The Spirit - Pre-release hype-up thread

[sindatur]

It's a comic movie, so I'll prolly at least get the dvd. Then again, I don't have either Swamp Thing, or the Punisher, Catwoman, Captain America, Supergirl, Elektra, Shadow, or Phantom movies, nor have I watched them. Actually, if they solf the Spirit in a 3 pack with the Shadow and Phantom, or a 4 pack with Dick Tracy added, I'd buy it.

I have the second attempt at the Punisher from 04 and I've watched both Swamp Thing films, Captain America, Supergirl, The Shadow, The Phantom, Dick Tracy, about 12 minutes of Elektra and 2 minutes of Catwoman. I guess I'll at least rent the Spirit first to see if it's worthy of purchase but I have no plans to see it at the theater.

The Shadow features the world's greatest actor, Alec Baldwin, so I wouldn't mind owning that outright and I'm guessing Dick Tracy isn't as bad as I remember so if it were on sale maybe. The rest of those films can stay at the bottom of the 15 for $5 bin.

I never understood the loathing of Catwoman, I thought it was pretty decent, there are many others I think that are much worse. And...I would expect straight guys to love it just based upon Halle Berry running around in that outfit cracking her whip.

Supergirl, while being very cheezy is fun just for Faye Dunaway's over the top cheezy character ('course, I only paid $3 for it so, that might have something to do with it, LOL.)

[kevinswatch]

Just wanted to say that I just got back from watching this with my sister.

TOTALLY worth it.

Completely entertaining movie (which is all I ever really ask for in a movie).

Like a cross between Sin City and Shoot 'Em Up. You can't take it seriously.

Suck on it, Jondough!

-jay

[Zahir]

Saw it. Loved it. It kinda/sorta looks like Sin City but there the resemblance ends. This is a superhero story, one with a minimum of powers but loads of style and plenty of really top-notch characterizations.

Scarlett Johansen is not only gorgeous, but is one of many interesting female characters with interesting names that dot the movie. She plays Silken Floss while Eva Mendes plays Sand Saref. Meanwhile Samuel L. Jackson plays a supervillain, again. He is a mad scientist, and does it extremely well.

And Gabriel Macht, who plays the title character? A fine job, portraying a young masked hero who is part boy scout and part Cassanova with dashes of Sam Spade and Cary Grant.

Were I grading this film, I'd give it a "B."

[Worm of Despite]

I felt no emotional connect whatsoever with the film, to the point I was staring at the screen or looking at the audience, who also seemed to gel into quietness as it ground on. Someone also snored audibly throughout the film.

My friend, an avid comic fan, seemed displeased with the treatment of the Spirit mythos, and I, who's never read it, didn't understand a good deal of things (it took until the end to figure out where the bald, seemingly immortal clones were coming from, and not until the end did I learn why they call the villain "the octopus". And apparently, in the comic, the Spirit isn't immortal, as the movie makes out. I dunno, just a total slapdash delivery.

Also made the actors look terrible, especially Scarlett Johansson. Some actors need a good director and material, and I guess she's one of them. The only quality job I saw was Samuel L. Jackson.

[kevinswatch]

Well, I'm not going to call it the best movie ever, or even a great movie. Definitely wasn't as good as Sin City or Shoot 'Em Up.

But still. Very far, far away from being called the "Worst Movie Ever." Totally not fair at all. I can think of plenty of worse movies (including one that I sadly saw recently - Yes Man).

It's simply a fun, entertaining film, and simply put...

The only quality job I saw was Samuel L. Jackson.

SLJ can carry ANYTHING.

-jay

[Worm of Despite]

Never said it was worst movie ever, thought it was worst movie I've seen this year.

[kevinswatch]

I was referring to the review way posted.

-jay

[Worm of Despite]

Critics get off on big declarative statements like saying it was the "film equivalent of getting raped". Personally, I found it nowhere near as bad as Battlefield Earth, but then Battlefield Earth is such a magic film to make fun of I'd have paid top dollar to watch it in a packed theater (watching Troll 2 in an Atlanta theater was the most I ever laughed).