ll 1/4
Starring Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner, Billy Burke, David Morse, Charlotte Ross and Tom Atkins. Directed by Patrick Lussier.
This is the slightly more attractive cousin of Ghost Rider. It embraces its absurdity better. It's by no means good; it's gleefully executed grindhouse drive-in junk food.
Nicolas Cage is Milton (get it?), a father who has escaped hell and now drives a fast car shooting up bad guys, and hot on his trail is a demon known only as The Accountant (William Fichtner). Milton's daughter was killed by a satanic cult and they plan to sacrifice his granddaughter. The plot's there as an excuse to set up several fellers to line up and get killed at interesting angles, preferrably so that blood and /or body parts can fly toward the screen (in 3-D!)
Cage's crazy performance matches his bleached hairpiece. Fichtner is the most fun to watch, an all-powerful guy who can maim with a finger. He has the cockiness of someone who, well, knows he's immortal standing in front of this here green-screen. Billy Burke is the cult leader, doing the pure-evil thing as a break from playing dear-old-dad in the Twilight movies. I should also point out David Morse shows up as an old friend named Webster. Could practically feel the screenwriter elbowing me in the ribs when his name's revealed.
Tons of bullets fly in this film, and they made ghastly splooshing sounds when they hit their targets and rip through flesh. The special-effects are hit-and-miss, some of it likely due to the 3D-ness. And now Cage has Ghost Rider 2 coming. What a world. But if crazy Cage sounds like your cup of tea, why the heck are drinking such tea? Try orange juice.
No comments:
Post a Comment