"Ghost Rider" Movie Review

Ghost Rider

Movie Review

Ghost Rider is an adaptation of the Marvel Comics series by that name. Because it is a comic, the story line is not believable. Anyone who expects to find a believable story line in a comic adaptation probably has difficulty distinguishing between reality and fiction anyway. I mean, what are the chances of someone developing super human powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider?

I found Ghost Rider to be a very entertaining movie. The story line, while not believable, is interesting and kept my interest without difficulty. Johnny Blaze, a daredevil motorcycle stunt man, is chosen by the devil to become the devil’s bounty hunter. The special effects are very well done and if you have always wanted to be a super-charged motorbike rider with a flaming skull and the ability to kick butt, then this movie is for you.

Nicholas Cage gives a good acting performance for the role and I was especially impressed with Peter Fonda’s portrayal of Mephistopheles. The movie also makes very good use of light and shadow throughout the film to provide the backdrop for the darker nature of the super hero.

The plot, as far as comic adaptations go, is somewhat standard but not bad really, all things considered, and the story does discuss some interesting notions of good and evil and of whether “fighting fire with fire” is really saying the ends justify the means, or whether it is a legitimate tactic of good. This movie is worth seeing for the bike stunts alone, but all in all, provides a good way to spend a couple of hours which does not require much brain power but provides enough entertainment to make the viewing experience worthwhile.

I have one last comment about the movie before I start rambling about comic book heroes in general. This movie has done the world a great service. If nothing else, this movie shows that you can be cool, and a Carpenter’s fan at the same time!! For years I have been in the closet, worried that one day the world would discover I like the Carpenters. And now, it’s ok. I can come out. I can let the world know without fear of being branded a sissy. And speaking of The Carpenters, I blame my sister for this. She is four years older than I and when I was little, I was a clone of my sister with respect to music. Whatever she liked, I liked. In fact, I defined coolness by whatever my sister told me was cool. She loved The Carpenters so I did too. Perhaps this movie will lead to a Carpenters renaissance.

Now some thoughts about comic book heroes. I have always been fascinated by the propensity of comic book heroes to be very dark characters. Most comic book heroes operate principally by night, have dark pasts, and spend as much time preserving their secret as they do fighting evil. Comic book characters are good, but they live in a world of shadow, deceiving most people to conceal themselves. They fight violence with violence and are sometimes tempted to evil.

Why is this? Is there some rule somewhere which says comic book heroes have to be dark characters? I do not believe so. Instead, I believe those who create comic book heroes intuitively realize that super powers come from our dark nature. They also realize that power comes at a cost. Comic book movie adaptations allow the hero to find love, as in Spiderman 2 allowing Peter Parker and MJ to get together. But in the originals, comic book heroes lived a lonely misunderstood life. Take Superman for example. Lois Lane never realizes what a good and strong person Clark Kent really is.

Comic book heroes fascinate millions of people because, deep down, I think we all want to be extraordinary. Human beings want to matter. We who live ordinary lives long to do extraordinary things and the typical comic book hero is just that – an ordinary person who for some reason is gifted with super powers and who must become extraordinary. Often, the comic book hero is not given a choice, but he accepts the inevitable. I think all of us want to be the reluctant hero. Comic book heroes are therefore not complete fantasy tales with no bearing whatsoever on reality. They are, in fact, about each and every one of us and this is why they are so popular.

My favorite comic book hero is Thor, but I also like Spiderman and Conan. Now, if only Odin would stop falling asleep all the time. . .