draw attention to the unfair treatment of people of color in the film industry, both in front and behind the camera. The actors are all young and attempt to use the proper vernacular, such as the N-word, when referring to themselves. The danger is that this creates stereotypical views of the roles, similar to the Blaxploitation movement. The men are “cool” and initiate all the action (well, except Pam Grier, who does not have a counterpoint in this 50-minute tale). The women, for the most part, seem empty of substance, only to be reacted upon by Jaylen until he comes face to face with Karina.
“Jaylen and his friend Shawn find themselves kidnapped after a blind date…”
Threats of death by sledgehammer or suffocation by a ridiculously long kiss between Jaylan and Karina turn Ghosted into something close to an actual revenge porn flick. The movie, to its credit, doesn’t get that graphic with the gore or sadistic violence. The sexual nature of everything that happens cannot be ignored but is, again, kept within the realm of tasteful. As such, the more over-the-top the traps and situations become, the slightly sillier yet more dangerous the plot feels.
The picture has a cheesy, fun look about it that buoys the swift runtime. Thomas Andrew Gallegos’s contemporary music overpowers some of the scenes. Steiger steals this horror comedy with some of the best dialogue and stunt action. Her character is dressed like the proverbial Final Girl of genre offerings, which is a fun way of turning expectations on their head. The other actors mug for the camera a lot. To be fair, most of the other women are mere window-dressing for Jaylen. “Whether on the streets or between the sheets” is a Blaxploitation poster tagline line from years ago that is prevalent in this picture.
Ghosted follows the big footprints with the work of Jordan Peel and documentaries like Horror Noire and the Tales from the Hood franchise. The picture works on a light level, presenting a story of revenge with frothy characters whose snarl is interesting but only sometimes chilling.
"…a story of revenge with frothy characters whose snarl is interesting..."
