Amazing Blaze

Rating: 7/10 (26 February 2007)

Once, twice or maximum three times per year there comes a movie of which you beforehand know that it won't change your life with its progressive ideas or mesmerize your mind with its poetic dialogs, but nevertheless you simply have to watch it on the big screen, otherwise you risk missing out on something extraordinary cool! "Ghost Rider" is such a movie, based on dark comic book characters and featuring a whole lot of spectacular action-stunts. It's definitely not a masterpiece or even very memorable, but thrills and entertainment are guaranteed throughout the entire playtime. It's a rather gruesome comic book adaptation, dealing with contracts with the devil and doomed souls, but the execution is light-headed and enthusiast. In order to save his father from slowly and painfully dying of cancer, young stunt rider Johnny Blaze gives up his soul to the devilish Mephistopheles. Several years later, Johnny Blaze is a successful daredevil stunt-rider who seemingly can't get injured, yet Mephistopheles approaches him to live up to his part of the contract. He'll become Ghost Rider, the devil's bounty hunter assigned to prevent Blackheart  a fallen angel - from unleashing a new hell on earth. There are a whole lot of sub plots, for example Johnny's reunion with his former girlfriend and the mysterious cemetery caretaker who suspiciously knows a lot about Johnny's dreadful situation, but the main focus here is Nicolas Cage's flamboyant outfits and fiery skull as he transforms into the Ghost Rider overnight. The battles between him and Blackheart's associates (representing the primary elements) are pretty exciting and the visual effects are competently presented. The action sequences result in a lot of damage and mayhem, which is always entertaining to behold from a comfortable seat in the theater. Cage is a terrific actor, clever enough to not take his role overly serious and therefore adds quite a lot of comical elements to his character, like dry one-liners and eccentric tics. It was particularly pleasant to see Peter Fonda star again in a big-budgeted production, especially considering the role he plays! Just a couple of days ago, I watched the movie "Race With The Devil" in which a much younger Fonda desperately attempts to flee from a bunch of pursuing devil-worshipers, yet in this comic book vehicle, he plays the Devil himself and clearly enjoys it. The filming locations and the majority of set-pieces look effectively sinister, Eva Mendes is hot as ever, skull dude's motorcycle and armory is awesome and there even is a modern update of Johnny Cash' great song "Ghost Riders in the Sky" on the soundtrack! I can't possibly talk too negative about a film like this. It's great, mindless entertainment.