Saw Ghost Rider with Nic Cage this weekend.
I was interested in seeing it because it’s based on a comic book character, Johnny Blaze, who makes a deal with the devil and becomes Satan’s bounty hunter. I’ve never read that comic — never even heard of it until the movie came out, actually. But I like comics, and it looked like cheesy fun if nothing else.
It was cheesy, all right. Basically, a teenage Johnny accidentally gives his soul to Satan (Peter Fonda) to cure his dad’s cancer. Only Satan double-crosses him and offs dad in a fiery motorcycle accident. Of course, when Johnny grows up, he sort of has a death wish and spends his time thinking of new and interesting things to jump over on his motorcycle (trucks! football fields! helicopters!) since he’s a bad-ass stunt driver.
Satan finally gives him some bad guys to track down, which Johnny does with the help of a crusty old codger (Sam Elliot, the go-to guy for this sort of role) while trying to explain his new nighttime job to his old flame (Eva Mendes).
There were some funny lines, and one scene with Eva Mendes chugging wine that was pretty humorous. Nic Cage looked like he was having fun and was entertaining enough.
Overall, a meh movie. It was okay. Not great, but not bad. Pretty predictable all the way around. Save a few bucks and catch it on cable one night.
What about you? What movies have you seen lately? Inquiring minds want to know …
