Movie Notes: Ghost Rider

August 11th, 2007

Note: This is an entry in the Second Webomatica Contest: So Bad They’re Good Movies

0 stars
So Bad It’s Good Rating –2 stars

Starring Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendez, Peter Fonda
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson

Seems like most of the films entered in the contest have been horror movies. Still, Ghost Rider is the best out of the So Bad It’s Good movies I’ve seen, but not because it’s awful. It’s actually okay — although I’m glad I didn’t pay good money to see it in the theater. Even as a rental it’s a waste of time.

Based on a Marvel comic book, Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage), a stunt motorcyclist, sells his soul to the Mephistopheles in order to cure his father of cancer. Mephistopheles transforms Blaze into the Ghost Rider and commands him to fight the devil’s son, Blackheart who wants to create a hell on Earth. Along the way, Blaze’s lifetime love Roxanne (Eva Mendez) discovers and must come to terms with the fact that she’s in love with a burning skeleton that rides a motorcycle and fights off denizens of the underworld.

I actually found the first quarter of Ghost Rider fairly entertaining, especially Nicolas Cage as the grown-up Johnny Blaze. The quirky actor displays some unique, neurotic character touches like drinking coffee straight out of the pot and listening to The Carpenters before making a big jump — almost like a dark, confused Elvis just before show time. Also truly strange is when Blaze transforms into Ghost Rider, a leather jacket wearing skeleton with a burning skull head, riding an amped-up motorbike.

Because I’m reviewing this film in a so bad it’s good manner, here are the moments that evoked unintentional chuckles on my part:

• Johnny Blaze, on the ramp of a huge jump, puts his hands out and fireworks explode! I guess this is foreshadowing of his later pyromanica powers. (19:13)
• What the heck does Blaze have in his martini glass — jellybeans? (26:21)
• “You’re stepping on Karen.” Blaze in Elvis shades drinks coffee straight from the pot, while listening to The Carpenters. (32:10)
• Why would Roxanne pull out a Magic 8 Ball while waiting for Blaze to show up for a dinner date? Don’t tell me she carries it around in her purse. (42:13)
• The first transformation of Blaze into Ghost Rider. At this point, I was like — okay… (49:00)
• Old guy asks Blaze to sterilize a needle, and Blaze tries to light it on fire with his hands. (59:28)

After the above, Ghost Rider collapses into action-horror-western-comic book-bad movie nuttiness. Believe me, you already know how it all plays out. Just add in all the expected horror flick conventions such as special effects, creepy monsters, helpless police, and lazy plot devices. Blaze will get the girl, save the world, and lay the groundwork for a sequel, although in this case I’d be surprised if that happens.

IMDB: Ghost Rider
Wikipedia: Ghost Rider
Rotten Tomatoes: Ghost Rider 28%