Welcome to 2011, where we finally transition "trailer announcements" and teasers with no actual footage to "trailer intros." In the case of this presumably leaked look at Amber Heard in John Carpenter's The Ward, this term literally means the first half of the trailer. Coming soon: The Movieline 10-second Verdict. But yes, the first look at The Ward offers several mysteries to ponder including: "Why did Heard set her house on fire?" and "Who/what is that creepy shadow in the community shower?"
Buzz for the film out of Toronto hasn't been all that great, and even Carpenter apologists I've talked to who have seen the film seemed pretty let down. That said, this footage piques my interest. Mental wards make great settings for ghost stories, and the film looks more stylish and polished than anything the great director has shot in years. At the same time, because of the polish, there's not much here to distinguish the trailer from any number of other slick ghost stories directed by commercial/music video directors, and if Carpenter's name weren't on this, I wouldn't have even bothered posting it. So for the time being, let's just breathe a sigh of relief that it doesn't look as bad as his Masters of Horror efforts.
Verdict: Fingers still crossed for a comeback!
[Via Bloody Disgusting]