Movie review – “The Ward” (2010) **1/2

John Carpenter's return to the big screen shows he's lost none of his flair for visuals, mood or atmosphere. There's lots of great tracking shots, and spooky music, and night scenes. And this has a great central presence, about a spirited teen girl (Amanda Heard) who winds up in a psychiatric ward. Unfortunately the movie gets more confusing as it goes on; it's also repetitive, with too many scenes of Heard escaping then being recaptured, and a final reveal which doesn't really make sense (not to mention feels like a retread of Shutter Island). The quality of the acting is poor, except Jared Hess, who is perfect as a head shrink. Heard is adequate, no more - but she's better than the girls who play her fellow inmates, who are really bad. The 60s setting could have been used more.