Doesn't feels like a John Carpenter film

No, he didnt. He was handed a script and told to do it.

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All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for enough good men to do nothing.

I agree that it doesn't feel like a John Carpenter film. It feels very much like a modern horror film aimed at a younger crowd. I think Carpenter wanted his first film back to be easier for him so he got a simple story and location and delegated all his usual work to others (writing, score, etc.). Even the camera was off as it was the 2.39:1 ratio, but it wasn't anamorphic and was shot open matte.
I don't think it was bad, it was decent, but aside from a few scenes it wasn't really Carpenter. Remember though, he still crafted Cigarette Burns in the past 5 years, so he still has it in him.

To me, Carpenter hasn't felt like Carpenter since "In the Mouth of Madness." I tried re-watching that one again recently and couldn't get into it, just like the time before that. Bummer.

I DO think that this is one of his most un-Carpentery feeling films. But I feel it's still no more so than Christine (doubt he had a lot of Creative Control) or Halloween (this isn't an insult to Halloween. It's one of his best, but you've got to admit there's something unique about the feeling of it).

Infact, The Ward seems like an attempt at making a Carpenter film with non-Carpenter staples. Think of this film being made 25 years ago with Donald Pleasance in place of Jared Harris, Adrienne Barbeau as Nurse Ratched (heh), and any given number of chicks from Prince of Darkness and what not in the main roles. Now imagine a Carpenter-esque score and it seems like a classic film of his to me.

I still like The Ward though, it's not the greatest but I still find a bit of joy in watching it.

I think Carpenter gets too much crap. He's at least attempting to make a good movie. Romero and Craven haven't made good films in yeaaaaaaaaars (the latter's last good film being New Nightmare) and they're still having their asses kissed (only now are people beginning to think otherwise).

I don't know, it had enough Carpenter elements for me.

Firstly, it's about characters confined to a single location, trapped by unseen forces and trying to escape. This has been a consistent plot device in Carpenter's work since Assault on Precinct 13 and features heavily in Halloween, The Fog, Escape from New York, The Thing, The Gas Station, They Live and Ghosts of Mars. Secondly, it uses the stalk n' slash motif to great effect, with an unseen force picking off vulnerable characters one-by-one. Carpenter set the standard for this in Halloween, but it turns up again in The Fog, The Thing, Christine and The Gas Station. Finally, it deals with aberrant psychology; the relationship between the doctor and the girls in the hospital reminded me of Dr. Loomis and his strained attempts to understand the madness of Michael Myers, while the setting put me in mind of In the Mouth of Madness by way of Prince of Darkness.

In fact, I think The Ward is the natural continuation of those two films.

I also found it consistent with his use of the camera, framing of shots, unobtrusive colour-schemes, editing and attempts to place the audience in the same perspective of the central character. The only thing that wasn't very Carpenter-like was the soundtrack.

I suggest the OP catch up on his Carpenter, because I've worshipped the legend since I was a little boy and this definitely FELT like a Carpenter-movie. Sure, it didn't have the most original story, but cinematically I felt the Carpenter-style several times. He is a hundred times better at building a creepy sense of horror than most horror filmmakers.

The fact you failed to recognize any of his style or influence isn't John Carpenter's problem :)

Read 2 names: Carpenter and Amber Heard (ok 3 with Lindsay Fonseca) down for it..it was a OK movie from Carpentar.

Amber is giving Kristanna Loken a run for is money as the hottest bisexual...

*beep* you other dog."

Agreed. Carpenter's work was competent, yet unexceptional.

I'm a totally bitchin' bio writer from Mars!