Ghost Rider Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Long ago he made a deal to save someone he loved.
Hell Is About To Be Unleashed
His Curse Will Become His Power
Was everything he sacrificed truly worth?
He's the only one that can walk on both worlds.
Lets Ride !
In order to save his dying father, young stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Mephistopheles and sadly parts from the pure-hearted Roxanne Simpson, the love of his life. Years later, Johnny's path crosses again with Roxanne, now a reporter, and also with Mephistopheles, who offers to release Johnny's soul if Johnny becomes the fabled, fiery Ghost Rider, a supernatural agent of vengeance and justice. Mephistopheles charges Johnny with defeating the despicable Blackheart, Mephistopheles's nemesis and son, who plans to displace his father and create a new hell even more terrible than the old one.
| Matt Long | Young Johnny Blaze |
| Raquel Alessi | Young Roxanne Simpson |
| Brett Cullen | Barton Blaze |
| Peter Fonda | Mephistopheles |
| Nicolas Cage | Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider |
| Donal Logue | Mack |
| Hugh Sexton | Team Blaze #1 |
| Marcus Jones | Blaze Team #3 |
| Matt Norman | Team Blaze #4 |
| Lawrence Cameron Steele | X Games Announcer |
| Wes Bentley | Blackheart |
| Eddie Baroo | Motorcycle Gang Member |
| Jessica Napier | Broken Spoke Waitress |
| Laurence Breuls | Gressil |
| Mark Steven Johnson |
5.30 out of 10 (19168 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Makes for a fun ride even if it's not as ablaze as it could've been
posted on 28 Aug 2009The string of superhero movies goes on and this time, it's Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider's turn to heat up the big screen.During the day, he's Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) - a stunt motorcyclist who once sold his soul to Mephisto (Peter Fonda) in exchange for a cure to his father's cancer. However, the contract involves Johnny transforming to a blazing skeleton by night in the presence of evil, bound to work for Mephisto in defeating Blackheart (Wes Bentley), the ambitious son of Mephisto who wants to make a hell out of the world - literally.Written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson, the film has an introductory note for Johnny Blaze which clearly feels a lot like the filmmaker's previous Marvel project "Daredevil." The way it's presented does seem formulaic but it manages to decently portray the main character to the viewer. Cage also doesn't seem to be a good idea to play the role but as the film progressed, the more he managed to prove me wrong by doing a good job of combining a sense of grit and humor for his character.The characterizations of the supporting characters, however, were rather insipid. Eva Mendes as Roxie Simpson, Johnny's love interest, serves more like a perfunctory female touch to the film as her character has been devoted with so little concern. I'm tempted to say that the villains are too one-dimensional but they're demons, which may be the point.The movie overall is a decent way to spend a Valentine evening, although at times, the plot becomes a little confused. The fight scenes lack a sense of urgency, and the love angle feels too casual. But Cage gives a good performance and there are enough humorous moments to make for a somewhat fun if bumpy ride.
L.a.M.E
posted on 28 Aug 2009Cage just sucks. Whoever was in charge of this one was bored, and the CGI is lackluster. It really looks just thrown together. The story is terrible, and the villains are terrible. I guess most of the comic book movies have sucked these days. Gay superman sucked, Spiderman was decent, Hulk was sad, XMen was pretty decent. What the hell is this 10 lines of text requirement all about. The movie sucks.. I don't need 10 lines to say that, or pass along my opinion to other would-be viewers. Ghostrider is worth a download on P2P, but it's not worth even 5.99 in the bargain bin, which is where it will end up. For those who liked it I really have to question what gets you going. The comics are cool, but this movie is lame. Thumbs Down 4/10.
