The Spirit (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Phil H

  
  When you start watching this you get feelings of 'Batman', 'Darkman', 'The Shadow' and 'Dick Tracy' with a splash of 'The Crow' in the looks department, yet all these things cant make it any good. I'll be honest, I really… More
  When you start watching this you get feelings of 'Batman', 'Darkman', 'The Shadow' and 'Dick Tracy' with a splash of 'The Crow' in the looks department, yet all these things cant make it any good. I'll be honest, I really didn't follow this film much atall lol the plot is very messed up, it jumps around with so many characters leaping in and out you dunno where you stand or what they mean to the story. The cast is good but cant save the film, Jackson is soooo very camp he could be in the next Schumacher Batman film hehe leading man Macht is nothing special, pretty non descript really and Dan Lauria (Wonder Years fame :) where the hell has he been?) plays the usual cliched up tight, rough, grumpy police chief. The ladies though are all delicious for sure, Eva Mendes being scrumptious ;) and Johansson looking really dominant n naughty in a Nazi officers outfit. The film looks good, don't get me wrong...it looks damn fine just like Sin City but it falls way short of that film, waaaay short. I think many people are simply assuming and saying this is good because its Frank Miller and it looks like 'Sin City', yep it looks nice but its nothing compared to 'Sin'. Spirit is a strange combination of the old serial superhero comics (Spirit was created in the 40's) but has a violent undercurrent not as harsh as 'Sin' but much harder than 'Tracy', Shadow etc...yet also slightly camp and off the wall on the villain side, almost another 'Joker' really. Jackson is too much of a modern day man to fit into this old 40's/50's type of background, he's too hip n cool haha he just doesn't fit the bill. Quite a cocktail that doesn't really work in my opinion, all style and no substance, just hot on the heels of Sin and trying to reap the benefits. Could of been so much more.

• Martin S

  
  Boy....this was the shits. It's like Frank Miller learned something while watching Robert Rodrigues work his magic on Sin City. And then...he did the exact same thing here...but without the director skills of Robert Rodriguez. And with a boring plot. The visuality is the only… More
  Boy....this was the shits. It's like Frank Miller learned something while watching Robert Rodrigues work his magic on Sin City. And then...he did the exact same thing here...but without the director skills of Robert Rodriguez. And with a boring plot. The visuality is the only impressive thing about this...some of it very impressive if you feel me ;) overall...MINUS FIVE STARS!

• Matt G

  
  Underrated, but not that impressive. Cool sequences but a completely unnecessary film.

• Jens S

  
  Ouch. What could have been an interesting add-on to the Sin City success, using a similar look and tone, turns out to be quite a mess. Let's have a look on the plus side: the look is cool, but somehow it gets dull and doesn't stay as interesting as in Sin City. There are… More
  Ouch. What could have been an interesting add-on to the Sin City success, using a similar look and tone, turns out to be quite a mess. Let's have a look on the plus side: the look is cool, but somehow it gets dull and doesn't stay as interesting as in Sin City. There are Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson, but one of them is hopelessly overacting and the other one plays an entirely uninteresting character. So those weren't even the plus sides. Yes, the movie doesn't take itself too seriously and sometimes it's funny, in other cases unintentionally so or just downright silly. The dialogs are mostly horrible. The plot remains somewhat uninteresting, the mystery of Spirit's origins isn't really one at all. In short: despite of the cool people involved you kind of wish you could have spend those two hours differently. By re-watching Sin City, for example.

• Dean !

  
  A pretty decent comic book romp in the same graphic style as Sin City. Unfortunately any similarities end there, despite a strong cast this fails to pack a punch. I didn't know anything about the comic book and you have to wait halfway through the film to get any idea of the… More
  A pretty decent comic book romp in the same graphic style as Sin City. Unfortunately any similarities end there, despite a strong cast this fails to pack a punch. I didn't know anything about the comic book and you have to wait halfway through the film to get any idea of the characters background. I felt it could have been better. Maybe one more for fans of Frank Miller stories or comic books. Silly over the top fun action but nothing special.

