Ghost in the Machine (1993)

13% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
30% of users liked it
(8,983 ratings)

A serial killer is transformed into a computer virus out to destroy more than your hard drive in this sci-fi thriller. Terry Munroe (Karen Allen), a single mother, is looking for a gift for her boss and visits a computer store, where one of the employees demonstrates a hand-held scanner than can… More A serial killer is transformed into a computer virus out to destroy more than your hard drive in this sci-fi thriller. Terry Munroe (Karen Allen), a single mother, is looking for a gift for her boss and visits a computer store, where one of the employees demonstrates a hand-held scanner than can transfer the information from her address book into a software program that will store the information on her PC. Unknown to Terry, one of the employees of the store is Karl Hochman (Ted Marcoux), known in the press as "The Address Book Killer," who likes to steal other people's address books and murder all the people listed within, including the book's owner. Terry accidentally leaves her book behind at the store, and Karl lifts it, but as he drives to her house to strike her off the list first, he is injured in a serious accident and taken to a hospital. While Karl is being given a CAT scan, lightning strikes the building and Karl is transformed into a series of electrical impulses that can travel as computer code from one system to another, or as current through power lines. Soon Terry begins to suspect something is wrong as her friends succumb to attacks by microwave ovens, hot-air blowers, and other household objects. Terry and her computer-savvy son, Josh (Wil Horneff), realize that they're at risk after Karl appears in Josh's virtual reality games; it's up to Bram Walker (Chris Mulkey), a brilliant hacker-turned-computer maintenance technician, to isolate and destroy the Karl virus before it can kill again. The film's soundtrack features such hip-hop stars as D-Nice and Too Short, Schoolly-D, Grandmaster Slice, and Kool Moe Dee. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Rachel Talalay
Written By: William Davies, William Osborne
Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1993 Wide
On DVD: Jan 17, 2006
Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Keith Breese, Filmcritic.com
A reboot is definitely in order here.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...exceedingly silly and surprisingly tedious...
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
Subpar slasher.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Another one of those brilliant horror movies about homicidal electricity.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Bruce B

Its a great movie, 1993 time frame so the computers are somewhat of a joke, but who am I to talk I once paid $249.99 for a Commodore 1541 Disk Drive. I wouldn't show it to Young Children (Under 17) because of the cussing near the end of the movie, that?s just me. If you allow… More
Its a great movie, 1993 time frame so the computers are somewhat of a joke, but who am I to talk I once paid $249.99 for a Commodore 1541 Disk Drive. I wouldn't show it to Young Children (Under 17) because of the cussing near the end of the movie, that?s just me. If you allow your children to hear cussing, then its on you. A somewhat entertaining movie for adults.
xGary X

A murderer is zapped into a computer and starts killing using household appliances. This lame sci-fi spin on the serial killer movie is as bad as it sounds (the last I heard, tin openers weren't online...) Maximum Overdrive had a similar concept, but at least that had a sense of… More
A murderer is zapped into a computer and starts killing using household appliances. This lame sci-fi spin on the serial killer movie is as bad as it sounds (the last I heard, tin openers weren't online...) Maximum Overdrive had a similar concept, but at least that had a sense of humour, and more importantly, AC/DC.
William G

Impressively inane techno-thriller.

Cast

            Karen Allen as Terry Munroe

            Chris Mulkey as Bram Walker

            Ted Marcoux as Karl Hochman

            Wil Horneff as Josh Munroe

            Jessica Walter as Elaine

            Brandon Quintin Adams as Frazer

            Rick Ducommun as Phil

            Nancy Fish as Karl's Landlord

            Jack Laufer as Elliott

            Shevonne Durkin as Carol

            Walter Addison as Veteran Cop

            Carlease Burke as Woman Cop

            Nigel Gibbs as Detective

            Charles Haugk as Cop

            Alix Koromzay as Punk Girl

            Michael LaGuardia as Cop

            Clayton Landey as Mel

            Dom Magwili as Doctor

            Edwina Moore as Newswoman

            Zach Phifer as Priest

            Richard Schiff as Scanner Technician

            Charles Stranski as Cop at Police Station

            Ken Thorley as Salesman

            Chris Ellis as Lieutenant

            Mickey Gilbert (II) as Mickey the Driver

            Richard McKenzie as Frank Mallory

            Don Keith Opper as Man in Office

            Rick Scarry as Newsman

            Haunani Minn as Nurse

            John Miller as Frank Mallory

            Mimi Lieber as Marta

            Carl Gabriel Yorke as Safety Technician

            Matthew Glave as Rookie Cop
See full cast