Ghost Rider goes up in flames

Written by Curtis J. Phillips
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 10:20

Ghost Rider image from www.movieweb.comWhen I mentioned at the dinner table Sunday that I was going to go review the movie Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance, my niece Nikki replied: “I don’t like Nicolas Cage...I think he is kind of creepy.”

Well, it seems a lot of other people, namely movie critics, have the same opinion as they are blowing smoke at this Marvel comic character Johnny Blaze...a bounty hunter of evil souls to whom we were introduced to on the silver screen with Ghost Rider in 2007.

Rarely do I check out the popular movie critic webpage Rotten Tomatoes to see what other critics think…but my niece’s comment perked my interest a while later and with a start of 10 p.m. for the final show at Landmark, I had time to take a quick peek at my peers’ comments before heading out.

A 17 per cent rating.  Yikes. What else is playing tonight?

Check the local movie listings again. Too late. Only time to make it down to see either the Ghost Rider sequel or the chick flick The Vow.

My better half prefers early evening shows so The Vow is out. Head downtown, grab some popcorn and pop and with an open positive mind, hope for some pizzazz from directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.

The director combo is perhaps best known for their association with Jason Statham’s Crank series and Jonah Hex.

They bring over their film tricks from these high-octane adventures to Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance with time lapses, split screens, grainy camera visuals, shaky camera effects all wrapped up with a simple storyline full of pot holes but lots of in-your-face action.

The theatre was packed with probably a third of the patrons wearing baseball hats, so you know that it’s going to be a flick that is done with the tongue firmly planted in cheek.

But at times it is just too hokey and Cage’s craziness is all too “seen you do that before.” Déjà vu.

Did not see the need for 3D although the transformation to the Ghost Rider was kind of cool in one segment. Got to admit that Ghost Rider is not your everyday conventional superhero.

Loved Ciaran Hinds as the devil in human form but there could have been a better casting effort for Daniel Ketch, the Antichrist played by Fergus Riordan.

Love interest Eva Mendes would not sign up for the sequel instead we get Violante Placido…cute but no cigar.

Great to see Christopher Lambert back on the silver screen as Methodius the bald tattooed Monk but, little, if no character development for him.  Johnny Whitworth was also worth the watch as the devil’s henchman.

The location shoots in Romania and Turkey bring some magic to the ride. You will also have a hoot with the flaming bucket wheel scene.

On the scale of one to five on the Burning Man scale we give this a two-and-a-half.

See you on the silver screen.