Number 24
Sam Wheat
(33 points on 4 of 12 lists. Top Vote #7 Cole Stratton)
Sam Wheat, a banker, and Molly Jensen, a talented potter, were a loving couple who move into a New York City apartment. At work, Sam discovered a major discrepancy in a couple of bank accounts (too much money) and confided in his good friend and colleague Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn). Carl offered to investigate the matter, but Sam decided to investigate himself. Later that night, Sam and Molly were attacked by armed thug Willie Lopez (Rick Aviles) and Sam was killed by a gunshot during a struggle with Willie.
Sam's ghost arose from his dead body, which lay next to the distraught Molly. He gradually realized that he was a ghost whose presence could not be seen or heard. One day, Sam was alone at the apartment (testing his ability to walk through doors) when Willie came in, looking for something. Sam was unable to stop the killer but spooked Molly's cat, Floyd, causing Willie to get scratched and flee. Sam followed the killer to his place in Brooklyn and heard that he would return to Molly's house. He also met Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a local con artist posing as a medium and realized she could hear him (not see him), although Oda Mae had been faking her abilities until then. He persuaded Oda Mae to tell Molly that she is in danger, but Molly was disbelieving and Carl later convinced Molly that Oda Mae was a fraud preying on her grief.
Molly talked to the police about her concerns but they confirmed that Oda Mae was a known con artist with a lengthy record whereas Willie Lopez had none. Sam discovered that Carl was involved in a money laundering scheme at the bank and that the attack was an attempt by Carl to acquire Sam's security codes, so he could transfer the money from the many accounts to one at another bank. He learned how to move solid objects by willpower from an aggressive New York City subway poltergeist he met in the subway. He persuaded Oda Mae to thwart Carl's money laundering scheme. Following his instructions, Oda Mae impersonated the owner of Carl's fake bank account, closed the account, and reluctantly gave its $4 million contents to a homeless shelter. Carl, due to transfer the money to a correspondent bank overseas, became desperate when he found the account closed and empty. Sam taunted him in the deserted office by moving objects and making accusations appear on his computer screen, typing MURDERER, then his name (SAM), making it repeat.
Carl visited Molly and declared to Sam that he would kill Molly unless the money is returned that evening. He and Willie then go to Oda Mae's apartment to find her. Sam managed to get there first and warned Oda Mae and her two sisters, who quickly escaped and took refuge in a neighbor's apartment. Sam uses his powers to separate and distract Carl and Willie, who are ransacking Oda Mae's apartment in search of the money. Horrified by the experience, Willie fled and was killed in a traffic accident. Willie's ghost arose, saw his body, and was told by Sam that he's dead. A group of howling demons emerged from shadows of ordinary things and pulled a screaming Willie into the shadows, while Sam watched in horror. Afterwards, Sam and Oda Mae returned to Molly's apartment to warn her about Carl, but she refused to let her in and broke down in grief. Sam finally convinced her that Oda Mae was genuine and he was truly present as a ghost by having her push a penny underneath the front door and Sam levitating it in front of Molly.
Astonished, Molly lets Ode Mae inside and while waiting for the police, Sam uses Oda Mae's body to share a final dance with Molly. Carl arrived, prepared to murder Molly and Oda Mae, but they fled. Sam was left momentarily weakened, as possession wipes a ghost out. In the storage room, Carl managed to get a hold of Oda Mae and threatened to kill her, but Molly came to her aid and held Carl off long enough for Oda Mae to escape his grasp. Carl grabbed Molly and held her at gunpoint for the money but was unsuccessful and as Sam recovered, he was able to disarm Carl and attack him. As Carl attempted to flee through a plate glass window, he flung a scaffolding hook in Sam's direction which swang back and partially shattered the glass in the upper part of the window; the window slid down and killed Carl as he climbed out. Carl became a ghost himself, much to his astonishment and to Sam's grief. Sam then watched in silence as the shadowy demons arrived to drag a screaming Carl away into the darkness. As Sam went to Oda Mae and Molly and asked if they are all right, Molly suddenly realized that she could hear him. A heavenly light filled the room and Sam became fully visible to both Molly and Oda Mae. Sam looked behind him and saw hundreds of people, presumably angels, in a portal to Heaven. His task was completed and he could move on. Sam said an emotional farewell to Molly, thanked Oda Mae for her help, and departed to the afterlife.
Malevolence2/10
He's did attack some bad guys, though they only died because they were dumb.
Spookiness1/10
Unless by spooky, you mean sexy. Then he's a solid 8.