''The ghost and the darkness'' is a story which fictionalized account of the Tsavo man eater lions that attacked and killed worker druing the building of a bridge.
The movie begins at London, England. Where a big company contractor Robert Beaumont ( Tom Wilkinson ) give a work to new civil engineer Col. Jhon Henry Patterson ( Vall Kilmer ) to build a bridge in Tsavo, Africa.
He promised his wife Helena Patterson ( Emily Mortiner ) to return England as fast as possible. He left his place for building a bridge in a foregin country. When is reached his working place Samel
( Jhon Kani ) his helper and british supervisor Angus Starling ( Brain McCardie ) he meet him.
He visited the hospital and Dr.David Hawthorne ( Bernard hill ) told him about the lions attack on the workers. Patterson decided to hunt down the lion. That night he shot dead one lion in a single shot amd gained a respect between the workers. Next day when all the workers are sleeping in their tents, One lion attacked on the Afarican worker and take him with him to eat. On the morning they found his half dead body near the area and thinks that their is on more man eater lion is that area.
The plot one actuall begins here in the movie, The conflict between the man and the lion.
Again lion attacked on the worker but this time it is a time of afternoon when all worker are working.
They again took one man with him. They decided to build a fence and cover the whole area where worker sleeps. Suddenly lion attacked on the humans, Patterson heard the shouting voice and ran with his gun to hunt down the lion. He saw one lion is eating a man in front of him. He aimed his gun on the lion than suddenly he heard one more lions vioce. He looked up on the terrace and saw a dusk shadow of one more lion who is standing there. That lion jumped on the ground and killed Angus on the spot with his paws. The workers leader Abdulla ( Om Puri ) don't want his worker to work on that place untill they will slove the lion problem. They believe that both the lions are not in real they are the bad spirits who wants to kills them all and which cann't be killed.
After this scene movie got his name ''The ghost and the darkness'' the dusk shadow of the lions and the way he killing the people. The director at the beginning of the films has informed us ', This is a story of death and mystery.
Robert Beaumont visited the place and patterson tell him about the lion problem and asked him for a security of his worker but he said he dont care and warn patterson to complete his work on time or he will ruin his career. But when Patterson explain him about the problem than he is ready to provide him a animal hunter Charles Remington ( Michael Douglas ) who is very famous all around the world for his hunting skills.
Hunter ( Robert Beaumont ) reached there with his hunting afarican tribe who are knows for these type of hunt. They both make a plan to hunt those two man eater lions.
They both went inside the jungle with their mens to hunt.Suddenly there is a encounter between the Patterson and the lion. He aimed his gun on the lion but he missfired, His life is in danger but Beaumont ( hunter ) saved him. Their planned is failed and they returned to the place.
They agin decided to make a new place so they make a cage where they can attract lions frm the smell of blood and fresh flash of the cows. Lions came there but again their plane failed because of missshot by them.
Again they make a new plan. They shifted a hospital to another place and used old hospital as a cage for the lions. That night lions came there but again they both failed to hunt them and lion attacked on the hospital and killed many people that night including Dr.David Hawthorne.
Shadown scene was filmed very good and the scarry sounds of the lions.
Next morning all the workers left to their homeplace to save their life but Patternson, Remington , Samuel go only three of them are left there.They decided to hunt the lions. Now the real conflict or fight between the humans and lions start, When they enterned in a cave which is full of human skeleton. Same night again lion came to kill but they killed the lion that night between that typical movie scene or shiot take place which is pretty common in thriller movies.
Three of them went top their tents for sleep. Patternson saw bad dream that his wife and son has been killed by the man eater lion. And he waked up he ran to see to see Robert Beaumont but he not there.
Patterson and Samuel searched his body and burn it. He again hear the sound of the lion and he burn all the grasses near that place which is helpfull for lion for hide.
They ran to the bridge and lion attacked Patterson but he ran from that place and clims on a tree but lion also trying to climb on that tree, Patterson life is in danger, Suddenly Samuel through his gun towards Patterson but gun sliped from his hand on the ground . He also sliped from the tree and lion jump on him from the up in a slow motion, Patterson picked his gun and shot lion and hunt down.
Later, Everybody came to work and his family came there to meet him, Everything back to business.
Generally, "The ghost and the darkness'' is a story conflict between the man and the man eater lion. Which is filmed in a two plots. Its simply indicates the heroism of the main character who wasn;t give up till the end.
They music is very good in movie which makes you scarry sometimes. They use of shadow is very good in the movie which remind us about the bad spirit.Some situation are very good filmed in the movie. Over all good movie to see/ Not he horror but horror.
Rating 6/10
Director Stephen HopkinsLength 110 minutes
Genre Thriller/Drama
Produced Gale Anne Hurd, Paul.B.kadin, A.Kitman Ho