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.
I know some will discredit this movie because it was done by Daredevil director, Mark Steven Johnson or some of the cheesy scenes, but overall, I really did enjoy this film. So much so, that I daresay it deserves a second viewing in theaters from me. First off, Nicholas Cage was GREAT as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider. At least he seemed to give a sh*t about this character, rather than just "going through the motions" as he seemed to in the remake of The Wicker Man. I've always enjoyed Eva Mendes' work since I first saw her in 2001's Training Day. She doesn't disappoint again as Johnny's love interest and reporter, Roxanne Simpson. Finally, Peter Fonda did a great job himself as Mephistopheles. He didn't shout or show a lot of anger, but the man got his point across and was a presence on screen. If you were debating to see this movie, I would recommend it. It might not be worth the $8.50 for some folks, but definitely worth a matinee showing.
Where did Cage actually himself to "give a shit"? Do I need a microscope to look for this "giving" that he doesn't do?
If anything, it wasn't the Cage of LEAVING LAS VEGAS, where he wasn't the nervous-tick-riden "uhh yeah" Cage that we've known for years. Hell, Cage in GHOST RIDER isn't even the "fun" Cage of FACE/OFF where acting "coasting" is disguised as "fun".
If anything, I want you Irish to tell me what he added to the movie besides the massive paycheck and gross points he demanded.
Maybe the fact that he was so funny in a bad way in WICKER MAN may have saved him from harsher criticism than he deserved with GHOST RIDER.
But honestly, Cage isn't why GHOST RIDER fails. He's a non-factor. I blame Mark Steven Johnson, and while Irish you give him the Pardon Clinton-style, he is the cancer to why GHOST RIDER fails as much as why DAREDEVIL was problematic.
I mean, for a protagonist who's ass is owned by the Devil, there is never any sense of actual regret or pain in having binded yourself to Old Scratch's oath. Like the Bush administration failing to get enough ground troops to occupy Iraq, MSJ's failure in the opening premise for the movie dooms what subsequently happens.
In a way, the premise of GHOST RIDER the iconic comic book character isn't some fucking silly "Bad to the Bone" being played with Blaze having fun. No, GHOST RIDER the premise is like the Black Sabbath version of the Sleepy Hollow or The Devil & Daniel Webster. Its a civilian coming face to face with the supernatural darkness of myth, and being transformed.
Instead, we get a video game of a movie that is made to appeal to the elementary/middle-school demographics. You know, kids.
Maybe what pisses me off so much about GHOST RIDER is that Peter Fonda's superb work is wasted. Hollywood won't give him more work anytime soon. Even the very wrong Irishman can't deny that.
