Brooklyn 45 is a spy thriller mixed with a ghost story that boasts many reasons to watch but could have developed its story and characters in an even stronger way. The film is an effective period piece and a meditation on the horrors of war, but its ghostly elements sometimes feel too few and far between. However, solid performances and a fast pace earn Brooklyn 45 extra points.
Written and directed by Ted Geoghegan, Brooklyn 45 follows a group of WWII veterans and close friends who gather at a Brooklyn brownstone to help Lt. Col. Clive Hockstatter (Larry Fessenden) process the death of his wife. Hock, as the group lovingly refers to the colonel, convinces his friends to perform a séance with him to talk to his deceased wife. However, the séance goes awry, and ghosts from the group's past come to haunt them. On top of all that, a German woman named Hildegard (Kristina Klebe), who may or may not be a Nazi, is found in Hock's closet, further complicating the harrowing situation.
Anne Ramsay, Jeremy Holm, Ron E. Rains, and Ezra Buzzington hold the movie together. The chemistry between the cast shines and is probably the highest point of the film. The story is a bit one-note and predictable, but the pacing and performances keep it intriguing. The plot points feel a bit arbitrary, and while points about war and xenophobia are being made, they don't feel fully realized. Luckily, the movie's charm gives those weaker elements a pass.
Brooklyn 45 is not a great film, but it has a campy B-movie feel that keeps it watchable. The beginning and end contain some spooky supernatural elements, but the movie could have benefited from the ghostly content being utilized throughout the entire film instead of just at certain spots. The spy element of the plot is interesting, but inconsistencies in tone arise when the film goes back to its supernatural roots.
Brooklyn 45 builds a very specific atmosphere. The film has all the pieces for greatness but needs more originality to achieve it. The supernatural special effects are a riot, but they do not appear on-screen as frequently as necessary. Geoghegan, who previously helmed the genre flicks We Are Still Here and Mohawk, tries something understated here, but his signature style is still on display.
When the horror kicks in, it is fairly frightening, but things could have been kicked up a notch. Brooklyn 45 is a harmless and mildly enjoyable flick with some interesting things to say, but every element of the film would benefit from higher stakes. The movie needs to be more extreme to be memorable because the truth is, many similar WWII-inspired horror films already exist, and it's hard to stand out among the pack. However, Brooklyn 45 is still an entertaining popcorn flick that will be enjoyed by fans of camp, history, and genre-benders.
Brooklyn 45 will be available to stream exclusively on Shudder on June 9.