Waste of what could have been good
posted on 26 Aug 2009Being from Melbourne, I was interested in seeing what parts of Melbourne were in the film. I recognised afew which was cool. Also saw some local actors and one guy who always plays a funny kind of guy in commercials produced locally.That was where my interest remained unfortunately. Even Nicholas Cage could not save this movie. The story line was really lacking. The puns and one-liners were nor really that funny and in most instances extremely cheesy.This could have been really good. Apart from the CG being a little lacking in parts, a good storyline would have held it together. Parts of the movie that really could have had you hanging onto your seat were really ordinary and abrupt. Some parts were extremely presumptuous and left me wondering why this or that was happening with no given explanation provided.Definitely wait for the DVD to get to your local video store. I wish I did.
Hell's baddies are no match for...anyone?
posted on 26 Aug 2009The stated aim of Nic Cage and Mark Steven Johnson was to make a funny horror film, in the same vein as An American Werewolf in London. As a massive comics fanboy who is often blinded by that I still have to say – they didn't quite make it. However, Ghost Rider is still an enjoyable film, and certainly represents an improvement over Daredevil, Johnson's last Marvel outing. Cage is the star attraction, and his turn as Johnny Blaze strikes the right notes of comedy and confused sincerity, whilst Eva Mendes and Sam Elliott both give able support (and special mention to Mendes' breasts which virtually deserve a mention of their own on the cast list!) and, crucially, the look of the Rider has been nailed – an interesting mix of Blaze and Ketch, for those who know what that means. The big problem here is when they bring on the bad guys – all of whom are just a bit feeble, and are disposed of by GR with less fuss than swatting a fly. This lack of menace undermines the whole movie, as you never get a knock-down, drag-out scrap that you need to root for Ghostie in. Which is a shame, as with a tougher villain, this could have been a top film and, as it stands, it is just an enjoyable movie.
A Solid Movie
posted on 24 Aug 2009As I realize Ghost Rider is based on comic books and I have no detailed familiarity with the comic book I cannot judge the movie according to the comic book details. I can tell you this movie meets the expectations of the Marvel comics and provides entertainment under those aspects. While it may not have been the blockbuster we saw with Spiderman, that may only lie in the fact that Spiderman was more well known. The special effects are very good.Realize you are being introduced to a character with this movie. It is not like seeing the first Batman where most people were very familiar with the expected storyline. Ghost Rider starts from the beginning giving the character purpose. You will not need a future movie to build the character's beginnings. Even if the numbers do not exceed expectations I fully expect a sequel from this feature.Some people may have expected more dramatization or more side stories. I think you will see that in future sequels. Sony and Marvel have installed a foundation and now we see if they build on it.The movie is fairly decent for all ages except the extremely young who may have a slight problem reconciling some of the ghostly images. It does touch to the edge of fright without delving into a straight out horror flick, which is not its goal.Go see it. It is worth the initial viewing and fans will probably buy the DVD.
Comicbook Actioneer is an Easy Ride
posted on 24 Aug 2009The problem with comicbook films is that once the filmmakers decide to distance themselves from the source material, a necessary step that all films face upon adaptation, the core audience immediately goes on the defense. Pleasing said fans is always a difficult task. GHOST RIDER, then, succeeds on the level that it is a fun, comicbook adapted film. However, placed against some its more successful contemporaries, the campy nature of GHOST RIDER is its chief detractor.The Marvel Comics anti-hero Ghost Rider got his start in Marvel Spotlight #5 in 1972 and the film's origin resembles the comicbook tale close enough: motorcyclist Johnny Blaze makes a deal with the devil transforming him, at times, to be an fiery instrument of vengeance. Marvel then revamped and updated the character in 1990 completing the skull-like visage with a flaming chain and spikes. Writer/director Mark Steven Johnson takes elements from the classic story and incorporates it with the stylizations of the more modern version in an attempt to please both worlds.Opening with an origin that unfortunately lasts the entire first – and lengthy – act, the film finally roars into action as the damned Blaze (Nic Cage) fights against the devil's son, Blackheart (AMERICAN BEAUTY's Wes Bentley) and his demonic horde. Bentley