Painfully predictable.

Rating: 3/10 (17 February 2007)

Right off the bat, I have never read the comics, so I have no idea how close this was to anything that's actually canon.
Taken by itself, this movie hurts; I don't know if reading the comic would make it better or worse. It's certainly not the worst I've seen, and it did have some very funny moments.
Unfortunately, the melodrama was laid on disgustingly thick, the acting was terrible (Cage was decent, but the rest of the cast was either completely inept or having a bad year), the special effects were sub-par considering the quality most CG-based movies are attaining now, and the plot was just generally uninteresting.
The worst thing about this movie, the one that really drags it down and keeps the entertainment value low, is the complete predictability of every character and situation. Stock characters abound, and you never see anyone doing or saying anything inspired, interesting or even remotely insightful. Basically, the plot as well as the characters lack depth.
A prime example is the beginning of the climactic fight (which, by the way, you'll see coming a mile and a half away). It's painfully scripted and (even in context) pathetically unrealistic.
This is a popcorn flick -- not a good one, but a popcorn flick. Watch it for the no-talent eye candy and the amusing lines and deliveries by Cage, but do yourself a favor: Wait until it hits the dollar theatre.