Spooked is a 2004 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy

Geoff Murphy

Geoff Murphy is a successful New Zealand filmmaker best known for his work during the renaissance of New Zealand cinema that began in the last half of the 1970s....

 and loosely based on Ian Wishart

Ian Wishart

Ian Wishart is a New Zealand journalist, author, an opponent to the hypothesis of anthropogenic climate change, and the editor of Investigate magazine...

's novel The Paradise Conspiracy, which itself is based on actual events in New Zealand. Partly funded by the New Zealand Film Commission, Spooked had its first screenings in the market at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival where it was first reviewed.
The film performed poorly at the box office after some negative reviews
despite its cast of prominent New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 actors.

Plot

Investigative journalist Mort Whitman (Cliff Curtis) is onto the story of his lifetime, the most important story in the nation. It was huge involving a big pay-off from a multinational bank to a second-hand computer dealer Kevin Jones (Christopher Hobbs). Tracing the days leading up to Kevin's suspicious death, Mort reveals Kevin's increasing paranoia and erratic behaviour through the eyes of his best mate Jimmy Blick (John Leigh) and girlfriend Ruby Elder (Miriama Smith). What dangerous secrets had he stumbled upon? Did the forces - private security, police, SIS or CIA - that increasingly menaced his life, kill him? Or did he simply drink too much and crash his car? Mort is determined to get to the bottom of it, if it kills him.

Tagline: These people play by their own rules.

Cast

Actor	Role
Cliff Curtis Cliff Curtis Clifford Vivian Devon "Cliff" Curtis is a New Zealand actor who has had major roles in film, including The Piano, Whale Rider, and Blow, and most recently has appeared in NBC's television series Trauma. He is also co-owner of independent film production company Whenua Films...	Mort Whitman
Christopher Hobbs	Kevin Jones
Ian Mune Ian Mune Ian Barry Mune, OBE is a New Zealand character actor and director. He co-wrote and starred in Roger Donaldson's first film, Sleeping Dogs. He also directed Came a Hot Friday, which featured comedian Billy T. James as the Tainui Kid, and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, the sequel to Once Were...	Dave Johnson
Miriama Smith Miriama Smith Miriama Te Rangimarie Smith is a New Zealand film and television actress who has played roles in various TV shows such as Xena: Warrior Princess, Karaoke High and Shortland Street...	Ruby Elder
Peter Elliot Peter Elliott (actor) Peter Elliott is a leading New Zealand actor. He has appeared in numerous television shows including Shortland Street, Gloss and Homeward Bound. He has also appeared in several movies including Heavenly Creatures.-Shortland Street:...	Randy Fox
Alison Bruce Alison Bruce Alison Bruce is a New Zealand television and movie actress, best known for her role as Queen Melosa in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess.- Filmography :-Awards:...	Sheila Miller