“Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” is a bad movie. There are many pauses and bad takes with pretty terrible acting across the board with dated effects and bad writing.
And it’s one of my favorite movies of all time.
Now for a quick plot synopsis. Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, has been tasked with protecting a young child who is designed to be the next host of the devil from the devil.
I absolutely adore how horrible this movie is. I love how it tries to take itself so seriously despite the fact that they have a scene where a balding man is grabbed by the face by a flaming skeleton man that calls himself the Ghost Rider.
That scene in particular is one of my favorites. When I was younger, I had no clue what was going on and originally thought the Ghost Rider was screaming at him until he exploded. After I grew up a bit, I understood that he was sucking the old man’s soul, which makes the scene even funnier. There’s no special effects, it’s literally just the Ghost Rider holding this man while a loud noise plays, and the dude screams until he bursts into flames. I burst out laughing every time I see it.
And it’s not the last time you see it either.
The Ghost Rider does it to one of the main antagonists too, and their faces are so close you’d almost think it was romantic if not for the loud screaming.
Speaking of screaming, we have to talk about Nicholas Cage. He plays the main role, and I’ve gotta say, after seeing him in this movie during the maybe twenty times that I’ve watched it, he is my definitive Ghost Rider. From my understanding of the comics the Ghost Rider is a rather stoic figure that only really appears to give information and act as a mentor.
Nicholas Cage brings something truly magical to the role: Nicholas Cage insanity. It’s as if the Ghost Rider was made for him. Seeing Nicholas Cage screaming about how the Ghost Rider is coming out of him and seeing the horrible CGI on his face as he slowly begins to transform, the capital H, HILARIOUS one liners that Nicholas Cage does as the Ghost Rider, and his general mannerisms overall are just the best things I could have possibly asked for.
The Ghost Rider itself has some really goofy powers as well. I had no clue that literally every vehicle the Ghost Rider uses bursts into a flaming CG disaster. And they definitely use that to absolute perfection with the best scene (which is like the rest of the scenes: amazing). I’m not going to spoil it here, but if you want to know which scene I’m talking about when you watch it yourself, (which you will, obviously) it’s the scene at the strip mine. Every time I watch it, that scene has me roaring in hype. Absolute masterpiece of a scene and so is this entire movie. Nicholas Cage has made me love Ghost Rider.
Now for a small rant
There is a new actor for Ghost Rider. He appears in some TV show and after watching some scenes as well as looking up some of the synopsis of scenes the Ghost Rider is in, they suspect that Ghost Rider will enter the MCU movies eventually through this show.
Sorry, but that’s a crime against film.
Nicholas Cage is a better Ghost Rider in every way. His insanity brings so much enjoyment to my viewing experience. If he isn’t the Ghost Rider they use in the MCU then I don’t want to watch it. Sorry, Nicholas Cage has won my heart.
10 out of 10
Edward Park is a fourth-year Secondary Education (English) major. EP909756@wcupa.edu