Review of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011) by Ilhm — 31 Jan 2013

The accursed Ghost Rider is hired by a secret sect of religious monks in the hopes of rescuing a young boy from the devil's grasp in exchange for his soul, a battle that will rage across Eastern Europe as The Rider takes on the forces of Hell atop his fiery motorcycle! CRANK directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylorn attempt to inject the same high-energy aesthetic in to the GHOST RIDER reboot, with disastrous results.

SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE comes off looking like an unscripted mess, almost as if it were shot as an amateur music video for some no-name rock group. Nicolas Cage is as awful as ever. Why even bother rebooting the series only to bring back the single worst element from the original film? SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE takes a darker approach to the material that falls more closely in line with the comics, sacrificing the kid-friendly attitude from before in lieu of the increased action and horror.

Ghost Rider has received a major overhaul as well, his charred skull and blistering costume being the only welcomed changes to the character. When standing before his enemies or blazing down the highway on his hellish motorcycle, he is an awesome sight to see.

The remaining effects are uneven at best, and take a dive during the ugly transformation sequences. With a pointless excuse for a plot is hard to ignore, GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE offers little more than the occasional eye-candy.