The Spirit (2008)

Director:

Frank Miller

Writers (WGA):

Frank Miller (screenplay)
Will Eisner (comic book series)

Release Date:

25 December 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline:

Down these mean streets a man must come. A hero born, murdered, and born again.

Plot:

Rookie cop Denny Colt returns from the beyond as The Spirit, a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces in Central City.

Plot Keywords:

Hero | Domino Mask | Bulletproof Vest | Hit By Truck | Cat

Cast

Jaime King	...	Lorelei Rox
Gabriel Macht	...	The Spirit / Denny Colt
Dan Gerrity	...	Det. Sussman
Arthur the Cat	...	Himself
Kimberly Cox	...	Damsel in Distress
Brian Lucero	...	Thug #1
David Brian Martin	...	Thug #2 (as David B. Martin)
Larry Reinhardt-Meyer	...	Officer MacReady
Frank Miller	...	Liebowitz
Eva Mendes	...	Sand Saref
Eric Balfour	...	Mahmoud
Samuel L. Jackson	...	The Octopus
Louis Lombardi	...	Pathos / Ethos / Logos
Scarlett Johansson	...	Silken Floss
Sarah Paulson	...	Ellen Dolan

Also Known As:

Will Eisner's The Spirit (USA) (poster title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of stylized violence and action, some sexual content and brief nudity.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44585) | Norway:11 | UK:12A (cut) | Ireland:12A | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-13 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | Germany:16 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | South Africa:13V | New Zealand:M | Hong Kong:IIB | Taiwan:PG-12 | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | UK:15 (uncut) | Brazil:14 | Mexico:B | Iceland:12 | Iceland:16 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque Studios - 5650 University Boulevard SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Lionsgate

Trivia:

The character, Morgenstern, the name means "morningstar" in German.

Goofs:

Continuity: When young Denny and Sand run out of the rainstorm into the doorway, Denny's coat is not wet.

Quotes:

The Spirit: This is for Sand!
[hits The Octopus]
The Spirit: This is for me!
[hits The Octopus]
The Spirit: And this is for Muffins!
[roundhouse kicks The Octopus into a pillar with a Nazi Eagle on top]
The Octopus: Is that it?
[Giant marble eagle falls on The Octopus]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Miss March (2009)

Soundtrack:

Deutschland Uber Alles

Disappointing

I was very excited about The Spirit because I am a big fan of Sin City and was looking forward to see Frank Miller in action again. Also, the cast seemed to be a great lineup. However, it doesn't matter how good the actors are if the plot and script are lame, and I am here to tell you -- I don't even think the likes of Anthony Hopkins and Meryl Streep could have saved The Spirit for this reason.

I kept waiting for the story to intrigue me and for the characters to develop. I watched a couple of people walk out of the theater about an hour through... Finally, I checked the time (never a good sign when you're watching a movie), only to discover that the movie was nearly over, and there would be no chance for redemption.

Aesthetically, The Spirit was interesting, but I couldn't help feeling like I'd seen it all before. The cinematography and graphics were pretty much a carbon copy of Sin City. I expected to see similarity (Frank Miller's style is distinct, after all), but not identical visual imagery.

Bottom line, I rarely see movies in the theater because it's expensive! For three people, we spent over $50 in downtown Seattle for this experience, and it was so disappointing. I hate to waste that much money on such a poorly written, boring movie. My recommendation is to skip The Spirit altogether (really, the plot and script are that bad). But if you're really curious, save your money and rent it when it comes out on DVD.