Frank Miller’s campy, tedious version of the pulp hero
Will Eisner’s The Spirit debuted in 1940 and was obviously influenced by The Shadow, Dick Tracy and, especially, Batman. Shot in late 2007, this movie version of the character is decidedly Miller’s rendition wherein he meshes Eisner’s hero with “Sin City,” which turned off purists of the comic. Yet film versions of heroes from comics and other mediums (radio, literature) are always alternative renditions.
For instance, John Milius’ “Conan the Barbarian” with Schwarzenegger is similar to Robert E. Howard’s sword & sorcery hero and features bits taken from several of the stories, but it definitely deviates from REH’s yarns. Or take the movies “Batman & Robin” and “Batman Begins,” which are both based on the comics’ character, but are very different in tone. The former is colorful and campy whereas the latter takes a more serious path.
I point all of this out to say that I have no problem with this being Frank Miller’s rendition of The Spirit. I own many of his Daredevil and Batman comics and he’s a proven writer, even a legend in comics circles. So, I was expecting a quality story with “The Spirit,” but it’s simply not here. Worse, the title character is never really established and so I didn’t care about him (Gabriel Macht) as he takes on The Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson) & his collaborator (ScarJo) or his dealings with his now corrupt childhood sweetheart (Eva Mendes), not to mention the Commissioner (Dan Lauria) and his top surgeon daughter (Sarah Paulson), as well as the spunky rookie who idolizes him (Stana Katic).
People tend to rail against “Batman & Robin” from 1997, but the characters are successfully fleshed out in that flick and the story has heart. You feel the love of Bruce and Alfred and the others at Wayne Manor (Dick Grayson and Barbara Wilson). You can't help but sympathize with Mr. Freeze's love for his wife and desire to resurrect her. Batman is able to see under his icy veneer to a warm heart that's willing to accept redemption and make restitution.
You’ll be hard pressed to find any of that here. It’s pointless action and encounters with outstanding visuals and style yet without heart. Everything LOOKS great, including the hero and the beautiful women, but the characters are cardboard and there’s no interesting story.
It runs 1h 43m.
GRADE: D+
