Film Review:Ghost Rider Blazes Into Theaters

Johnny Blaze rides again... this time in theaters. Johnny Blaze, a.k.a. Ghost Rider, has had several stints as the flaming skull demon, and in the original Marvel Comic has died several times, but now his story is revamped and ready for a new generation.

Nicolas Cage stars as Blaze in this version of the story about a motorcyclist who sells his soul to save his father when he was a kid. Years later, the devil Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda), calls on Blaze to be the new Ghost Rider and collect the souls of a gang of demons led by the devil’s son, Blackheart (Wes Bentley). Now Blaze has to not only defeat Blackheart, but win his soul back from Mephistopheles and rid himself of the curse.

This movie was very good. The flaming skull, bike and fire effects were the best in the film but overall the effects weren’t amazing. It’s the story that drives this film. It is very intriguing and scholarly. Even those who are not comics fans will find the religious and literary references such as the villain being Mephistopheles and Doctor Faustus references entertaining.

Doctor Faustus was written in the Elizabethan time by Christopher Marlowe, about a man who makes a deal with a demon, Mephistopheles, for his soul. In that, the trade out is the ultimate experience. This version is more noble. Cage plays it with a great sense of humor and irony. Peter Fonda plays Mephistopheles and Sam Elliot, the Caretaker. Both add a real foundation to this well plotted story.

This is one of the better films to come from comic book to the silver screen. Ghost Rider also stars Eva Mendes as Roxanne Simpson, Blaze’s love interest.

Rated PG-13 for violence and disturbing images, this movie is good for anyone who loves action, motorcycles, and a flaming demonic skeleton wearing black leather. I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars.