![]() ![]() However, flawed adaptations shouldn't overshadow the fact that Ghost Rider, especially Johnny Blaze, is one of the most complex and interesting characters in the Marvel universe. As audiences still haven't been given a clear answer as to whether Agents of Shield is canon to the movies, it's still not possible to say that Ghost Rider has been introduced in the MCU. The fact that both Ghost Rider films received negative critical responses might give the impression to non-comic book audiences that the character is simply not as interesting as other Marvel names. ![]() Robbie Reyes was an important part of Agents of Shieldseason 4, which also featured a brief appearance by Johnny Blaze in his Ghost Rider form. Blaze, Moreau, Danny, and his mother, Nadya (Violante Placido) set off to find sanctuary among this order of monks with Roarke and his servant Blackout (Johnny Whitworth) hot on their trail.Although Ghost Rider has been away from the big screen since 2012, one version of the character appeared in Agents of Shield. But he’s drawn back into action by a monk, Moreau (Idris Elba), who asks him to protect the anti-Christ, Danny Ketch (Fergus Riordan), from his father the Devil/Roarke (Ciaran Hinds), who wants to transfer his essence into him. Blaze has traveled the world, trying to keep the Ghost Rider at bay and resisting its pull. In Spirit of Vengeance, eight years have passed since the first film and Johnny Blaze is a little worse for wear - the continuity of the previous film is also mostly thrown out the window. Despite all the pieces being present for a sequel that could’ve surpassed the original (a low bar if there ever was one), this movie TKTKTKTK I wish I could say it won me over, but I can’t get behind Spirit of Vengeance. I’ll admit, I wondered if perhaps I judged this film too harshly, having not seen it since opening night. Columbia Picturesįive years later, Ghost Rider rode back onto movie screens with Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, from Crank directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Much like the case with Daredevil, Johnson knows how to create some striking visuals. Johnson certainly knows how to get a money shot, and it's impossible not to feel a little glee with Ghost Rider picks up and wields a chain for the first time or gets his iconic spike studded leather jacket. When Blaze’s closest friend, Mack (Donal Logue) is murdered, it’s treated with nothing more than a shrug.īut man, does Ghost Rider look cool. ![]() Meanwhile, the human lives are disposable, props to hold CGI effects. It’s simultaneously a film that revolves around punishing evil and affirming the worth of a human life, but the evil is never frightening or honest, unless you consider some demons who can turn into Earth elements and a grunge rocker cast-off to be the truest forms of villainy. It wants to be a horror/comedy superhero film but ultimately never lands on a tone or theme. Mephistopheles tasks him with hunting down and destroying his son, Blackheart (Wes Bentley) who has his sights set on becoming the ruler of hell on Earth by way of a legendary scroll containing a thousand souls. The film follows Johnny Blaze (Cage), who becomes the Devil/Mephistopheles’ (Peter Fonda) bounty hunter after selling his soul to save his father’s life as a young man. Ghost Rider was directed by Mark Steven Johnson, who had already cut his teeth on a Marvel property with Daredevil. Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider (2007). Meanwhile, the sequel, Spirit of Vengeance, landed mere months before The Avengers turned the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a billion-dollar endeavor. The first entry, Ghost Rider, debuted a little more than a year before Iron Man (2008) launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Dark Knight proved superhero movies could be both events and prestige pictures. And Nicolas Cage, bless him, certainly ran with it until there was nothing but the scent of burnt rubber left in his wake.Īs we come upon the 15th anniversary of Ghost Rider and the 10th anniversary of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, I made a point of re-watching these films through the lens of the times in which they were made. There’s a lot of mileage in that simple yet evocative image of a skeleton dressed in motorcycle leathers, his head surrounded by a wreath of flames. Sure, neither Ghost Rider film living up to its potential nor fully embracing the wild mythology at the heart of the comic books, but the flaming skull is cool enough to put some gas in the tank.
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