8 Ghost At Sea Movies You Must Watch

Movies based on paranormal activities, mysteries, supernatural beings and monstrous creatures are exciting. These movies raise a healthy amount of thrill and fear that keep us on the edge of our seats, waiting for the end to come and the suspense to unfold.

There are quite a few movies with such paranormal and ghost-at-sea themes. Most of these ghost and thriller movies have gone on to receive rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. A few of the elite horror movies based on the seas and ships can be listed as follows:

1. Ghost Ship: Directed by Steve Beck, this 2002 cult classic was shot in Queensland, Australia. It starts ordinarily before gripping the audience in a powerfully “cinematographed” plot. The horror unfolds aboard a fictional cruise liner in the 1960s and immediately pitches the audience into the present, where a marine salvage ship finds the cruise liner aimlessly drifting on the water.

The cruise liner’s mysteriousness with the lead actors’ superb acting captivates the watchers into a hair-raising movie escapade. This is one ghost at sea movie that shouldn’t be missed.

2. Death Ship: This 1980 classic was directed by Alvin Rakoff. The plot tells the story of survivors of a cruising vessel facing paranormal incidents aboard an unexplained and desolated German freight vessel.

The movie’s cast was well-chosen, with Oscar-winner George Kennedy playing the protagonist.

3. Triangle: Triangle is a never-seen-before movie that blends sci-fi horror with a unique supernatural theme. Released in 2009, Triangle was directed by Christopher Smith and stars Liam Hemsworth and Melissa George in the lead roles.

4. The Fog: A township plagued by spectres of dead seafarers and sailors, the Fog was regarded to be a cult classic when released in 1980.

Directed by John Carpenter, known for his paranormal themes, the movie brings the ever-present values of good (God) triumphing over evil (spirits) before the audiences.

5. Deep Rising: Action, horror, drama, suspense and fear. Deep Rising is full of these attributes, making it a worthwhile movie to catch up on. Not typically a horror flick, the film features some super-scary monsters. Directed by Stephen Sommers, the movie was released in 1998 and presented the story of a handful of seafarers plagued by unknown maritime creatures arising from the depths of the ocean.

The struggle and the escape of the seafarers amidst other concerns plaguing them are brilliantly conveyed through the screenplay and excellently portrayed by the actors.

6. Below: A movie set in the Second World War, Below veers into the realm of supernatural beings excellently. A seeming encounter between a German and English war vessel becomes the perfect camouflage for paranormal activities happening within the latter.

Director David Twohy brings an altogether different war-time movie depiction from the ones usually expected and watched.

7. Virus: Extra-terrestrials as naturally occurring life forms and humans as unwanted creatures inhabiting planet Earth is the theme of the movie Virus.

John Bruno directed this movie, released in 1999, with extraordinarily high viewing for its unique plot line.

8. Shock Waves: Shock Waves is one of the must-watch horror-themed movies. Why? Because it has zombies! Released in the year 1977, the plotline revolves around a cadre of undead (‘zombie’) German specialist soldiers who have been terrorizing unsuspecting seafarers in the open sea.

Shock Waves presents a new dimension to war-time movies, raising the bar on fiction, horror and myth to greater heights.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some of the famous ghost ship movies?

The 2002 movie Ghost Ship, Triangle, The Haunted Sea, Cruise Into Terror, Death Ship, and Shock Waves are some of the most iconic and earliest ghost ship movies that became quite popular.

2. Who is the demon in the movie ghost ship?

Jack Ferriman is the antagonist of the 2002 movie Ghost Ship. He is a maritime soul collector who controls the haunted cruise ship Antonio Graza and the arch-nemesis of Maureen Epps as the killer of her team members and the boat guests.

3. When was the last ghost ship found?

The last ghost ship was found in 2018 on the Ireland coast during the Dennis Storm. It was known as the MV Alta and ran aground near Ballycotton in County Cork. The vessel was adrift after it became disabled, and the US Coast guard rescued its crew members.

4. What did the ending of the Ghost Ship mean?

In the end, Epps is the only survivor on the ship who can resist all the temptations on the vessel since the ship is not only haunted by ghosts but controlled by a demon who is on a mission from Hell and is keen to bring out the worst in people.

5. What is the story of the movie Death Ship?

Alvin Rakoff directed this 1980 classic movie which tells the story of cruise ship survivors facing paranormal incidents onboard a desolated German freight vessel.

You may also like to read –

• 15 Amazing Ocean Documentaries You Must Watch
• What are Ghost Ships? 

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