Ghost Rider

Growing up I loved the Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider comics and so I was very pleased when he got his own movie. Despite being a box office success (and breaking opening weekend records!) it’s not the greatest superhero movie around. That said, it’s still better than the versions of Ghost Rider we see in Agents of SHIELD. The main issue is that the MCU kicked off the following year and blew everything before it away. It’s a pity that Marvel/Disney don’t have any plans for Ghost Rider so, in the meantime, we have this. I like it, cheesiness and hammy acting included.

Ghost Rider is what Sharknado tried to be

Whoever cast Nicolas Cage in this role, you’ve made the wrong decision.

Don't think I've seen Cage in such a poor movie. It's not a bad movie, but it was a poor choice on his part.

Mediocre action flick with a mediocre cast and a mediocre story.

Ghost Rider is a strange little relic from the mid-2000s, trying to be dark, gritty, and edgy, but ultimately landing somewhere between guilty pleasure and forgettable mess. It definitely pulls off the supernatural comic book aesthetic to some degree, and you can feel that it wants to be taken seriously. But the execution falters hard.

The plot is thin and unmemorable, and the acting, especially from Nicolas Cage, is… well, Cage. He delivers a weird, unhinged performance that somehow kind of works, but mostly just adds to the movie’s awkward, surreal tone. The CGI is rough, even for its time, which gives a lot of scenes an uncanny, almost dreamlike feel, bordering on “so bad it’s good.”

Still, there’s a certain flair to it. It has that 2000s comic book charm: flashy motorcycles, flaming skulls, dramatic slow-mo, and a heavy metal vibe. It’s not a good movie by most standards, but it’s got just enough weird energy and stylistic grit to make it watchable. Honestly, it’s kind of overhated. It’s not deep or smart, but it is fun, especially if you approach it with low expectations or a soft spot for offbeat superhero flicks.

Is this movie dumb? Yes, but is it fun? Also yes.

Overall Rating - 5/10

A non MCU marvel movie about a dude that's made a pact with the devil. A contract fulfilled in exchange for saving the one. Boring storyline but an okay CGI. The sequel's CGI went down the drain.

The movie is awful, but what a great story, damn!
They should make a dark remake.

_Ghost Rider_ is another lackluster, yet entertaining, adaptation of a Marvel comic. The Devil comes to call on stuntman Johnny Blaze to be his Ghost Rider and charges him to hunt down a demon named Blackheart who’s attempting to overthrow Hell. Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, and Wes Bentley all give mediocre performances and none of the characters are particularly interesting. Even the Ghost Rider effects are poor; the flaming skull, chains, and motorcycle all look completely fake. Still, the action scenes are pretty fun and exciting (cheesy though they may be). While it has its problems, _Ghost Rider_ delivers some thrills and proves to be one of the more interesting Marvel films.