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Death Ship

Death Ship

Those who survive the ghost ship are better off dead!

198091 minRMidcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
Director
Alvin Rakoff
Starring
George Kennedy, Richard Crenna, Nick Mancuso, Sally Ann Howes

Survivors of a tragic shipping collision are rescued by a mysterious black ship which appears out of the fog. Little do they realise that the ship is actually a Nazi torture ship which has sailed the seas for years, luring unsuspecting sailors aboard and killing them off one by one.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Death Ship?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Death Ship streaming on Kino Film Collection via Prime Video, Midnight Pulp via Prime Video, Prime Video and Screambox via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Death Ship?

Death Ship earns 2 badges, led by Overhyped and Unsettling.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Death Ship worth watching?

Death Ship's Midcredits score is the 9th percentile of all films, from 15K ratings across 6 sources. 20% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

9th percentile

Better received than 9% of films

11th percentile among Adventure9th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)13th
Approval (how many liked it)9th

48 /100

13th percentile of all films

14th percentile among Adventure11th percentile among 1980s

Critics 10 · Audience 50

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

20% liked it

9th percentile of all films

10th percentile among Adventure9th percentile among 1980s
20% rated it 7–1080% rated it 1–6

Critics 33% · Audience 33%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Reach

How many have seen it

81st percentile

15K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Adventure79th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 19% in 30 days

Box office

BudgetCA$4.5M

In Canadian dollar, not converted to dollars.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps see 'Death Ship' as a low-budget, atmospheric ghost-ship horror with a nonsensical story elevated mainly by George Kennedy and Richard Crenna's presence.

Fans praised

  • creepy atmosphere and eerie sound design build genuine dread
  • George Kennedy's unsettling performance as the captain
  • memorable nightmarish sequences and set pieces on the derelict vessel

Detractors panned

  • nonsensical plot with little logic or coherence
  • weak special effects and cheap production values
  • inept execution wastes a promising ghost-ship premise

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive70

Creepy, foreboding ghost-ship setting is the film's strongest asset

TensionDivisive65

Generates considerable unease and suspense despite logical flaws

OriginalityDivisive60

Unique ghost-ship Nazi premise stands out, though not executed originally

ActingDivisive55

George Kennedy and Richard Crenna give decent but unremarkable performances; some call Kennedy creepy and effective

Pacing30

Slow-moving and drawn-out, with a rushed and unsatisfying finale

Characters30

Thin archetypes, annoying kids, little development

Plot and story25

Nonsensical and full of plot holes; premise has potential but is squandered

Effects and spectacle25

Cheap and dodgy effects, few memorable gore moments

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Death Ship like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its supernatural horror straight, never winking at the audience, treating the ghost ship and its killings with heavy seriousness.
The rideThe film sustains a constant atmosphere of menace and claustrophobia from the shipwreck onward.
StructureEvents unfold in straightforward chronological order from the collision to the rescue.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe ship's continued rampage after the family's rescue leaves a lingering unease, with no closure for its threat.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows survivors from a sunken cruise ship who board a haunted freighter that actively hunts and kills them, with a possessed captain becoming the human face of the threat.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalTrauma · 7% of filmsOppression · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the fight to stay alive against a supernatural, oppressive force that evokes historical atrocity.
StanceThe film presents the ship as a lingering embodiment of Nazi evil, warning against forgetting historical atrocities.

The world

ContemporaryIn transitHorror supernatural
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Ivor Slaney
SettingA modern cruise ship and a mysterious ghostly freighter adrift at sea.
MusicSlaney's score leans on dissonant strings and brass to heighten the supernatural dread.

Content guide

Is Death Ship okay for kids?

R

Death Ship is rated R. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (55/100), sexual content at moderate (48/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at intense (60/100). Overall it is heavier than 15% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Canada18A
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • MexicoC
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 42% of all filmsHeavier than 15% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 31%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 50%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 7%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 19%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Death Ship have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Death Ship?

Cast

4 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

George Kennedy
as Captain Ashland
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Richard Crenna
as Trevor Marshall
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Nick Mancuso
as Nick
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Sally Ann Howes
as Margaret Marshall
Kate Reid
as Sylvia
Victoria Burgoyne
as Lori
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jennifer McKinney
as Robin Marshall
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Danny Higham
as Ben Marshall
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Saul Rubinek
as Jackie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Murray Cruchley
as Parsons
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Death Ship?

Movies like Death Ship include Ghost Ship (2002), Mary (2019) and Leviathan (1989). Of the 12 closest matches, several are haunted-house films, and several are stories about ghost ships.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its world: at sea. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Death Ship?

947 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: haunted house. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.