So I bought “Ghost Rider” last night

While I was browsing the wall of DVDs at Slackers, I came across this gem:

For four dollars, who could resist?

I googled “Best Nic Cage movie” and found a very interesting post from Jan. 7, 2011 on Moviefone. The post, aptly titled “Nicolas Cage Movies: His 10 Best and Worst,” listed “Ghost Rider” as his fifth worst movie. With such a ringing endorsement, I couldn’t wait to watch it.

Nicolas Cage never ceases to fascinate me. A lot of people love to hate Nic, but I honestly find his movies amusing. Perhaps “amusing” is the wrong word — hilarious may be more accurate.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with “Ghost Rider,” it was originally a comic published by Marvel. I’ll admit I’ve never even glanced at one of the comics, so quick: read what the Marvel Universe Wiki says so I don’t have to pretend to know what I’m talking about.

John Blaze was born into a world of motorcycle grease and cheering crowds. The son of Barton Blaze and Naomi Kale, Johnny spent his early years in the Quentin Carnival, where his parents starred in a stunt show with Craig “Crash” Simpson. His idyllic home life ended abruptly, however, when Naomi abandoned John, taking his younger siblings – Barbara and Daniel – with her. Naomi’s decision to leave had been difficult, but she felt it was necessary because of the family curse. She feared that her own firstborn would suffer in the same way that she had, so she left him behind and placed her other children in the care of a woman named Francis Ketch.
(Source: Marvel.com)

The movie adaptation starring the one and only Nic Cage came out in 2007. Now, five years later and month before the sequel is released, I watched it for the first time.

Like most comic book adaptations, the backstory wasn’t entirely true to the comics, but that’s easy to get over. So what if the movie says Johnny traded his soul for his father’s well-being instead of his adoptive father’s?

This was another stellar Nic Cage performance. I’m not sure if Johnny Blaze in the comics was as –how should I put this– quirky as Cage’s portrayal, but his taste in music and TV made Blaze more accessible to casual moviegoer/movie-watcher.

My favorite part? The transformation from Johnny Blaze to the Ghost Rider. I can imagine the script or the director saying, “Imagine what it would be like if you were turning into a burning skeleton.” And this is what you get:

Which was almost as epic as…

It bore similarities to “Drive Angry” (or “Drive Angry” bore similarities to “Ghost Rider”), which is what was running through my mind for the majority of movie. Such a comparison may be as atrocious to actual “Ghost Rider” fans as recognizing Harrison Ford from something like “Air Force One” instead of his roles as Hans Solo and Indiana Jones. However, it is undeniable. It’s all about the antihero conquering hellish evil.

Overall, I didn’t think it wasn’t an entirely horrible film; just another movie graced with Nic Cage’s unique style of acting.

Oh, by the way, happy birthday, Mr. Cage.

Until next time,
Michelle