I don't fully understand all the negative reviews...

Rating: 7/10 (5 July 2007)

We rented Ghost Rider last night (July 4th - fireworks - yay!) and we really enjoyed it immensely! I had wanted to see it on the big screen, in spite of all the negative reviews, and now I wish I had because we don't own a monster TV and I had to wear my driving glasses to watch it (which I never generally have to do when watching TV at home...) I completely loved the basic premise of this story when I first heard it.
I thought the tone of the whole movie was pitch-perfect. Everyone's movements were so precise. Sometimes they were just acting with their eyes. I dug all the camera movements -- this movie had momentum, which was appropriate to the subject matter. Nic Cage is a fantastic (if limited in range) actor and well suited to this kind of comic book *extreme* role. Wes Bentley was great. I really liked the Police Captain and his dark-haired side-kick. (Lots of Aussie actors in this movie as it was shot there.) Eva Mendes was a little disappointing -- I like her a lot but her acting wasn't great (I blame neglectful direction) and she wasn't given enough to do. Plus, her costuming was appallingly poor. There's one time when she's getting back into the car and we see her from behind and her dress is so ill-fitting and wrinkly. Sure, we got to see lots of cleavage (not too much) but dressing a sexy Latina with olive skin in a brown dress that's almost the same colour as her brown hair AND then putting a brown leather jacket on top of that? UGH! Did they WANT her to disappear?! Yeah, I've never read the comics, but I will now.