The Spirit

Director:Frank Miller
Writers (WGA):Frank Miller (screenplay)Will Eisner (comic book series)
Release Date:1 January 2009 (UK) more
Genre:Action Comedy Fantasy Thriller more
Tagline:Down these mean streets a man must come. A hero born, murdered, and born again.

Plot:Rookie cop Denny Colt returns from the beyond as The Spirit, a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces in Central City.

Viewed 04/01/09
Score: 2/6

Based on the well established comic book by Will Eisner, this film is the directorial debut by Frank Miller, the comics legend behind ‘Sin City’ and ‘300’. Interestingly enough, Miller’s first effort is an adaptation of someone else’s comic rather than his own titles. Filmed in the same blue screen/CGI style as ‘Sin City’, the impact is sadly less impressive and seems used almost half heartedly.
The plot is very standard Super-hero fare, good guy dies and gets resurrected as an immortal crime fighter. Nothing wrong with that, but in this film, the attempt at originality or flair isn’t even attempted. All characters are clichés, perhaps reflecting the comic however I can’t say, having never read it.
Gabriel Macht is woefully miscast as The Spirit, having neither the screen presence nor physique to play a crime fighting mystery man. Samuel L. Jackson is markedly better as the lead villain, The Octopus. His over the top pantomime villain style combined with his trademark cool are the only thing going for this movie and save it from a lower score. Other cast members play their roles adequately but are instantly forgettable.
Main problem is, in order to prevent itself looking silly, this sort of film has to be done with such stylisation and energy that it carries the viewer along.
Rodriguez and Tarantino, being old hands at that sort of thing, managed to get it just right in their adaptation of Miller’s ‘Sin City’.
In trying to copy them, Miller’s adaptation of The Spirit falls well short of the mark.