Ghost Rider

Nicholas Cage
Peter Fonda
Wes Bentley
Donal Logue
Eva Mendez

Ah, Ghost Rider, how I love thee. That’s a good way to open a movie review right? I should, perhaps, explain that I’ve been a GR fan for most of my comic book reading days. I grew up with Danny Ketch as ol’ flame head, but that doesn’t mean I never experienced the roots with Johnny Blaze himself. As a matter of fact, in the end, Blaze became my favorite. That’s just how it rolled out… much the same that I would take Lee/Ditko or Lee/Romita Spidey over pretty much any team that’s come since. I didn’t grow up with them, but I’ll be damned if I don’t love ‘em!

Now that I’ve established some sort of fan cred (besides the fact that I’m writing this for Stumblebum), I should say that, as a moviegoer, I’m a very relaxed person. When I see a comic book property hitting the big screen, I don’t get too bent out of shape when things don’t follow the comics to a “T.” I understand that changes need to happen in order to make things work; sometimes, underwear on the outside of your pants just doesn’t work… but then again (thanks Superman for ruining my argument), it does. It’s all in how it’s worked out.

I must say that, going into GR, the only thing I expected to see was Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcycle rider, turn into the Spirit of Vengeance himself! What I got was that and a fairly accurate retelling of the GR origin along with a fun romp through his world.

The special effects, while occasionally being a little rough, were as good as I wanted. I think there’s an obvious shock factor for anyone viewing a man with a flaming skull as a head; it’s a bit jarring because you’re not exactly sure how it’s supposed to look because, well, we’ve never truly seen anything like it in motion before! In the end, the special effects turned out just fine, if not better than I expected.

The story flowed at a nice pace. I’d read comments from some rather negative viewers and pretentious reviewers that said that eliminating the first half of the movie, which consisted of Blaze as a teen in his father’s stunt show, would have made it a better movie, but in my opinion, I think omitting that kills the characterization altogether. But then again, internet message board peoples know much better than me and directors/producers, etc. how to make movies! Ah, but that’s a rant for another time.

I went with a decent-sized group consisting of at least a few people familiar with the character and they were all pleased. Those that weren’t familiar with the character enjoyed the movie as well. There were, from a few of them, some quibbles with Nic Cage as Blaze, but I think it comes down to more than that. I think Cage and co. were bogged down by some truly horrendous dialogue that hampered their ability to act. I made the comment to friends that Ghost Rider is the perfect example of how some things from comic books just don’t work on the big screen… meaning the dialogue, which seemed like it could have easily been lifted from a Gary Friedrich script. It’s fine, if not fantastic, for the comics, but for a movie it just doesn’t work. It doesn’t roll off the tongue.

I do, however, think that Eva Mendes was truly a sore spot for this movie. I’ve seen her in other things and she’s been relatively fine, but she was uncomfortably bad in this movie. When I say that, it means I felt embarrassed for her while she was delivering lines! But I do like Eva; I just don’t think this was the role for her.

In the end, is it the greatest comic book movie ever made? Well, in my opinion, no. Does that mean it wasn’t good at all? No way. I enjoyed the hell out of it. You, if you’re not too busy figuring out why you will hate it before you see it, might enjoy it as well. This reviewer believes and even allows the idea that other people… might just like it!


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