• Sanjaya &

  
  I wonder why Frank Miller, the creator of Sin City, made a movie that is so bad... Not only the story that sucks, the 'spirit' that I have before watching this movie was gone away after I watch this movie only for 30 minutes... The combination between Black & Red as the… More
  I wonder why Frank Miller, the creator of Sin City, made a movie that is so bad... Not only the story that sucks, the 'spirit' that I have before watching this movie was gone away after I watch this movie only for 30 minutes... The combination between Black & Red as the main color was totally disturbing me, in one side they want to look dark, but in the other side it blinds my eyes because the combination of that two color was totally disturbing me... I didn't blame the acting, especially because they have a lot of good cast like Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson, or Scarlett Johansson, but Gabriel Macht as The Spirit was one of the weakness point for this movie... I'm really sorry Frank Miller, but I can't stand to continue watching this movie because it totally disturbs me, so this is the highest rating I can give, considering the other supporting cast did a decent job in here...

• Spencer S

  
  An obvious ploy to generate the kind of attention movies like Sin City, The Spirit joins such box office nothings as Max Payne and Watchmen. There was some adorable bits of comedy, but they smooshed in between ironic action sequences and the fake lust of Eva Mendes and Scarlett… More
  An obvious ploy to generate the kind of attention movies like Sin City, The Spirit joins such box office nothings as Max Payne and Watchmen. There was some adorable bits of comedy, but they smooshed in between ironic action sequences and the fake lust of Eva Mendes and Scarlett Johansson. Overall, a bummer.

• Richard C

  
  this movie has a lot of problems. some scenes go on forever. there are some really stupid parts. this movie is laughably bad. I couldn't tell if those scenes were meant to be funny or if it was really that stupid. I did like the cinemontography. i also got some good laughs too.… More
  this movie has a lot of problems. some scenes go on forever. there are some really stupid parts. this movie is laughably bad. I couldn't tell if those scenes were meant to be funny or if it was really that stupid. I did like the cinemontography. i also got some good laughs too. at times i was having fun watching the movie. this is no where near a good movie but i was never really bored. there were things i liked about the movie. i'm going to be generous and give the movie 2 stars. C

• Alexis N

  
  i LOVED it! funny, action-y and there were good looking people all over the place. it's just like Batman and Dick Tracy got together and had a baby. such a fun movie!

• James A

  
  This movie is a great representation of a polished turd. While it looks similar to Sin City the directing and writing were as low as it gets.

• KJ P

  
  Scrap the story and you will have a masterpiece of a beautiful film!

• Chris W

  
  I could join the masses and pan this film, and as much as I really want to, I can't. I should also say that it may even be worse than Batman & Robin, but I feel that that would be doing this film a disservice. It's too visually striking and unique to pan it that much.… More
  I could join the masses and pan this film, and as much as I really want to, I can't. I should also say that it may even be worse than Batman & Robin, but I feel that that would be doing this film a disservice. It's too visually striking and unique to pan it that much. It's meant to be goofy and tongue-in-cheek and really campy, which is a good thing. The problem is that The Spirit is too campy, goofy, and tongue-in-cheek. It's entertaining, sure, but it's too ridiculous for it's own good. Miller definitely made a unique film, but I honestly think he should have toned it down and played it more straight. My feelings on this film are as all over the place as the film itself is, but in the end, I'll be kind and give it a middle-ground rating, and hope that Miller's next project isn't as fucking bewildering.

• Conner R

  
  Hopefully fans of the comics will realize that this is NOT Will Eisner's Spririt, just inspired by it. This is Frank Miller's Spirit, so don't expect it to be like the comics. Frankly, Miller's version looks a lot more grasping and interesting than The Spirit books… More
  Hopefully fans of the comics will realize that this is NOT Will Eisner's Spririt, just inspired by it. This is Frank Miller's Spirit, so don't expect it to be like the comics. Frankly, Miller's version looks a lot more grasping and interesting than The Spirit books i've looked through, but that's me. It's probably one of the best black comedies i've seen in a while. It mocks the egotistical style of a lot of movies from the 30's and 40's, while also sticking to the story. Gabriel Macht has probably the coolest narration next to Christian Bale and Samuel L. Jackson really surprised me in this and really got into the character. The nazi scene was so priceless. And then there's.....Scarlett Johansson. Overall, it's a really great noir mock and is pure pulp and fun.

