Ghost Rider

Yesterday was Family Day, a statutory holiday. Evan suggested we see a matinee. What better way to celebrate your family than by ignoring them completely and going to see Ghost Rider? Okay, there are several (hundred) better ways, but we decided on that.

Evan schooled me in the preview game. I got one, he got four, and I shall now erase it from my memory. I'm pretty sure Act of Valor, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Battleship were involved, but I can't remember much else.

Anyway, the movie opened with four studio logos. I'm always a little wary of that, since it seems a bit like too many cooks in the kitchen. It doesn't really apply, though, since there's only one director. But it does mean that the chances for executive meddling are exponentially greater (or possibly, only geometrically greater. Maybe proportionally greater. I'm not sure).

After the logos, we get some nifty painting-esque images and a narration of how the Ghost Rider came to be. Deal with the Devil, Devil lied (really? Who would've guessed?) and now Johnny Blaze is cursed (with Awesome!)

Whenever he's around evil (particularly at night) he tends to lose control and burst into flame, and the Ghost Rider comes out. He can't control the Rider, who will go after anyone who's done any evil (according to the Bible, that's pretty much all of us. Except for this one guy who seems to be important. He died, though. And got better).

Anyway, there's a child (Danny) kept in a monastery. It's attacked by armed thugs, and the monks fight back (because they've all been combat trained. Which denomination is that, and where do I sign up? Being a Baptist never got me access to firearms. Except once) and it's almost no use. The monks are killed, but Danny escapes with his mother. They're pursued (there it is again) by Moreau, who wants to help them, and by a bunch of bad guys, who want to kidnap Danny. Moreau and the kidnappers take care of each other, leaving the boy and his mother to go free.

Then the title screen comes up, with narration by Nicolas Cage. Normally I don't like narration (usually because it's just redundant), but I don't think I mind when Nic Cage does it. He's just that good. Or quirky.

Moreau is miraculously saved (perhaps literally) and goes off to find Johnny Blaze to track Danny and keep him safe for a few days, after which his church order will free Blaze from his curse. Beelzebub sends his rather well-armed goons after Danny and his mother for some reason or other. We find out later that he'll transfer his power to Danny, erasing Danny's soul and taking over his body, and becoming way more powerful. God may have something to say about that, but God is strangely silent in this movie.

Anyway, wacky hijinks ensue. Well, incredible stunts, giant machines on fire (Ghost Rider can make any machine he's using - cars, motorcycles, construction equipment - light on fire), and unnecessary camera work. It spins a lot more than it needs to. Mind you, it's from the makers of Crank, so it shakes a lot more than it needs to as well. It's all very kinetic.

Anyway, it was better than I'd feared, but not really as good as it's potential. Nic Cage was pretty good. I mean, some people can do crazy (Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys), but only Nic Cage can do CAAARRRRAAAAAAZZZZZZYYYYYY! There's one scene of him on a motorcycle, where you get his parts of his face changing into and out of skull form. It lasts for quite a while, and he's grinning and laughing maniacally the whole time.

The other actor's are fine. Danny wasn't too bad (as some kids would be in that type of role), and Ciaran Hinds is always ... creepy. Especially since they gave his eye an exploded blood vessel.

All in all, a Blu-Ray movie. The acting was good, the special effects were cool (although I don't think there were enough of them), there was more humour than I thought. The music was not great. It didn't add to movie, and I wouldn't want to listen to any of it outside the theatre. But if you can get past that, and the total and utter ridiculousness of the basic premise and plot, it's a decent dose of entertainment.