Ghost Rider (2007)

Director:

Mark Steven Johnson

Writers (WGA):

Mark Steven Johnson (screenplay)
Mark Steven Johnson (screen story)

Release Date:

16 February 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Long ago he made a deal to save someone he loved.

Plot:

Based on the Marvel character, stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze gives up his soul to become a hellblazing vigilante, to fight against power hungry Blackheart, the son of the devil himself.

Plot Keywords:

Mephistopheles | Blackheart | Devil | Motorcycle Accident | Biker

Awards:

5 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Dec. 6	5:30 PM	FX
Mon. Dec. 7	2:30 PM	FX

Cast

Matt Long	...	Young Johnny Blaze
Raquel Alessi	...	Young Roxanne Simpson
Brett Cullen	...	Barton Blaze
Peter Fonda	...	Mephistopheles
Nicolas Cage	...	Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider
Donal Logue	...	Mack
Tony Ghosthawk	...	Team Blaze
Hugh Sexton	...	Team Blaze
Marcus Jones	...	Team Blaze
Matt Norman	...	Team Blaze
Kenneth Ransom	...	T.V. Reporter
Lawrence Cameron Steele	...	X Games Announcer (as Cameron Steele)
Wes Bentley	...	Blackheart
Eddie Baroo	...	Motorcycle Gang Member
Jessica Napier	...	Broken Spoke Waitress

Also Known As:

Spirited Racer (Philippines: English title) (review title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for horror violence and disturbing images.

Runtime:

114 min | 123 min (extended cut)

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Cinevex)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | UK:12A | Ireland:12A | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Hong Kong:IIA | Norway:11 | Germany:12 (f) | Brazil:14 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Argentina:13 | Italy:VM14 | Malaysia:U | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (UMD rating) | Ireland:12 (UMD rating) | Ireland:15 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (DVD rating) | Peru:14 | Japan:U | New Zealand:M | Iceland:12 | Iceland:16 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Some scenes were filmed near Flinders St Station, the busiest railway station in Melbourne. Parts of the station were closed for filming, as well as minor alterations to train services being made.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Johnny's helmet visor smashes during the stunt in the beginning of the movie the sound effects make it sound like the visor is made of glass. Helmet visors are made of plastic.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Caretaker: [voiceover] It's said that the West was built on legends. Tall tales that help us make sense of things too great or too terrifying to believe. This is the legend of the Ghost Rider.

Movie Connections:

References The Wicker Man (2006)

Soundtrack:

Satan's Penis

Burned Out

Superficially, this is yet another mildly interesting Marvel comic turned into an excruciating movie. When will these guys learn? When we stop buying tickets I suppose.

The comic is mildly interesting for the way it targets a certain demographic. As a matter of mere accident, the devil, skulls and motorcycles have become associated with each other. Separately, power and flames. These by themselves, just the symbols alone, are enough to define a life for some people, so strong is the semiotic power they have accumulated. In a sense, this meme is the demon.

The interesting thing about this is how that meme is coming home to cinema.

The modern motorcycle gang was an invention of the movies, pure and simple. The history of the Hells Angels, name, style, leather jackets, even the type of bike (war surplus), is all from movies. (A similar thing had happened earlier with American gangsters emulating their film types.)

Then that meme was colored by Peter Fonda's "Easy Rider," which overlaid an excuse, even a noble one, beyond a simply justified one, on the "motorcycle culture."

From that movie manger, this sprung forth into tattooland and eventually into Marvel's marketing department. And now it comes back, Peter Fonda, his Captain America bike and all. The interesting thing is that it is all symbols and no narrative.

That's the danger with comics in the first place that the temptation is to go with icons. The tradition is from stained glass and the role it played when people couldn't be bothered by words. Icons first, generating stories, rather than the way it usually is in film: the two coweaving each other.

So we shouldn't be amazed that this taxi with one wheel goes only in circles. Its dumb, as dumb as the symbols it uses close themselves into.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.