Ghost Rider

Rating: 5/10 (4 April 2007)

The latest effort from Marvel and Daredevil director Mark Steven Johnson is a loud and messy film that, whilst it has some merit, has too many flaws that weigh it down. Nicholas Cage plays Johnny Storm, a stunt rider who, as a child, makes a deal with the devil (Fonda) to save his father's life. Later on in life he must uphold his end of the deal  he must become the next Ghost Rider, acting as the devil's bounty hunter to rid the world of Blackheart, the devil's son, who has just returned to take over the world.
Cage is clearly enjoying himself as the oddball Storm  laughing at chimpanzee kung-fu and drinking jelly beans from a cocktail glass is his natural way of life  as he should be given he is a life-long fan of the comic book this is based on. However, the other cast members don't quite fit in: Peter Fonda and Sam Elliott (as a graveyard caretaker who acts as a mentor to Storm) both seem to be acting in a far more serious film; Eva Mendes is obligingly cute but does nothing other than pose as background scenery as Storm's childhood girlfriend; Donal Logue provides comical side-kick responsibilities in the same way that Jon Favreau did for Daredevil; and Wes Bentley brings as much menace to the film as an Andrex puppy.
In fact, the villains are all non-threatening and highly non-entertaining. When they are on screen the film stalls, and given that Blackheart is the reason for the Ghost Rider's existence that means the film stalls too often. Blackheart just comes across as camp, whilst his potentially cool and evil henchmen merely provide more imaginative ways to die. The films best bits don't involve the villains  Ghost Rider outrunning the entire Boston police force on his flamed-out motorbike is a highlight  and when Cage gets to be cut loose the film picks up. Also on the plus side, the effect of Ghost Rider, with his flaming skull, looks amazing, and the effects of CGI flames have been pushed to a new level. Sadly though, the rest of the effects are lacking and, come the finale, are reaching into Van Helsing territory  too many effects that are not developed enough to convince. Storm's transformation in the Ghost Rider is meant to emulate the pain from An American Werewolf in London, and the first transformation does, but after that Storm changes instantly and without any effect on him; we are not given the rules that define the Ghost Rider's world, and a lack of consistency is clearly noticeable.
Designed to be simple popcorn entertainment, Ghost Rider simply isn't as much fun as it should be. It has too many elements that quite simply do not work, making it a loud noise of a film that does not belong with other Marvel films of far superior quality.
Rated: 5/10
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