Crash and burn...

Rating: 6/10 (16 April 2007)

Comic books are a universal novelty with an extreme following, and it's no wonder that so many of these comics have been turned into film franchises. But is it not strange that a Marvel hero is in fact associated with angels and demons? Too bad it sounds better then it actually is.
Johnny Blaze (Nicholas Cage), a motorcycle stunt rider, makes a pact with Mephisto (Peter Fonda) to have his dad cured of his cancer, in return that Johnny gives up his soul and becomes the Ghost Rider. As the Ghost Rider, Johnny acts as a bounty hunter who must collect souls for Mephisto. When called upon, Johnny has to kill Blackheart (Wes Bentley) and thus stop him from collecting a scroll of potent power which would allow Blackheart to create a new hell on earth.
As a Marvel comic book, one doesn't suspect it to contain the likes of demons. It does however, come across as being similar in style to Marvels other hero, Blade. But where Blade's transition to the world of film was one of a violent nature, a good move considering it's basic premise, Ghost Rider instead moves into more commercial territory. Yet Ghost Rider is no Fantastic Four, and definitely no Spider-man, as it's dark atmosphere would dictate, and so inevitably, Ghost Rider comes across as being rather shallow then it ought to be.
The acting is, for the most part, good. There is a distinct evilness in the performances by Fonda and Bentley, and Cage plays his confused character, struggling with the death of his father, loss of his childhood sweetheart and the fact that he becomes a creature during the night, quite well.
Yet it is in the execution of the story where Ghost Rider seems to lose its wheels. The beginning of the film contains some disappointing horror-like sequences, which by the end of the film, seem oddly misplaced. Another avenue of disappointment comes in the form of the lousy romance story. While you can feel sorry for Johnny and Roxanne Simpson (Raquel Alessi/ Eva Mendez), it's a pity that their romance ends up being rather clichéd, and ultimately, lacking in passion.
The language is relatively dim, and the action sequences, while dark in manner, are tiresome to watch, and do not last long. A pity as the Ghost Rider could have had some great battles considering his character.
Ghost Rider comes across as something deserving of more violence, something akin to Blade. The acting is not particularly bad, but an inconsistent beginning arc, pointless romance, and extremely short fight scenes, don't help make a good film out of a cool premise.
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