pulls off the rogue with a smile but at times he and his cronies' post-MATRIX get-up have all the posturing of an upstart emo band. Even Cage and Sam Elliott, playing his mentor, camp it up at times playing mere parodies of themselves. Topping off the cast is the ultimate Easy Rider, Peter Fonda, playing a laughably-scary devil with a grin-and-a-wink that seems to channel Jack Nicholson.Once the action begins, the film pits the flaming Ghost Rider up against elemental demons and, predictably, the police. And like all cliché Westerns or their rock-n-roll, comicbook counterparts, there seems to be nothing his American Chopper-possessed bike cannot do, which even comes to his side when whistled like a loyal steed.What the film desperately lacks is any sense of a real and natural environment. Story aside, what made the SPIDER-MAN and X-MEN films successful is the fact that these unreal events were happening the world right outside the window. Here, the humor – both intended and ridiculous – prevents that barrier from ever entirely withdrawing. Another impediment is the film's rating. Taking a similar path to the BLADE films and first CROW, Marvel should have pushed for a R rating to truly give the devil his due. More dark horror and less toothy one-liners would have made an electrifying film, something that video game-looking ghosts and goblins cannot properly achieve.At best, Ghost Rider is a b-grade superhero; his film falls into the same classification. But true fans should already be aware of this. After all, boyhood fantasies of a flaming skull warrior on a tricked out bike can only go so far. This film meets you half the way.
The Good & Bad Of 'Ghost Rider'
posted on 24 Aug 2009It wasn't that easy to figure out exactly what was going on until Sam Elliot's character explained things 60 percent of the way into the film, but it sure was a fun ride watching it, at any rate. Watching this, I wondered several times how or why a veteran actor like Nicholas Cage (or Elliott) can play these goofy roles. I can't imagine actually immersing oneself in roles like this for several months. No wonder most actors are whacked. Anyway, I like Cage and he's fun to watch, whatever crazy role he plays. He was good in here, and they gave him some excellent lines to deliver.This movie had a comic-book style for much of it, but then seemed to go more with a horror story, becoming too dark, in my opinion. Then again, my comic book experience goes way back and today's comics apparently are mostly-dark stories. If Marvel Comics have become that dark well, I am sorry that kids can't enjoy some lighter material and still enjoy real "super heroes." However, the end of the film espoused some good values, I'll give it that.Speaking the ending, that was my major complaint. It went on too long. This film, with the fun special-effects that were really "hot," pun intended, would have been far better had it been cut down 20 to 30 minutes. Two hours was too long, as it turned out. The other complaint would be the acting of Peter Fonda. He had a great role as the Devil but botched it up with one of the most wooden deliveries I've ever heard on film. After all these years, you'd think a little of his father's acting talent would have rubbed off....but not so.Overall, this turns out to be what a lot of other people thought: better than anticipated in some areas, and worse in others and making the movie as a whole just "fair."
Would love to see a sequel
posted on 22 Aug 2009I kinda have to agree with some of the negativity of some of the comments, with regard to the anomalies of the script. However, I think the basic story was interesting, and the FX were great, especially the ghost rider. Now that he story has been told to explain where the ghost rider came from, I would like to see a sequel with a whole lot more action in it. One might compare it to the original Alien movie versus the Aliens movie(#2), in that the second version got right into the action and never let up. Ghost rider two could be a top notch action flick. You would not even need Eva Mendes to come back for the sequel, but the eye candy she provides would be welcome as far as this viewer is concerned!
Absolute worst film that I have ever seen.
posted on 22 Aug 2009This 'film', by far is the worst movie I have EVER seen. The acting is disgusting, the script is like something spewed out of the mind of any ten year old who has ever seen 'Power Rangers', and the constant cliché's are irrefutably the bullets that shot this film into the toilet. Thankfully, I didn't pay when I saw this in theaters, because if I had I would most definitely demanded it back. After I saw 'The Wicker Man' I didn't think that Nicholas Cage's performances could get any worse, but this movie proved me wrong. This is by far the most cliché' and generic movie I have ever suffered through. Do not watch this movie, you might just be tempted to gouge your eyes out with a rusty spoon.
