Haunted Ulster Live (2023) Review

Ghostwatch was something of a local phenomenon back during its birth in 1992, taking the UK by storm as a new and exiting horror mocumentary that toyed with the existence of ghosts tormenting our reality “live” on air. Pre-Blair Witch Project, Ghostwatch for many, established the now overly-saturated sub-genre of real life horror brought to television screens, injecting the early 90’s with a whole new level of terror many hadn’t acquired the pallet for; mostly because, well, many hadn’t seen something like this on their screens before. Premiering on Halloween night above all, the nature of this beast created quite a panicked cluster, pulling in an estimated one million calls, a mixture of complaints and compliments on this BBC show’s daring perspective.

Whilst it didn’t linger for much longer on television screens, Ghostwatch certainly left a lasting impression on the British public, evidently enough for Dominic O’Neill to take inspiration in reviving it’s electrifying foundations for modern audiences; scratching an itch for nostalgia and to tell a good old-fashioned night-time terror tale. A love letter to the legacy Ghostwatch left behind without daring to venture past the established foundations, Haunted Ulster Live makes great work in honouring Ghostwatch’s rich history, yet fails to do much past apparent homages and nostalgic novelty.

Taking place on over one Halloween night, presenter and reporter for new supernatural investigation TV show Haunted Ulster Live’s Gary Burns teams up with a group of paranormal investigators in search for any spooky happenings involving a poltergeist in a haunted house in Belfast. Much to their foresight, strange occurrences begin to take place within the house and the family involved, quickly unravelling into a nightmare situation for the television show’s hosts, and the unfortunate family who inhabit the estate.

Haunted Ulster Live is the experience you would expect, and hopefully desire if a diehard fan of the infamous Ghostwatch; a deeply-infused love letter to it’s incomparable vibe that is sure to be a holiday treat for anyone desperately craving a slice of nostalgic pumpkin pie. It’s sure to scratch the itch of any fan seeking one more taste of Ghostwatch‘s DNA, but won’t serve much purpose to anyone unfamiliar with its roots. As Haunted Ulster Live leans too heavily into the nostalgia of the 1992 BBC show, it often leaves little else to be desired, or at least lacks enough of its own individuality to justify its existence beyond fan fiction and lore.

What Haunted Ulster Live does achieve however is an impeccable sense of space and time with it’s early 90’s Northern Irish TV aesthetic. As a born and bred citizen from the North of Ireland and being familiar with it’s television of the era, Haunted Ulster Live replicates the essence of popular TV channel UTV with impressively accurate results. A dedication to transporting us to that era, laced with enough references and nostalgic flare to bring a sense of warmth to its approach. It’s all technically brilliantly crafted, tastefully reeking of a cheap Irish documentary style that infamously dominated our television screens of years gone. Done with such knowingness to its source material, it’s apparent O’Neill crafted from the perspective of a true dedicated fan, an essence that is undeniably apparent tying everything together in a neat little Ulster bow.

Beyond its deep-rooted connection and admiration for its own heritage, Haunted Ulster Live above all is a mediocre ghost story that fails to add zest to an outdated concept. Whilst it earns points for it’s dedication to its perspective, it often feels like nothing more than a retread of haunt apparitions done a dozen times over and done with more creative flare. For fans of Ghostwatch this is an absolute must-see, sure to deliver all the nostalgic chills you’ve yearned decades for, but for everyone else it’s simply another limp horror-comedy mockumentary that never fully capitalises on the horror, or the comedy of its narrative potential.

Haunted Ulster Live is available on UK and Ireland digital platforms from 14 October.

Movie Rating:

Haunted Ulster Live trailer