When “Ghost Rider” hit the screen in 2007, it was apparent that this awesome character and concept was being utilized in an underwhelming comic-book based movie franchise. Half a decade later, Columbia Pictures is releasing a reboot/sequel to the critically-panned film — “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” — with new directors and a new design.
Aside from Nicolas Cage returning as the dark-haired daredevil Johnny Blaze, everything about this film is new. We have a duo of new directors, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (best known for directing “Crank” and “Crank: High Voltage”), who are bringing a darker, grittier feel to a franchise that should have been that way to begin with.
Other than some footage from Comic-Con, nothing from the film has been seen, until now. Below, we have the first teaser trailer and it shows us a lot, but watch it first and then we can dissect it.
The trailer opens with rising hot ash as words flicker onto the screen setting up the story for those who didn’t know about Ghost Rider before. We get a close-up opening shot of him and I am digging the new look, with a charcoal black skull and a leather jacket that appears to be made out of hot boiling tar. We see some amazing action and a few cool fresh new characters, but we also see the signature move of Ghost Rider, the penance stare — which is utilized in a far better manner than in the previous film.
We get quick glimpses of Johnny Whitworth as Blackout, part human, part demon, but all evil. Next we get Fergus Riordan as a young Danny Ketch, who fans will know eventually takes over for Blaze as the new Ghost Rider. Idris Elba, Ciarán Hinds and Violante Placido also star in the film in various supporting roles. We end out trailer with a bit of off-beat humor as Ghost Rider empties his bladder in a fiery matter.
Overall, I am excited for all of the new additions to the film and it looks to me like the directors and studio are taking Ghost Rider to a place where it should have been to begin with. When your title character is imbued with power from the devil, then decides to go rogue fighting evil and demons, the result should be a more adult movie with more action and death. As Nicolas Cage said at Comic-Con, “The Ghost Rider is just the coolest-looking superhero, and it has to be the one that goes to film and looks the best, I think they’ve achieved that with this.”
So what do you think about this first look at the film? Leave your comments and let us know.
. . .
Follow Adam Poynter on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CCWGGuy.
And don’t forget to “Like” It’s Just Movies on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/itsjustmovies.
I’m timid but anxious and excited! Call me crazy but it still bothers me that in the first film young Blaze looked more like Tom Cruise than Nic Cage LOL. But all in all the teaser looks bad ass!