A must see for comic fans
posted on 18 Aug 2009I stated in my comment for last summer's X-Men: The Last Stand (a movie I loved the first and second viewings, and found many flaws with the third time around) that with 'Stand' and the preview for Ghost Rider that "This could be the beginning of a long line of great Marvel pictures." It seems that I was one of the only fans that thought so as the anticipation for Ghost Rider was lukewarm at best. Critics and moviegoers took notice of the delay from its summer release date and lambasted the unfinished special effects as well as the story. Still, I always maintained that the picture would be nothing short of great. It met my expectations. Taking cues from the underrated and brilliant John Landis, Ghost Rider mixes comedy and elements of horror perfectly, combined with over-the-top action and an occasionally unusual sound track to form a truly different and highly entertaining motion picture. Simply put, it's the best John Landis-esquire film not to be directed by Landis himself. Writer/director Mark Steven Johnson, almost always reliable in the story department (with the exception of 1998's Jack Frost), provides the audience with the right amount of character development, back-story, and exposition to keep the two hour running time from getting bloated. Directing with attention to detail, Johnson has managed to make a comic book flick seem like an art form as opposed to just a blockbuster extravaganza. However, credit must also be given to the amazing cast Johnson has put together. Nicolas Cage IS Johnny Blaze. There could have been no substitute. Eva Mendes as love interest Roxanne Simpson, is actually a character as opposed to just eye candy (although there is some of that). Wes Bentley makes for a fantastic villain. Last but not least, is Donal Logue, an actor who despite almost twenty years in the business, has yet to become the gigantic star he deserves to be. As a fan of the comics, I was not disappointed. My only nit-pick is there were times when it was painfully obvious the filmmakers were forced to stay within the limits of the PG-13 rating (I don't remember a drop of blood in the whole picture). Rest assured, this is nowhere near being the cinematic atrocities of Fantastic Four and Hulk, which are two of the worst movies I have ever seen. This is a must see for comic fans. 9/10
Ghost Rider lacks fire...
posted on 18 Aug 2009From "The Lumberjack" by Gary Sundt (aka ME)How many times have you gone to see a movie and you just really wanted it to be good? In fact, you so badly wanted it to be good, that you actually thought the movie was better than the crap that it actually is. Well, sometimes a movie is what it is, and you can't deny it was just a bad movie. Welcome, my friends, to the Ghost Rider experience.Now the story goes that when motorcycle stunt rider Johnny Blaze was a young carnie motorcycle stunt rider, he sold his soul to Mephistopheles in exchange for his cancer-ridden father's health. When Mr. Blaze gets his health back, good old 'Stopheles causes the old rider to have a fatal accident on his bike. So now Johnny has to work for "the devil" forever, which means he better cut all his ties, which includes his girlfriend, young Roxanne (who looks so much like Eva Mendes, she could impersonate her in a porno). Cut to modern times. Nicolas Cage is Johnny Blaze, and he has used his deal with the devil to become famous for doing insane stunts that should rightfully kill him. We spend a bit too much time seeing Blaze without his super powers, so let's just skip it all and say that he and Roxanne (Eva Mendes) meet up again and they want to get things started.However, their timing couldn't be more off. Mephistopheles' son, a demon called Blackheart, is coming in with his evil gang to do some evil stuff, and this is not Devil-Certified Evil, so he wants Blackheart stopped. He taps Blaze and gives him the powers of the Ghost Rider, which means he is bullet-proof, has the ability to stare, and his head catches on fire. On his fiery motorcycle, he goes off to fight Blackheart and his cronies in what usually ends up being one very underwhelming fight after another.Mark Steven Johnson, the guy who gave us the not-so-good Daredevil, and the outstanding Daredevil Director's Cut, is at the helm of Ghost Rider, and from the very beginning you can't help but feel that he really wanted to give us a comic book. On one side, we have a fun look, one that never seems real, but more comic book-like, which I appreciated. On the other hand, the film, with its cheesy dialogue and strange story-telling, never feels like a movie. Also, I don't really understand why Johnny Blaze turns into Ghost Rider, and suddenly he can only turn out horrible lines and laugh really hard.Honestly though, the real problem with Ghost Rider (besides its horrible dialogue and story that doesn't translate well to film) is the fact that the audience never feels any dread. When you watch Spider-Man fight Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2, you have the feeling of "Oh crap! Spidey is f*%#ed!" In Ghost Rider, we never feel that. You never get so consumed in the story that you wonder if he is going to make it. When you watch Ghost Rider, you always know how it is going to end: Evil will be punished, the girl is not going to die, and Ghost Rider is going to ride off into the sunset (and in this movie, he actually does).
