Action
Ghost Rider (2007)
Ghost RiderUSA/Australia 2007
Director: Mark Steven Johnson
I’d never been too much of a Ghost Rider fan growing up. He looked really cool and had interesting powers but the character didn’t have too much depth. After seeing the new film based on the comics, I can say pretty much the same thing: the special effects are good but everything else comes up short.
One of the most important things to remember when adapting a superher comic to the screen is not to lose sight of what the film is about: namely, the superhero. No matter who might be starring as the hero, whether it be an unknown or Nicolas Cage, the actor should never overshadow the character. In Ghost Rider, Cage has so much fun as Johnny Blaze that he forgets how to act. The result is a goofy, muddled performance in a poorly-written, mediocre film.
I get the feeling that Nicholas Cage was given free reign over his character. Cage as Johnny Blaze has various baffling extraneous character quirks (drinking candy from a glass, loving the music of the Carpenters, etc.) that make no sense to the narrative. Normally his off-beat performances make a character more interesting but in this case it only confuses the tone of the film. Cage isn’t the only acting offender, however. Eva Mendez spends most of the film acting like she’s in a network sitcom, with over-exaggerated speech and obvious body language. Wes Bentley as Blackheart looks fresh from a bad Dracula spoof. These are not bad actors, so I can only assume the fault lies with writer/director Johnson. I was greatly disappointed by his version of Daredevil from 2003 and had hoped he’d fare better with a darker character. Unfortunately, half of Ghost Rider comes off as a silly romp and the other half as over-wrought pop-horror.
The only element of Ghost Rider that saves it from being a complete waste of time is the special effects, the character of Ghost Rider in particular. He definitely looks cool, especially while riding his flaming motorcycle. There were only a few shots that didn’t look 100% convincing and those were mostly at the beginning of the film. That said, there weren’t enough sequences with Ghost Rider in it. You’d think that a film based on his comic would feature him more promimently. This is fairly understandable, however, as Cage was hired to act in this film and he’s essentially lost in the Ghost Rider visual effects. More sequences with the Rider would’ve been nice, though.
During my viewing of this film, I couldn’t help wonder what a more talented director would’ve done, or what difference a sharper script would make. Perhaps there will be a remake in 20 years and I can find out. As it currently stands, however, Ghost Rider is an interesting character, but Ghost Rider is not an interesting film.
Colin Le SueurThe Incredible Hulk (2008)
The Incredible HulkUSA 2008
Director: Louis Leterrier
This newest screen incarnation of the popular green superhero marks an unusual time for comic adaptations. Up until this point, if a superhero comic was turned into a film there were usually two possible outcomes: a successful franchise which eventually grows further and further away from the original material (such as the Burton Batman films or the Reeve Superman films) or a tremendous flop, quickly forgotten (Dolph Lundgren as The Punisher comes to mind). Ang Lee’s 2003 superhero film Hulk is generally considered the latter: an expensive failure (even though the film made over $100 million). Following the patterns set previously, one would expect a significant gap between Ang Lee’s version and any future Hulk films. For better or worse, this was not the case, as The Incredible Hulk comes just five years after 2003′s Hulk, not sequel but remake, with a whole new cast, new story and new Hulk.
Because of this, Louis Letterier’s attempt at the Hulk franchise faces inevitable comparison to the earlier film. The major differences are obvious at the outset: The Incredible Hulk is action-based as opposed to the more character-driven Hulk. That said, the action sequences in the later film seem clumsier, not as refined as those seen in Lee’s version (perhaps not so surprising considering Ang Lee’s previous film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and its beautifully choreographed fight sequences). Further than that, The Incredible Hulk also seems fairly rushed overall, from the occasionally ropey special effects to the weak plot. Perhaps not surprisingly, the plot points seem to only serve as transitions between action set-pieces.
Unlike most superhero films that came before it, the world of The Incredible Hulk seems to exist in a greater Marvel universe, something lacking in Ang Lee’s version. There are hints and references to other Marvel superheroes (and villains) dotted all over the screen, some subtle and some blatant. This simple consideration is a great treat for comic fans and seems an obvious step (especially considering Marvel is producing all their films from now on and cross-promotion is almost never a bad thing for comics). Marvel definitely has their act together with their films and a massive superhero film collaboration is not far off (something which comics fans have been waiting for for decades).
I personally enjoyed Ang Lee’s ‘softer’ version of the Hulk. Even though the film was far from perfect, he tried to bring a level of seriousness and respectability to a sometimes silly film genre. I can respect Letterier’s attempt to bring his film back to what the fans expected (or perhaps what the studio thinks the fans expect), but I still prefer Lee’s version. Granted, the action sequences are better in The Incredible Hulk, but I enjoyed the performances more in Hulk and I thought the 2003 version had a poetry to it which is lacking in 2008.
Is this the start of a new way of looking at superhero films? If a version isn’t massively successful, just go back and start from scratch? I hope not, but looking at the forthcoming Punisher War Zone, it appears as if franchise continuity isn’t as important as box office success.
Colin Le SueurWatchmen (2009)
WatchmenUK/USA/Canada 2009
Director: Zack Snyder
For some films it’s hard to remain objective, a detached observer able to critique and analyse with an open mind. In this case, the Watchmen graphic novel made such a terrific impact on me as a teenager that there’s no way I could write an objective review of the film. Though completely separate entities, my enjoyment of the comic does colour my experience of the film which, primarily, strives to be as accurate an adaptation as possible, given the various limitations of film in comparison to comics.
Director Snyder was in a tough position making Watchmen. Would he truly adapt the graphic novel, cutting and editing a decidedly epic story that spans nearly six decades into a trim, cohesive and thought-provoking film or would he choose to follow the route previously set by 300 and make a near carbon copy of the comic, perhaps sacrificing a smoother-flowing film narrative for a more faithful translation? In the theatrical cut of the film, it’s clear he tried to do both, to varying success.
The major sequences from the comic are expertly represented, with matching composition and colours helping to create a seamless transition between page and screen. The characters are mostly how I imagined them and the world depicted is a familiar one from the comic. The problem lies with the fact that most viewers of the film won’t have read the comic and won’t be familiar with the world or characters of Watchmen. Snyder does a good job of quick exposition, not slowing the film down with a long history lesson, but there’s still a lot of nuance lost (not surprising considering the depth and complexity of the comic).
Where Watchmen stumbles a bit is in the action sequences. While entertaining and technically well executed, the fight scenes are slightly over-the-top, more akin to The Matrix or V for Vendetta. In fact, some of the film’s visuals are too slick, too glossy. A more realistic approach would’ve helped to ground the film further, creating a truly believable world and characters.
Ultimately, this film was made for the fans of the comic. For those not familiar with the world of Watchmen prior to seeing the film, Watchmen is an exciting, intelligent, dark comic adaptation filled with complex characters and moral ambiguity. For the full effect, however, you need to read the Watchmen comic and immerse yourself in the world created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Zack Snyder’s version of the world is good, but Moore’s is better.
Colin Le Sueur