• Nate Z

  
  This is the last time someone will let Frank Miller direct. Astoundingly bad, The Spirit is borderline camp for every absurd and bizarre second. It careens all over the place, never settling on a tone. So one minute it will be hardboiled noir and the next it will break down the fourth… More
  This is the last time someone will let Frank Miller direct. Astoundingly bad, The Spirit is borderline camp for every absurd and bizarre second. It careens all over the place, never settling on a tone. So one minute it will be hardboiled noir and the next it will break down the fourth wall and amp up the goofy slapstick to Looney Tunes levels. The story is threadbare, the characters are half-developed ideas, and each scene almost exists in its own five-minute world before Miller barrels forward. Sure the flick has some appealing visuals, but even those are derivative of the superior Sin City. As a director, Miller doesn?t cut it. He will shoot scenes with nothing but close-ups, giving no point of establishment for the audience, and he?s too prone to random diversions. Miller displays zero ability, or a complete disregard, for directing actors; they are terrible in different ways. Gabriel Macht, as the back-from-the-dead crime fighter The Spirit, sounds like Paul Rudd doing a Harrison Ford impression. Samuel L. Jackson, as the nefarious criminal/mad scientist/also semi-immortal The Octopus, overacts to a degree not even seen by Samuel L. Jackson. Scarlett Johansson, as an evil assistant, can?t even hide her disdain and boredom. This stuff just becomes unchecked lunacy, but it still manages to be boring through and through. The hero is a stiff, all the women are sex objects, and the conflicts are pointless when the combatants can?t be killed. The only thing worth mentioning is that Eva Mendes is still a gorgeous looking woman. Even Miller couldn?t fumble that one up. Nate?s Grade: D

• Saskia D

  
  Didn't expect much of it in the first place, so I can't say I'm disappointed. A movie filled with one-liners, the story was lame and boring.

• vieras e

  
  Looked good, felt inane.

• Gordon A

  
  Bland, anodyne Sin City wannabee which tries to jump on the graphic novel cartoon superhero bandwagon but slips and falls on its face. No invention, humour or wit. Avoid.

• Dean M

  
  Director-writer Frank Miller, best known for his graphic novels turned movies, shot in the same striking monochrome-with-a-dash-of-red style that distingusihed <i>Sin City</i> is little impressive and followed the familiar scenes from his comic book he created. Gabriel… More
  Director-writer Frank Miller, best known for his graphic novels turned movies, shot in the same striking monochrome-with-a-dash-of-red style that distingusihed <i>Sin City</i> is little impressive and followed the familiar scenes from his comic book he created. Gabriel Macht is a trench-coat cipher whose manner evokes "fancy dress gangster party" (is he wearning Nikes?) rather than tortured vigilante soul. What presence there is comes from Eva Mendes's femme fatale sand Saref, who gets the movie's one good line ("Shut up and breed"), Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson. The latter's in Johansson's element portraying a nurse's costume or watching vacantly as Jackson, complete with SS outfit, cane and monocle, rambles an unprompted Nazi tirade that might have been lifted from <i>The Black Gestapo</i>.

• Mason W

  
  The Spirit starring Evan Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson is another black, gritty action/drama like Sin City. A man that was once living is now roaming the streets of his fair city to now protect it amongst the most evil villains named the Spirit. He meets gis arch enemy… More
  The Spirit starring Evan Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson is another black, gritty action/drama like Sin City. A man that was once living is now roaming the streets of his fair city to now protect it amongst the most evil villains named the Spirit. He meets gis arch enemy and try to take him out but then also find many razy action scenes.....if you were a fan of Sin City then you should like this.

• A.D. V

  
  I was expecting it to be visually striking. And it was. I was expecting it to be violent. And it was kinda. But I was not expecting it to be a comedy although some would find that to be subjective. Its humor is all over ranging from slapstick to black which ultimately is its undoing… More
  I was expecting it to be visually striking. And it was. I was expecting it to be violent. And it was kinda. But I was not expecting it to be a comedy although some would find that to be subjective. Its humor is all over ranging from slapstick to black which ultimately is its undoing otherwise it coulda been great. All in all a fun, goofy, noir-ish comic book movie. <a href="http://s85.photobucket.com/albums/k49/advee/?action=view&current=eyesspirit.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k49/advee/eyesspirit.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

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