el vis
posted on 16 Aug 2009came in on this flick 40 minutes into it. thought i was hearing el vis from some of his fifties,and after he got out of the army flicks,cage seemed to be in a acting class when he was.....doing the scenes,reciting/reading his lines.don't really watch this genre type flick.overall a pretty....movie.the special effects were neat!!! the theme was tame and lame. the comic books do it so much better ,somehow the care rick tors don't age like some ac thors.this,back in the old daze, would have been made as a filler flick to gauge respones from the unwashed ,to see if it could be made into a 'a'movie,bigger stars, budget,director,a sensational motion picture event,first time on film, only motion picture event that you will remember forver!!! breath-taking, you get the drift. something i noticed.
Entertaining, but could've been way better if someone else directed it
posted on 14 Aug 2009Overall, this movie was entertaining, but one of those only worth seeing once. The casting and the plot were good, and the special effects for the Riders themselves were excellent. I'd say the biggest problem was in the directing and especially the editing. Like everyone, I was skeptical after hearing Nicolas Cage would be in the title role, but when you stop and analyze the character of Ghost Rider--a flaming skull, which cannot have many facial expressions--it becomes more acceptable. Nick Cage doesn't really have any expression in his long face, plus he's tall and built, and does have a somewhat ghostly voice. So I figured maybe it wasn't a bad decision after all. But after seeing his performance, truth to tell, his character Johnny Blaze is not much more than a nuisance and a bit of a prick. I love Eva Mendes and was looking forward to seeing her in a Marvel Comics movie as the love interest, but her character Roxanne is depicted so two-dimensionally that you almost feel sorry for her, both the character as well as the actress. Peter Fonda's presence would've been intriguing if it weren't for his bad acting, and on top of the bad directing, it made him almost insignificant. The best-depicted character is Sam Elliot's. He is well-acted and depicted OK compared to the rest, though still not 100% great. What made this movie cheesy was that the comic relief is what predominates most, making this movie almost into a comedy. Even the serious parts are easy to laugh at, I'm afraid. I would've thought that after the flop of "Daredevil", the studio would've known better than to select an amateur like Mark Steven Johnson for what could've been a masterpiece. The problem lies in that all the characters were depicted in a way that was much too comedic. The best scene in this film is the one where the two Riders are riding across the desert side by side, Cage on his motorcycle and Elliot on his fiery horse. I'd still recommend making a remake/indirect sequel, as they are doing with the Hulk.
