![]() The tone of the Ghost Rider movies - particularly the first one - stands in stark contrast to more recent superhero fare. The two bond during a quiet but important scene in the middle of the film that motivates Johnny to protect the boy even after his own curse is lifted. Even Riordan - who was only around 13 at the time of filming - is solid as the devil's son, a boy struggling against his own internal evil much like Blaze. Idris Elba, too, is flawless (except for his French accent) he's easily the best part of Spirit of Vengeance, where he provides some much-needed comic relief. ![]() Sam Elliott plays Carter Slade, a mentor to Johnny who also carries the Ghost Rider curse and, like Cage, he never turns in a tepid performance. He's at particularly peak Cage in Spirit of Vengeance, where directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor really let him get wacky.įonda is clearly having a great time as Mephistopheles, bringing a gravitas to the character reminiscent of Vincent Price, while Blackheart is more cartoonishly evil but still benefits from Wes Bentley's charm and good looks. Cage, as usual, is giving 150%, fearlessly leaning into the character’s goofier elements and, as a result, selling the role in a way that no other actor could. Fortunately, the major players in the Ghost Rider franchise are highly appealing thanks to absolutely pitch-perfect casting. Of course, in order for the audience to grow attached to said characters, they have to be compelling, or at least likable. Simple stories that involve clear stakes, centered around characters whom the audience has grown attached to, are narratively fulfilling. There's something incredibly satisfying about a simple story with strong themes it's the reason Disney has been able to build an empire out of movies based on fairy tales. Both films leave open the possibility for future follow-ups without ending on obvious sequel bait. He beats the villain and gets the girl, but ultimately chooses his responsibility as a superhero over their relationship. Blaze faces off against a villain who threatens the hero's loved ones ( Eva Mendes, in the case of Ghost Rider). The hero has suffered a personal tragedy he initially finds his powers bewildering, but with a little practice, he quickly masters control of them. In fact, Ghost Rider hits many of the same story beats as a beloved early Marvel movie, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man. They follow a finite number of characters, including a bad guy with simple motivations and a clear goal and a classic tormented antihero. It can be exhausting.īoth entries in the Ghost Rider franchise are that rarest of species: standalone superhero movies. ![]() Viewers who haven't kept up with every movie and series are often out of luck since so many elements of any given film have been established or explained somewhere else. Season 4, which centers around the Robbie Reyes version of the character, heavily implies that he was gifted his powers by Cage's Johnny Blaze.) As the cinematic universe grows more complex and unwieldy, every piece of media within it must connect with every other, weaving together outstanding plot threads and setting up future films. (And yes, Ghost Rider is part of the MCU: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Self-contained stories became an endangered species in the MCU the moment Nick Fury showed up in Tony Stark's living room at the conclusion of Iron Man. Blaze teams up with an alcoholic French priest named Moreau ( Idris Elba) to stop him with the promise that Moreau can undo the curse of the Ghost Rider. In the intervening years, the devil (now played by Ciarán Hinds) has conceived another son ( Fergus Riordan) and plans a ritual to transfer his power from his aging, mortal body into the boy's young, healthy form. The sequel takes place in Eastern Europe a few years later, where Blaze hides from the curse that transforms him into a fiery, vengeful skeleton. Years later, the devil comes to collect on Johnny's promise, granting him the power of the Ghost Rider and ordering him to stop Blackheart ( Wes Bentley) - the devil's demon son - from taking over the world. Of course, the devil can't be trusted: Barton Blaze's cancer is cured, but he dies in an accident the next day. When Johnny learns of his father's illness, he makes a deal with the devil ( Peter Fonda), signing over his soul in exchange for his dad's life. Mark Steven Johnson's original Ghost Rider follows Johnny Blaze (Cage), a young motorcycle stuntman performing alongside his father ( Brett Cullen) who, unbeknownst to Johnny, is dying of cancer. Genres Action, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller What Are the Nicolas Cage 'Ghost Rider' Movies About?
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