average as far as general films go, but great (or above average) by comic-book film standards

Rating: 7/10 (18 February 2007)

Okay. I love Nicolas Cage. I love Ghost Rider comic books. Now, did I love the movie? Well, I don't know if I'd go that far, but I'd say I really really liked it. For the next couple of weeks or maybe month, it'll stay with me strong, but over time it'll slowly enter the "average" rating. Well, let me give an overall rundown of the movie and its pros and cons.
Pros: Nick Cage was great as Ghost Rider and his transformation into The Rider was just about perfect. The general atmosphere of the movie was extremely well done. it perfected the dark, mystic comic book look. It was extremely stylish during night scenes, or when The Rider came out. Blackheart and his gang looked really bad ass and I definitely got a boner when I first saw them on screen. Wes Bentley's performance is kind of a mixed bag. On one hand I liked it b/c of the look he gave Blackheart, but on the other hand I didn't like the way he talked. I can't explain it, judge for yourselves. I liked the way he killed ppl, but it got old quickly. Anyways, one of the highlights of the film is Donal Logue's character, where most of the comedy comes from. He plays Johnny Blaze's sidekick in the motorcycle business and best friend in life, and his presence on screen almost takes away from Nick Cage's bad-ass persona. also, the film picked up pretty fast. the exposition was quick but very enjoyable to watch. When Matt Long's Johnny Blaze turned into Nick Cage's Johnny Blaze, i was kind of sad to see Matt go. he was charismatic and characterized by young love, and it was sort of sad to see that young loverboy go away. And this is coming from someone who is a #1 Cage fan.
Cons: Though Blackheart and his gang look bad-ass, they really aren't. They seem to go down without a fight, which is depressing, for I was hoping these super cool villains would provide a good battle and some interesting special effects. In general I liked the special effects, but sometimes the action of the movie was less like action; the effects and adrenaline of the movie derive from Blaze riding his motorcycle, such as climbing up a building or driving in the water. very cool to watch, but I think the audience was hoping for a little more resistance from his enemies. Also, there were, as suspected, a lot of corny lines. But i mean it's a comic-book film, it should be expected. Actually, in my opinion, I kind of liked the corny lines. But i have a feeling others won't feel the same as me.
All in all, I enjoyed the movie and it fueled me for a couple of days and I am still thinking about it now. Though I see its flaws, I can look past them and realize that not every movie is perfect. And in regards to the chance of there being a sequel...Let's Ride! ;)