New Delhi: 'Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance' is a movie that can be thoroughly enjoyed in 3D. Great action sequences – but terribly drab story. Kicking off perhaps a few years after the first movie of he 'Ghost Rider' franchise – this movie tries to score with the effects and only the effects.
Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, from a screenplay written by David S Goyer, Scott Gimple and Seth Hoffman, under the Marvel Knights banner, 'Spirit of Vengeance' stars Nicholas Cage, Violante Placido, Ciaran Hinds, Idris Elba, Johnny Whitworth and Fergus Riordan.
Tired of the crazy avatar of the Ghost Rider , Johnny Blaze (Cage) is hiding in Europe to avoid playing the Devil's bounty hunter. Neither evil nor good, Blaze is caught between eradicating the sinners and his semi-immortal life. The deal Blaze signed with the devil – who goes by the name of Roarke (Ciaran Hinds) – has him turning in to a demon in the presence of evil. And when the audience chance upon Blaze in a dilapidated warehouse searched out by Moreau (Idris Elba) – it is only too clear that Blaze no longer wants to be the Ghost Rider.
Moreau is a priest of sorts who needs Blaze's help to protect a young boy called Danny (Fergus Riordan) from Roarke. Danny is on the run with his mother Nadya (Violante Placido) being chased down by Ray Carrigan (Johnny Whitworth) – Nadya's ex-boyfriend and a mercenary who is working for Roark. Moreau strikes a deal with Blaze – one that he possibly cannot refuse. He promises to take Blaze's curse away if he helps Moreau get Danny to a safe sanctuary of monks.
As Blaze and Moreau struggle to get Danny to the sanctuary of monks headed by Methodius (Christopher Lambert) Carrigan in turned in to Blackout by Roarke – cursed with the power or death and decay – so as the Ghost Rider can be suitably destroyed. Blaze manages to get Danny to Methodius and as per the deal –his Ghost Rider curse is stripped from him. An independent Blaze is then faced with the most difficult choice when Danny is kidnapped by Blackout and Roarke plans to use the boy to gain human form.
A twists aside– which are also rather predictable, 'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance' is rather drab. The action sequences are the only saving grace for the movie. Cage fits effortlessly in to the role of Blaze and Ghost Rider and the delirious eccentricity and the borderline insanity that Blaze/host Rider tethers between is rather entertaining. Though one really wishes that satanic rituals would learn to grow out of black hooded cloaks, and the chanting.
Cage's personal touch to the otherwise brooding figure of the Ghost Rider – makes it seem that the character of Blaze is fighting between being and not being the Ghost Rider. On one hand he enjoys it – on the other hand he keeps telling himself that his fiery avatar is not what he really is. The mental angst of this superhero comes out rather nicely. The one shot where Blaze tries to fight out himself from transforming in to the Ghost Rider and failing while zooming on the freeway with his motorcycle – seems like one extended acid trip on high speed.
The frequent switches between illustrations and normal shots, black and white slow motion to the blazing streak of fire across the screen – done to narrate past incidents of the legend of Blaze's curse – is rather well done.
The movie is worth its mettle in 3D – but be warned – there is nothing stunning or ground breaking – neither the plot nor the actors.
Comments
0 comment