JLCM Crappy DVD of the Day: Ghost Rider

[joerules]

I'm at the part in the commentary where director Marc Steven Johnson is defending the bad reviews vs. the big box office. It's awkward to say the least, but he seems to have a good perspective in that the movie is meant to entertain, not change the world. "I don't see Helen Mirain's name in the credits. This is a movie about a guys head lighting on fire!"

I guess so.

I like Johnson though. Even though he's struggled in really translating it, there's no doubt that the guy is passionate about comics and making movies. He knows way more about Ghost Rider than I ever will, and I think it shows on screen. He's having a lot of fun with the character. Perhaps too much for some of the die-hard GR fans, but I'm definitely enjoying the resetting of the jaw and middle finger stuff, even on my 4th and 5th time through.

The commentary also features the head of the visual effects department. the two have been talking at length about the vast number of visual effects in the movie. A lot of people think it's mainly the animation of the title character, but the two are quick to point out all the other complex shots. It's nice. I'm noticing things I never would have normally.

There was a quick mention of the hatred felt online for the Goth girl. Johnson's talks about movements to try and get her removed from the movie even before the movie came out. She was featured pretty heavily in the previews and, if anything, it should have been an indication of how disconnected the movie would be from its audience. As much as Johnson loves comics... he may not truly be one of us.

The movie itself, having seen it a few times now is far from perfect. that's not exactly news to anyone, but I'm genuinely glad that it did find its way to my DVD collection because it's still a lot of fun. I like that it looks awesome and that it doesn't take itself SO seriously. It's no classic but I'm happy to take from it what it's giving me.

The comic and full review from March 1st, 2007

[matt!]

"you can't catch the wind!" ok i will just burn it.

i saw ghost rider twice in the theater, so i'd say i gave it a fair chance, but my low opinion of it goes beyond my spite for the director.

my contention is similar to how i felt about the first FF movie...

for a film that is only meant to be fun, as is admitted by the director, nothing very exciting happens.

where is the fun? GR's big superpower moment is when he looks at a criminal so hard that he gives up. sorry, but that's boring, even when you do engulf the frame in CG flames.

maybe it's me, but what i want to see in a superhero movie is folks with superpowers fighting each other. i don't care how fast a motorbike goes or how many windows smash out along the way, i want some good vs. evil pummeling.

highlights for me include when ghost rider it smashed by the bus (after which the "fight" goes back to being uninteresting) and when sam elliot becomes the ghost rider (which is undetmined when he fails to do anything with his powers.)

[opie301]

Joe, you may find joy in this movie, but I still can't bring myself to sit down with it again. As Matt pointed out, nothing ever happens. It's one long reaction shot to something that happens at the beginning of the movie.

Maybe, some day, I'll sit down with this bad boy again and find something redeeming. For now, my hat off to you and your enjoyment.

[joerules]

I think you'd be surprised at some of the momments that pop up. Yes, the pointing stands out like a sore thumb but there's some tight little action hidden in this movie. The real shame is that you have to watch it 4 times to see it.

[Tom Brazelton]

I know it's been over a year, but I still haven't seen this movie yet.

That said, I would still buy the DVD outright because I'm a big fan of the character.

But then, it's the negative reactions that keep moving it to the bottom of my "buy" pile.

[opie301]

I think you'd be surprised at some of the momments that pop up.

I completely acknowledge that there are some great moments in the film. From an action standpoint and from a Special Effects standpoint. But as a film, as a whole, it fails.

I'm sure I've said it before, but I am all about character, plot, and dialogue. In this movie the characters were all boring, the dialogue is painful to listen to, and the plot had less depth than an 80s arcade game.

There is some good stuff in there, but I'm not interested in beating myself up to get at it.

[joerules]

That makes sense.

[HeirToPendragon]

I saw Ghost Rider bootlegged on YouTube

That movie was horrible. I don't know if it was the script or Cage's bad acting but the movie was a waste of 2 hours.

[trevor]

I wasn't entertained when I watched this movie, so the director has therefore failed in my eyes.

However, entertainment is going to be open to interpretation for each viewer, so obviously other people may disagree. I just thought the story and acting were not the greatest, and the 30 second fight scenes got real old real fast.

The movie lacked depth and character, if you ask me.

[The Bodyguard]

I could not stand this movie. It is very rare for me to not like what I watch and i wanted to enjoy this. But this just failed to entertain me.


I even like Daredevil!

[gerbo321]

I liked Daredevil and Ghost Rider. Yeah they could have and should have been different and a lot better, but they weren't bad. Then again my expectations going in were about as low as can be because of the stars of each movie, so I bet that helped.

[cooljammer00]

I remember the Irv the Perv line being added during a Triple Feature.

also, I hear the director of Ghost Rider is also doing the Preacher series. I'm also hearing that this is NOT good.

I just got into Preacher, so we'll see.

[chamber715]

I remember the Irv the Perv line being added during a Pimpcast.

Fixed that for you.

[cooljammer00]

I remember the Irv the Perv line being added during a Pimpcast.

Fixed that for you.

ah yes, thanks Phil.

i know that sounded off somehow. might it have been the same week as shaved asian?

[mlsterben]

the two are quick to point out all the other complex shots. It's nice. I'm noticing things I never would have normally.

Like a pair of torpedoes flying out of the screen? Yowza!

Ghost Rider's potential to be a decent movie left as soon as the main bad guy had a kid-friendly "fly at the screen with a lightning flash and scary face" moment. That whole scene - each minion slowly walking from the desert to the center of their pow-wow circle, the goofy face, the attempted quick scare - was completely lost on me. Ugh.

At least Eva Mendes looked foxy.

Awww yeeeaaahhh.