good campy film
posted on 14 Aug 2009Nobody will be saying that "Ghost Rider" is the best cinematic achievement of 2007 in future years. But I will personally say it was one of the more enjoyable films to see at a drive-in, and it does hold up pretty well with a few drinks and a DVD as well. Cage is in full-on Elvis mode in this film; he even resurrects the famous finger point from "Wild at Heart" for this film. It's great to see Cage in a fun movie again, and he seems to be having fun in it – his performance as stunt-rider Johnny Blaze, who made a crooked deal with the devil to save his father from cancer and is now forced to become the devil's bounty-hunter, has just the right amount of dignity and humor. The way the film is set up basically makes it a "white trash" superhero movie. Cage is paired with Eva Mendez, who plays his high-school sweetheart who he had to leave because of his deal with Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda). Yes, the devil truly is a main character in this film, and his son (Wes Bentley) gets in on the action too; after his escape Blaze is sent to hunt him down and bring him to the devil's own justice.The Rider's coolest trick is when he looks into the eyes of a criminal and cause the evildoer to feel all the pain of his victims. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the fact that his head turns into a burning skull. He's also got a really cool bike, I guess. I don't really know because I'm not a big car/bike person. But what I did enjoy was the carnival setting for the early scenes and the way that theme carried over to the modern sequences – Johnny Blaze is definitely a show-off, but in a fun way. I liked the silly scene where he stops traffic to declare his love for Mendez' character.I guess what really sells the film for me is Fonda as the devil and Sam Elliott as his nemesis representing the forces of good. This is smart B-movie-making, giving the audience 2 polar opposite authority figures and casting them with dynamic iconic actors who can hold the kind of weight on screen that such a role demands. This is reminiscent of George Lucas' casting for Star Wars, with iconic actors Peter Cushing and Alec Guinness holding down these types of authority roles in his film, and a lot of films followed this lead with varying degrees of success. Here it is particularly pleasing because of the iconic associations between Fonda and the "bad boy" biker scene of the 1960s through his association with "Easy Rider" and Elliott's association with Western films which is another element of this film's fantasy. The secondary villains played by Bentley and others were far less effective and made me feel a bit like I was watching some kind of television fantasy like "Charmed." The scene where they went into a honky-tonk reminded me very much of "Terminator 2" except for the fact that Bentley doesn't have the kind of screen presence to make the scene memorable. This is the only aspect of the film that just didn't work for me.Since I have some space I will respond to some of the comments on this board -- it seems like some people are trying to analyze it far too much and make sense of things that in my opinion are just humorous and silly and therefore enjoyable. One person even complained that it wasn't a superior film in the mold of "Pan's Labrynth." It is pretty amazing to think that this movie cost over $100 million, and this type of extreme action/fantasy story would have been done on a much lower budget and received much less scrutiny in the pre-Star Wars age. So many "blockbusters" take themselves too seriously. I saw this the same night at the same drive-in where I saw "Spider-Man 3" and this film was very fresh, fun, and suitably light compared to that film. It takes itself just seriously enough that kids will enjoy the action and scares while adults will easily see the intentional humor. I can understand if someone didn't like the movie because it's not the type of thing that everyone enjoys and, as I said, in another age these kind of movies didn't get the kind of criticism they get now because they didn't have the same stars as "serious" movies and they didn't have the huge budget and exposure that they do now. Nobody slammed "Planet of the Vampires" because they saw the star of the movie in some kind of serious drama one time and felt that he was "slumming." But we don't have "B movie stars" anymore, and I respect an actor like Cage who obviously knows his craft and applies his skills in a way that's appropriate to the subject matter and style of any film he's involved in. I'm fine with movies about dudes with names like "Spider-Man" and "Bat-Man" that want to make some kind of point about the fleeting nature of fame, personal responsibility, right and wrong, etc. Whatever. But it's pretty ridiculous that so many people nowadays actually EXPECT a fantasy movie to be some kind of treatise on morality or some kind of dramatic character story. Maybe it's because movies like "LOTR" actually pulled it off, but I don't go into every fantasy movie expecting an epic discourse on the nature of good and evil. This is just a film about a biker dude with a flaming skull and a magic bike. If you go into this film just expecting a campy thrill-ride I don't think you'll be disappointed. It's a feast for the eyes and it has a charming way of approaching the more ridiculous aspects of the story.
