Occasionally dumb, sometimes ridiculous, but most of the time fun as hell (pun not intended)

Rating: 6/10 (18 March 2007)

This film was never going to be a masterpiece in comic-book adaptation. Where other Marvel-based movies (Spider-Man, X-Men etc.) focused on their protagonists'inner struggles, it was clear from the earliest teaser that Ghost Rider had no such ambitions; it was just going to be a loud, hopefully watchable action movie. And that's exactly what it is.
However, writer/director Mark Steven Johnson (who previously explored comic-book territory in the flawed, but somehow underrated Daredevil) deserves credit for trying to provide us with a believable back-story for this unusual character. Shame it's all stuff we've seen before (an unbearable loss and its life-altering consequences), the only variation being the contract young Johnny Blaze signs with Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) to save Blaze Sr. 's life. Predictably, the old man dies anyway, leaving Johnny (Nicolas Cage) alone and forced to serve the dark forces: by day, he's an ordinary man who earns his living by impressing people with his motorcycle stunts; by night, on the other hand, he becomes the Ghost Rider, an avenger who punishes evildoers by making them feel the same pain they have inflicted upon their victims. Naturally, his nocturnal persona isn't the kind of guy who walks unnoticed (how could he, his face being a flaming skull?), and so he will also have to deal with the authorities. Oh, and then there's Blackheart (Wes Bentley), a rogue demon who's trying to take over the world. You know, business as usual.
Knowing that any psychological digressions would be a waste of time, Johnson puts all his energy into the action sequences, and that's where the film truly succeeds: whenever the Rider gets on the motorbike and starts causing all kinds of mayhem, it's easy to see why comic-book readers are fascinated by a character who, unlike Spidey and friends, isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, no matter what (including a skyscraper) comes in his way. Ghost Rider is an uncompromising bad-ass, and Cage has a lot of fun playing him, although even he struggles to keep a straight face while delivering the line "I sold my soul to the Devil". And speaking of devils, the villains are actually the main reason the film occasionally clunks: while the riotous Fonda is a joy to watch (the Easy Rider in-joke being the stand-out), the same can't be said of Bentley, who swaps the chilling subtlety he mastered in American Beauty for stereotyped overacting (but then again, what else can you do when you've got the most ridiculous lines and sidekicks since Batman & Robin?). Another weak element, though not as dull as Bentley, is the romantic subplot involving Eva Mendes, primarily because even the most inexperienced moviegoer is able to guess the outcome.
Final verdict? Well, romance and bad guys aside, Ghost Rider is fun, especially when the titular character is let loose in the second half of the film. Certainly not among the year's best movies, but worth a look on your average Saturday night.
6,5/10