Reviewing Whatever

Ghost Rider
2007, in theaters

You should know
Dan had had a bad week, so he got to choose the movie. Brian came along as well. Ghost Rider is a comic franchise none of us were familiar with going in, though Dan researched it on Wikipedia.

So?
Say it with me: It’s a comic book movie. It’s not Guernica. You have to have reasonable expectations going in.

Frankly, I was expecting crap. I’d read some bad reviews, and what little I knew about the Ghost Rider franchise gave me pause. After all, motorcycles? Guys with their heads on fire?

On the other hand, motorcycles! Guys with their heads on fire! These are the very elements of mindless entertainment. As I told Brian: “If nothing else, stuff will blow up.”

“Mindless” is the key. Both plot and characterization lacked, but neither was nonexistent. The pacing actually was the part I found least believable – Johnny Blaze went from Point A to Point B in three days? And managed to convince and sway Roxanne (and her boobs) and the Caretaker in the meantime?

I had fun. Ultimately, I think Ghost Rider will be on par with Daredevil in my personal movie rankings – fun to watch on the big screen, but not memorable or particularly worthy of a second viewing.

Rating
Mind your expectations
If you go in hoping for a lot, you’ll be disappointed. If you go in thinking it’ll be total drivel, you might be pleasantly surprised.

The rest of the Internet
Two reviews at Blogcritics.
The IMDb breakdown.
The reviews weren't great at Rotten Tomatoes.
Johnny Blaze's profile in the Marvel Directory.
An essay about the adaptation of Ghost Rider from comic to movie at Comic Book Resources.
A good review at Tom's MAD blog.
D. K. Holm at Quick Stop Entertainment was less impressed.

And just for kicks: Ghostwriter!