{"id":24972,"date":"2017-04-12T18:32:11","date_gmt":"2017-04-12T22:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=24972"},"modified":"2017-04-12T18:34:43","modified_gmt":"2017-04-12T22:34:43","slug":"the-spirit-2008","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/12\/the-spirit-2008\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spirit (2008)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I will never<\/span> understand<\/span> the reasoning<\/span> behind Frank Miller ever<\/span> wanting<\/span> to direct<\/span> his own<\/span> superhero movie<\/span>. It’s not<\/span> that he’s directing<\/span> a movie<\/span>, either, it’s that he’s directing<\/span> a movie<\/span> in the style<\/span> of Robert Rodriguez’s fast<\/span> and cheap process<\/span> where he merely<\/span> places<\/span> his cast<\/span> in front<\/span> of a green<\/span> screen<\/span> for ninety<\/span> percent<\/span> of his film<\/span>. And we must endure<\/span> a hundred minute<\/span> crime<\/span> thriller with people<\/span> that stumble around a CGI world<\/span>. Frank<\/span> Miller has<\/span> no idea<\/span> how to grasp<\/span> at anything other<\/span> than dark<\/span>, violent, and gritty thus<\/span> he takes<\/span> Will Eisner’s groundbreaking comics<\/span> and tacks<\/span> it on to his \u201cSin<\/span> City\u201d neo-noir universe<\/span>. Miller<\/span> does<\/span>n’t outright<\/span> say<\/span> it to us, but Miller wants<\/span> us to very<\/span> much<\/span> believe<\/span> that \u201cThe Spirit\u201d is<\/span> a shared<\/span> universe<\/span> with \u201cSin<\/span> City.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Through that he’s able<\/span> to own<\/span> and co-opt Will Eisner’s idea<\/span> by forcing it to be<\/span> as<\/span> violent<\/span> and misogynistic<\/span> as his graphic<\/span> novel series<\/span>. Miller<\/span>‘s new<\/span> version<\/span> of \u201cThe Spirit\u201d is<\/span> all kinds<\/span> of derivative, with the Spirit running<\/span> along roof tops<\/span>, narrating<\/span> in a smoky whisper<\/span>, and proclaiming<\/span> how he’s married<\/span> to his job<\/span> and his city<\/span>. He also<\/span> dodges<\/span> the goddess of death<\/span>, Lorelei, who beckons him whenever he’s injured<\/span>. Meanwhile<\/span>, Miller basically<\/span> destroys<\/span> everything about \u201cThe Spirit\u201d by hopping<\/span> on every single<\/span> tone<\/span> imaginable<\/span>. I do<\/span>n’t know<\/span> who Miller intended<\/span> this movie<\/span> for, but \u201cThe Spirit\u201d shockingly has<\/span> little appeal despite broadly<\/span> tackling<\/span> about everything under the known sun<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it’s a dark<\/span> noir, sometimes it’s a superhero movie<\/span>, sometimes it’s a tragic<\/span> romance<\/span>, a vigilante thriller, a dark<\/span> comedy<\/span>, a samurai film<\/span>, and a mystery<\/span> where The Spirit deals<\/span> with a bunch<\/span> of lecherous women<\/span>. One moment<\/span> we’re watching<\/span> Eva Mendes rise<\/span> from a pool<\/span> of water<\/span> to attack<\/span> someone<\/span>. The next<\/span> The Spirit and The Octopus are<\/span> duking it out in a pool<\/span> of mud<\/span> as if Bugs and Elmer finally<\/span> had<\/span> enough<\/span> and decided<\/span> to just<\/span> deck<\/span> it out. There’s honestly<\/span> a moment<\/span> where the Octopus slams<\/span> a toilet<\/span> over The Spirit’s head<\/span>, and then<\/span> slams<\/span> his crotch<\/span> with a large<\/span> rod<\/span>. I’m not<\/span> even<\/span> sure<\/span> if kids<\/span> will like<\/span> what Miller deals<\/span> out since he packs<\/span> the film<\/span> with all of his trademark<\/span> sexual<\/span> nonsense<\/span>, including<\/span> women<\/span> who wants<\/span> sex<\/span>, sex<\/span>, and nothing<\/span> but sex<\/span>.<\/p>\n

They’re traitorous<\/span>, reptilian, objects<\/span> meant<\/span> to be<\/span> knocked<\/span> around, pushed<\/span> down<\/span>, and murdered<\/span>, and you do<\/span>n’t have<\/span> to see<\/span> them as anything else. The performances<\/span> are<\/span> embarrassing<\/span> all around, from Samuel L. Jackson’s over the top madman<\/span>, Scarlett Johannson who is<\/span> tasked<\/span> with—um\u2014dressing in skimpy clothing<\/span> and walking in to rooms<\/span>, and Gabriel Macht who I swear<\/span> seems to be<\/span> doing<\/span> his best<\/span> impression<\/span> of Johnny Depp. To finish<\/span> us off, talented individuals<\/span> like Paz Vega, Jaime King, Eva Mendes, and Sarah Paulson are<\/span> wasted<\/span>, but Miller does<\/span> fish for every opportunity<\/span> to allow<\/span> the audience<\/span> to ogle them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Spirit\u201d really<\/span> is<\/span> proof that Frank Miller has<\/span>n’t evolved<\/span> as an artist or storyteller. He steamrolls<\/span> all over Will Eisner’s raucous<\/span> comics<\/span> in order<\/span> to retrofit the character<\/span> and his universe<\/span> in to the violent, cynical<\/span>, and gory \u201cSin<\/span> City\u201d box<\/span> that Miller has<\/span> yet<\/span> to grow<\/span> out of. If Will Eisner’s comic<\/span> and legacy<\/span> was<\/span> a flag<\/span>, Miller would be<\/span> that person<\/span> stomping<\/span> it in to the ground<\/span> and lighting<\/span> it on fire<\/span>. He does<\/span> so<\/span> with easily<\/span> the worst<\/span> comic<\/span> to screen<\/span> adaptation<\/span> ever<\/span> made<\/span>. It fails<\/span> as a narrative, a movie<\/span>, an adaptation<\/span>, and a directorial effort<\/span>.<\/p>\n