Ghosts of War (2020): The Real Horror Isn’t the War—It’s What Comes After

They fought for freedom—but found themselves prisoners of a war that never ended

Ghosts of War (2020) is a mind-bending war-horror hybrid that begins as a gritty WWII survival tale but quickly spirals into something far darker—and far stranger. Directed by Eric Bress (co-writer of The Butterfly Effect), the film starts with haunted house tropes in a war zone, only to peel back layer after layer, revealing a twisted psychological experiment drenched in blood, trauma, and metaphysical horror.

Set in Nazi-occupied France near the end of World War II, the story follows five battle-hardened American soldiers ordered to hold a captured French chateau. It should be a break from the frontline chaos—but they soon realize the mansion carries a violent, restless presence. Doors slam, shadows move, and something evil stalks them through the hallways. They’ve faced death on the battlefield—but this is different. This is personal.

Ghosts of War' Review

As the soldiers descend into paranoia, hallucinations, and fear, the lines between reality and nightmare blur. The ghosts they see aren’t just echoes of the murdered family who once lived there—they're part of something bigger, more insidious. Slowly, the team uncovers the truth: they’re trapped in a looping simulation, part of a secretive military experiment designed to force them to relive trauma in order to overcome it.

What began as a war story becomes a sci-fi-horror commentary on PTSD, guilt, and the dehumanization of soldiers. With eerie visuals, jump-scares, and gut-wrenching twists, Ghosts of War refuses to let its characters—or the audience—feel safe. The question isn’t “Will they survive?” It’s “What is real—and what are they dying for?”

Ghosts Of War' review: soldiers get spooked in supernatural WWII horror

The film doesn’t land softly. Its third-act twist reframes the entire narrative, revealing that sometimes, the most terrifying ghosts are the ones we bring back with us.