The Spirit, 2008 Movie Review

Disclaimer: I am not a movie critic, just an avid movie goer with an opinion no one can silence...

As an aspiring Journalist and a media studies student I have been turned into a drone that disects every aspect of media looking for subliminal messages. The movie "Spirit (2008)" was given to us by the visionary mastermind responsible for the movie "300" (Rosario Provenza) and Frank Miller, the director. With Scarlet Johansson, Sarah Paulson, and Dan Lauria.

As far as the whole graphic novel genre of movies emerging this movie delivers. You have the bad guy aka "Octopus" played by Samuel L. Jackson; the good guy aka "Spirit" played by Gabriel Macht; and the love interest aka "San Serif" played by Eva Mendez. Typical of graphic novels, this movie was over- sexed, thanks in large part to San Serif, perpetuated already long standing stereotypes (Jackson aka Octopus, the only African American on the cast was shown in sort of "black face" in the opening battle with Spirit), and the bregading big strong man saves the day!

However, "Spirit" was not as asethically pleasing as compared to the visual experience you gained watching "Sin City" or "300". The fight scences were'nt hardly gory enough, showing almost no blood or guts; the use of guns was down played signifanctly compared to that in "Sin City"; and the plot was completely predictable. Though all is not lost, there will definitely be a sequel.

On to the movie now?

In a crime ridden town, criminal master mind (Octopus) resurrects a cop, who dons the alias "Spirit" to conceal being "reborn" for reasons he does not understand. As it turns out, the man who, in a sense fathers him, becomes his sworn enemy. Spirit swears to foil Octopus' plans of world domination, which is not clearly explained until half way through the movie. It turns out that the blood of Hercules can turn either Octopus or Spirit immortal if they drink from the vase. This is where San Serif comes into play. She is perhaps the golddigger of all gold diggers fleeing from Central City and Spirit when she was 16 to persue the finer life she thinks she deserves, stealing all the shiny things she wants on the way. In a swap gone wrong, Octopus ends up with out the vase and San ends up without her shiny suit of armor.

In an very anticlimactic end, all the characters meet up one last time. Spirit is down but not out, and San ends up saving the world by shooting through the vase before the Octopus gets to drink. Spirit blind sides the Octopus and blows him to bits, only after Scarlet Johansson's character Silken Floss escapes with the henchmen. Spirit leaves after breaking hearts. San leaves unphased and with her freedom. And a part of the Octopus lives on...

I do not look forward to the sequel...

Though I was amused by the Octopus' henchmen, clones of a "fat idiot" all named similar names like Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. A bit too clever for this movie as the audience probably lost sight of the irony of stupidly grinned henchmen.