Music, Style & Culture

Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance

A messy movie that can only be enjoyed by Cage-watchers; at least we're rewarded with some choice moments of self-awareness.

Released in cinemas 17th February 2012.

We live in a world where The A-Team can't get a sequel, but somehow the money can be thrown at another Ghost Rider film. What Nicolas Cage wants, Nicolas Cage gets, and who are we to deny him another crack at the stunt motorcycle rider who sold his soul to the devil? In the second big screen outing of the Marvel vigilante with the flaming skull, Johnny Blaze (Cage) finds himself scuttling around Eastern Europe getting drunk and angry.

There follows some simplistic storyline where Ghost Rider is entrusted with the safety of a young boy (Fergus Riordan), on the run with his petty thief mother (Violante Placido). Enter Idris Elba's badass monk Moreau, Ciaran Hinds' devillish figure, Johnny Whitworth's OTT villain (whose twisted fate leads to some hilariously unfortunate moments when he wants a snack) and Christopher Lambert's absurd priestly figure (complete with blue biro scribblings all over his face and head).

It's quite refreshing how completely aware of its own awfulness this film is, which is happy to ride on the flaming coattails of its star's demented movie persona. Directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank) deliver a daft good vs. evil, cat 'n' mouse chase with some welcome tongue-in-cheek moments, although sadly the great "pissing fire" moment from the trailer doesn't manifest itself into anything more than a two-second vision.

Things don't get too brutal with a 12A certificate, so the directors throw themselves into some snazzy motorcycle stunts in the requisite 3D and fashion an enjoyably ghastly demonstration of Ghost Rider's deathray modus operandi. The Ghost Rider and his flames are effective, but the film is remarkably light on memorable set-pieces.

A messy movie that can only be enjoyed by Cage-watchers; at least we're rewarded with some choice moments of self-awareness. There's the odd bit of demented behaviour, with Cage clearly enjoying the fact he gets to play the Ghost Rider himself this time, and it even includes a nod to THE BEES. Alas, the potentially fascinating Blaze is an underwritten character, and he has no chemistry with the equally thinly-scripted mother and son. Cage's moments with Elba are more interesting, with a little wine-soaked tête-à-tête a rare high point.

Stifled by its certificate (imagine how wild it could've been if it had gone all-out in the manner of Drive Angry) and a tired script that doesn't care much for its source, it's another dead-on-its-feet waste only saved by the chance to play Classic Cage bingo.

Rating: 4/10