Ghost Rider When I think of Ghost Rider I think of the Marvel comic book which featured a rider decked out all in white riding on a horse. And there is a reference to this older version (though it only muddles the plot) in the new movie which stars Nicolas Cage as the motorcycle riding Ghost Rider which is also from a later version from Marvel comics. Both of these may have come from an even earlier version in a comic book from the 50s, which in turn may have been inspired by the popular song "Ghost Riders In the Sky."
This was probably a dream job for Nicolas Cage who is known for collecting comics (as well as for divorcing people related to the King). The movie is very light, with a few little moments that will make you jump. The movie is never really suspenseful, and feels like it meanders quite a bit. A tighter script might have fixed a lot of these problems. The love interest Roxanne Simpson, played by Eva Mendes, is forever looking for Johnny Blaze, played by Nicolas Cage, who is forever hiding from her because he is going to turn into the Ghost Rider. Why does this remind me of Lon Chaney Jr.? It would be nice to see what Eva Mendes could do if a really juicy part came her way. You get the impression she is capable of more than she was given to work with in this movie. You could say the same of Nicolas Cage. I can just hear David Letterman talking to Cage and saying, "just because you CAN make this movie, doesn't mean you SHOULD make this movie."
 The movie was directed and the screenplay was written by Mark Steven Johnson. He previously directed Daredevil, and if you have seen that movie you will have a pretty good idea of what to expect from this movie. The special effects in Ghost Rider are fun though the actual Ghost Rider never feels like a real character but just comes off like another digital effect. Maybe the movie doesn't take off just because of the nature of the project. Ghost Rider was always a kind of second tier superhero. He never had the complexity or the personality of the best Spiderman, Hulk, or FF comics (I am definitely a Marvels fan). Also for a good superhero you need a great villain, and there just isn't one. Still though, if you like this sort of thing, it is not a complete waste, and Nicolas Cage's haircut does remind me of Jerry Mathers as the Beaver.
You can write James Harper at movielover77061@yahoo.com |
