The Spirit of Mediocrity

[rating:2/10]

Frank Miller is a genius in his medium. As a graphic novelist, he has written many of the best stories ever told in a comic book. Adaptations of his novels have produced some of this decade’s best action movies, notably Sin City, Batman Begins (based on Batman: Year One), and 300. As a producer and consultant, he has helped in ensuring the retellings of his classic tales have been stellar. Unfortunately, as a director of the film adaptation of Will Eisner’s The Spirit, Mr. Miller comes up quite short.

Marketed as a Sin City-esque stylized action flick, The Spirit lacks the character development and strong plot that could legitimize any comparisons to the first installment of the Sin City series. Not only is the film not comparable in its quality, but it is not a film created in the same genre. The Spirit is film-noir with a Frank Miller flair: an old school detective movie with the additions of big budget effects and extreme stylizing. The look and feel of the movie scream Sin City, but that’s where all similarities cease.

There are some positive things to say about the film, so I can’t just leave them out… firstly, Sammy J plays a fantastic villain as “The Octopus”. Scarlett Johansson is a fantastic sidekick to Jackson, as well. In fact, the movie, as whole, is quite well acted. It may simply be fair to say that this movie is a good example of the old belief that great actors can’t save a bad script.

I have never read Will Eisner’s original material and thanks to this weak film, I don’t intend to.

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~ by thepaintedman on April 16, 2009.