Utter Crap.
posted on 14 Aug 2009Oh man where to begin. How could they screw up a movie with a premise like this. I've not read any of the comics so don't know how faithful this movie is to the comics but I might seek them out since I like the idea behind the characters and the mythology itself....The acting and the dialogue was awful even with actors like Cage and Peter Fonda delivering them, and the set up was rushed, like most of the rest of the movie. The FX ranged from OK to GOOD with the first transformation scene of Blaze to Ghost Rider being pretty well done but every change from there on in is in cheap and nasty morphovision and the morphing motorcycle looked stupid even if the flaming bike itself looked cool. The bad guys were non-entities and although they were supposed to be really powerful etc they don't do anything threatening through most of the movie and Ghost Rider eventually offs them with ridiculous ease, even the main dude at the end.Honestly this movie has so many clichés you'll be bored less than half way in and after waiting about 30 minutes for Ghost Rider to appear you just want him to get off the screen straight away since apart from looking cool he comes across as a complete dork and his dialogue consists of really bad corny one liners. Every time he comes on screen you just hope to hell he doesn't say anything and when he does you'll be so embarrassed for the poor bloke...I guess Batman Begins and Superman Returns have spoilt us as far as comic book flicks being given the serious treatment go but even if those films weren't around then this movie would still be somewhat lacking..Lastly although I hesitate to say this there were a few scenes that reminded me of the name Uwe Boll, yes parts of it are that bad....After seeing the trailers (which wisely consisted of mostly FX shots)I really wanted to like this but those B*st*rds at Hollywood shafted us again....Go get the comics instead.....
Flashes of smartness bogged down by poor villains.
posted on 12 Aug 2009Delayed by almost a year and coming from the director of Daredevil, Ghost Rider was given the death knell by many before even having seen it. Into the equation is that it stars Nicolas Cage, a man whose star has dimmed so badly it's as if Leaving Las Vegas had never been made, Ghost Rider it seems......... had to stink ???.Stunt motor cycle rider Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Mesphistopheles in exchange for his Fathers good health. Some time later the demon Blackheart comes to Earth wreaking havoc and Blaze is summoned by Mephistopheles to stop him, only Blaze is transformed into the Ghost Rider, a bike riding, chain slinging spirit of vengeance.Ghost Rider is a fun film that sadly is not without flaws, but its comic touches however should not be understated, and i honestly feel that if people go into it with the expectation of a light and breezy comic book picture, then there is fun to be had. The character of Blaze/Ghost Rider is wonderful in the extreme, Blaze doesn't drink alcohol, he instead drinks jellybeans out of a glass. He listens to The Carpenters and gets much amusement from watching chimps doing karate, this is a man who on his motorbike leaps the length of a football field over rotor whirling helicopters!. Then Blaze becomes Ghost Rider, a maniacal mass of flame and one liners, an odd character when one thinks he works for the devil yet makes his mantra one of striking down evildoers!!, and it's with that cheeky daftness that one needs to view this movie.Nicolas Cage actively sought out the role of Blaze due to is immense love of the source, and there is no denying that he puts guts and kudos into the portrayal. He perfectly camps the comic book nature of Blaze, whilst revelling in the devil may care side of the Ghost Rider persona. However Cage is the only one who can come out of the picture with any credit, Female love interest falls in the hands of Eva Mendes, perhaps her Roxanne Simpson character is a little underwritten, but her screen presence is more annoying than memorable. Peter Fonda is very poor as Mephistopheles, about as scary as someone making Easy Rider 2, yet compared to Wes Bentley, Fonda looks like Oscar gold. Bentley is Blackheart, and he struggles with delivery and any sort of nasty aura in which to breath life into a potential bad guy to savour, and as for his cohort minions?, the less said the better i think.It's a shame the villains are so poor because there is a lot of care and attention here from Cage and director Mark Steven Johnson, both men whom are in love with the source material. Ghost Rider is fun in that once only type of experience, but you may want to repeatedly punch the casting director in the face come the end of the picture, 6/10.
