The Spirit
Directed by Frank Miller
Starring Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansen, Eva Mendes, and Jamie King
Well, it’s official…comic’s golden boy, Frank Miller, has back flipped over the great white. But was there any question? To some…Yes.
Frank Miller was the cynic behind some of comic’s greatest modern achievements (“The Dark Knight Returns,” “Sin City,” “Daredevil: Born Again”), but recently, inexplicably, his writing career was laying in the mud flats. After two embarrassing attempts to rekindle his success with BatMan, comic fans started debating about the writer’s intentions. Were we just not getting it? Was Miller parodying the institutionalization of his industry-bending works? Miller’s previous genius had inspired filmmakers like Tim Burton (with “BatMan” in 1989), Quentin Tarantino (with “Pulp Fiction”), Zack Snyder (with “300”), Christopher Nolan, David Goyer (both, with “BatMan Begins”), and Robert Rodriguez (“Sin City,” of course). Maybe Miller’s notoriety had made him even more of a pessimist. He hated us and was laughing all the way to the bank.
“The Spirit,” Miller’s first true film credit since the Robocop sequel, begs to differ. Adapted from the strips of another comic’s legend, Will Eisner, the movie is a diarrhea of noir, slapstick, misogyny, and the supernatural.
Odd casting choice Gabriel Macht plays Spirit. Characterized only by his Chuck Taylors and a red tie, Spirit ping pongs around the cityscapes dispensing justice. His main opposition is Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson plays, criminal mastermind/egg obsessed/nazi-dentist, The Octopus. His introduction is the first indication that Miller ain’t Robert Rodriguez. After a few minutes of being impressed by the opening images, Jackson is tar-babied for the amusement of only the director. The scene in question is a Road Runner-type non-brawl between Octopus and Spirit. Somehow, from the get-go, the movie has managed to create an anti-climax for it’s main hero and villain. Y’see, neither one of them show’s any concern for physical damage. (Even Marv, Mickey Rourke’s barbarian from “Sin City,” had to pop pills and lick his wounds after every fight).
The rest of the flick plays like that Merrie Melodies’ episode with “Bugsy.” A lot of character’s say “ouch,” but nothing is of real consequence.
The people I feel the most sorry for are the beautiful ladies of “The Spirit.” They are at the beck and call of the notoriously pervy Frank Miller. Eva Mendes Xeroxes her “great ass” as a clue, and Scarlett Johansen seems to be looking pass the camera and into the director’s chair with fiery disdain.
…Actually, no. The person I feel the most sorry for is, the recently departed, Will Eisner. An industry-bender as well, Miller conducted a series of interviews with the man right before he died. Frank swears this is what Eisner would have wanted. No, Frank. Eisner would’ve wanted you to do for him what Zack Snyder and Robert Rodriguez did for you: show some respect for his body of work.
Directed by Frank Miller
Starring Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansen, Eva Mendes, and Jamie King
Well, it’s official…comic’s golden boy, Frank Miller, has back flipped over the great white. But was there any question? To some…Yes.
Frank Miller was the cynic behind some of comic’s greatest modern achievements (“The Dark Knight Returns,” “Sin City,” “Daredevil: Born Again”), but recently, inexplicably, his writing career was laying in the mud flats. After two embarrassing attempts to rekindle his success with BatMan, comic fans started debating about the writer’s intentions. Were we just not getting it? Was Miller parodying the institutionalization of his industry-bending works? Miller’s previous genius had inspired filmmakers like Tim Burton (with “BatMan” in 1989), Quentin Tarantino (with “Pulp Fiction”), Zack Snyder (with “300”), Christopher Nolan, David Goyer (both, with “BatMan Begins”), and Robert Rodriguez (“Sin City,” of course). Maybe Miller’s notoriety had made him even more of a pessimist. He hated us and was laughing all the way to the bank.
“The Spirit,” Miller’s first true film credit since the Robocop sequel, begs to differ. Adapted from the strips of another comic’s legend, Will Eisner, the movie is a diarrhea of noir, slapstick, misogyny, and the supernatural.
Odd casting choice Gabriel Macht plays Spirit. Characterized only by his Chuck Taylors and a red tie, Spirit ping pongs around the cityscapes dispensing justice. His main opposition is Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson plays, criminal mastermind/egg obsessed/nazi-dentist, The Octopus. His introduction is the first indication that Miller ain’t Robert Rodriguez. After a few minutes of being impressed by the opening images, Jackson is tar-babied for the amusement of only the director. The scene in question is a Road Runner-type non-brawl between Octopus and Spirit. Somehow, from the get-go, the movie has managed to create an anti-climax for it’s main hero and villain. Y’see, neither one of them show’s any concern for physical damage. (Even Marv, Mickey Rourke’s barbarian from “Sin City,” had to pop pills and lick his wounds after every fight).
The rest of the flick plays like that Merrie Melodies’ episode with “Bugsy.” A lot of character’s say “ouch,” but nothing is of real consequence.
The people I feel the most sorry for are the beautiful ladies of “The Spirit.” They are at the beck and call of the notoriously pervy Frank Miller. Eva Mendes Xeroxes her “great ass” as a clue, and Scarlett Johansen seems to be looking pass the camera and into the director’s chair with fiery disdain.
…Actually, no. The person I feel the most sorry for is, the recently departed, Will Eisner. An industry-bender as well, Miller conducted a series of interviews with the man right before he died. Frank swears this is what Eisner would have wanted. No, Frank. Eisner would’ve wanted you to do for him what Zack Snyder and Robert Rodriguez did for you: show some respect for his body of work.
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