Mediocre at best
Ok first up Ghost Rider is one of my favorite characters EVER. Now differently than other ppl I liked this movie. It wasn't my favorite Marvel movie so far, but it isn't my least favorite. Perhaps it s just me.This is the lowdown:
WHAT I LIKED:
- Sam Elliot and Petr Fonda - these guys just NAILED the interpretation of Caretaker and Mephisto. They both carried th opportune gravitas to their characters. With Mephisto, you know u shouldn't trust the guy cos of the way he talks but the way he plays with words is very convincing.He seemed to me like the corrupt businessman he feels like in the MYTHOS GHOST RIDER comic. Caretaker was opportunely mysterious and yet a father figure to Johnny Blaze, something he was looking for since his dad's death. He has this mentorly, fatherly aura about him, both through his physicality and through his voice.
- The Hellbike and Ghost Rider -Effects wise - these were ACE! i just loved seeing GR riding up the skyscraper and across the water showing the middle-finger to the oolice....the skull was amazingly believeable in the lighting and so were the flames. Even how they were animated - no looping of effects, and they moved with Ghost Rider's physics, so WOW . I also liked Ghost Rider's voice - like a bunsen burner that has the gas on but hasn't been lit up - its just what i d imagined reading the comics.
- The origins - they ABSOLUTELY NAILED IT 'nuff said
- The plot: interesting plot but poorly executed. could've been done much better.
WHAT I DISLIKED:
- Nic Cage: Cage I could kind of forgive. He had plenty of good moments but otherwise he seemed like he s surprised to find himself in a movie, like in a state of shock or blandness. His voice is expressionless, he didnt seem really affected by Mephisto's deal till most of the movie's over, and eventually i got tired of the pointless pointing stance. But as I said, he had moments that were good, like the prison scene when he turns into Ghost Rider there. Verdict: bad but forgiveable
- Wes Bentley: this is unforgiveable. I havent seen any other movies of this actor but come on, Blackheart isnt so whiney in the comics. I mean, ok he s not whining intentionally, sure, but every time he opens his mouth it sounds like a high-pitched whine. Seriously, the son of the devil is someone who is excessively high on helium? "IIII LIIIIKE EEET HEEEEYEEER!!" Sorry, no.
- Blackheart's flunkies: They didnt give the challenge Ghost Rider, the sword of God and the devil's bounty hunter, deserved! I mean GR's battles with em were fricken ANTICLIMACTIC as much as Optimus Prime vs the Fallen! They could've come up with Blackheart's flunkies during the final Danny Ketch series, Verminus Rex, Doghead and Pao Fu. At least those gave SOME challenge to GR and not 1-hit K.O!!
VERDICT: 3 out of 5