A thrilling thrill ride that's...thrilling.
posted on 10 Aug 2009I saw this movie at a special sneak peek at our movie theater yesterday and I could not believe it! 'Ghost Rider' is the best action/thriller movie of the year so far.Nicholas Cage's performance is absolutely incredible. His performance (and the movie) is stunning. The special effects are awesome. And the motorcycle scenes (especially when it's riding on the skyscraper, as seen in a trailer for 'Ghost Rider') would be great in IMAX. I can't believe they aren't releasing it in IMAX. It would look so cool! I think this movie will be a great hit when it comes out in theaters. I'm hoping the box office for 'Ghost Rider' will be at least $150,000,000.Like I said, the special effects are awesome. The way the creators made Ghost Rider is so cool. I love the design for the Ghost Rider character.And the climatic fight between Ghost Rider and Blackheart is absolutely stunning. The sequence kept my heart racing and my pulse throbbing. 99 out of 100 people will not be disappointed with that sequence between the two characters.The movie is a furiously quick movie that seems to go by in a half-hour, although the movie is 114 minutes (1 hour and 54 minutes).When I walked into the special sneak peek at our theater, honestly, I wasn't expecting much. I was just expecting a clichéd comic book thriller that would be a cheap, cheesy, B movie that would last in theaters for at least two months, but I was wrong. This is not a clichéd comic book thriller, and it's not a cheap, cheesy, B movie. It will last at least four months in the theaters...I hope so, anyway.All in all, an awesome movie with cool special effects and awesome performances.This is a must-see! Official MPAA rating: PG-13: Horror Violence and Disturbing Images My MPAA rating: PG-13: Horror Violence, Disturbing Images, and Some Language My Canadian rating: 14A: Violence, Frightening Scenes
The Most I've Laughed In Ages
posted on 10 Aug 2009... which is bad when the movie you are watching isn't a comedy. The script is cheesy, the acting is hammed up at best - when it is not just God awful, and the action sequences were not even exciting. The plot sucked as well. Skip unless you enjoy movies that are so bad they make you laugh. Which it DOES deliver.The ending makes you cringe and want to lash out at the screen. Nicholas Cage's head is CGI-ed onto a younger man's body at one point to give him six pack abs.The villain is not even scary nor does he present a real fight or dilemma. I also could not figure out why "Johnny Blaze" had an accent while his girlfriend did not even though she was from the same area as him.The movie was one big action genre cliché, gone bad. Skip the $10 and wait until it debuts on TV sometime.
READ ME! It could save your soul by mike
posted on 10 Aug 2009Do not watch this movie it is a hazard to your health. A extremely boring movie that is easily out done by Buffy or angle (yes even Angle). ghost rider's best power is the pinnate stare witch burns the Souls of the wicked...... demons having no souls are immune. So give The bad guy a should and burn it the end........... no wait there is a Sequel. This movie centers on graphics has next to no story line, and I don't care how cool it looks after a hour its very boring. Jack Nicolson has been making worse and worse movies ever scene wicker man came out this is yet another example of a overpaid actor doing the exact same look he did in the last movie. His famous tilt of the head when angry goes right before he turns into the ghost ridermike potter
Better Than Critics Think
posted on 30 Aug 2009Okay, this movie has taken a lot of heat (ohhhh) but in fact, it's good at what it is. You can't criticize a Snickers Bar for not being Creme Brulee. This is not High Art. It's a movie based on a comic book, and it does a great job of bringing that comic book to life, and of keeping the comic book nature of the story intact. This isn't a bad thing-- it is what it is. It's not a chick flick, it's not clever and witty, it's not deep and mysterious. It's a comic book brought to life on the big screen with nice fx and a decent score and appropriate acting. It's fun. It's a hoot. The bad guys are bad, the good guys are good-- and the end isn't a cop out which is nice. If you are not the audience for which this movie is intended, you will not like this film. If you are, you won't be disappointed. Is it as strong a movie as Spiderman? No. But the story isn't as strong either. It is, however, a good yarn, something my kids liked-- something I liked, and I'm not even a comic book guy.