Ghost Rider (Rifftrax Presents)

Film Year:  2007
Genre:  Superhero, Action, Horror
Director:  Mark Steven Johnson
Starring:  Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley, Sam Elliot, Donal Logue, Peter Fonda
Rifftrax Year:  2009
Riffers:  Blame Society (Aaron Yonda, Matt Sloan, Nicolas Kage AKA Jason Stevens)

The Movie

*I HAVE SURVIVED WATCHING THIS MOVIE UNRIFFED*

I was one of the few people who really liked the Daredevil movie.  While the film had a few flaws I could name off the top of my head, the hatred leveled at it always seemed like a pure hyperbole bandwagon.  The movie has a lot of great stuff in it, but it's buried in a clunky visual execution.  I've watched it many times over the years and I only find myself becoming more fond of it.

So by 2007 I was very willing to see what Daredevil director Mark Steven Johnson had cooked up for Ghost Rider.  It was a very dismaying experience.  Ghost Rider deserves every word of hate leveled at it.

Based on the Marvel comic, Ghost Rider stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a stuntman who sold his soul to the Devil (humorously enough played by Easy Rider star Peter Fonda) through deception.  In return his services are kept on demand by Satan as a bounty hunter to hunt down escapees from Hell.  When the son of the Devil, Blackheart (Wes Bentley, in a slightly more dignified role than The Hunger Games), escapes Hell to conquer the world, the Dark Lord becomes jealous and demands he return.  Ghost Rider is called upon to chase down Blackheart, all the while he tries to woo Eva Mendes.  Because of course he would.  Who isn't trying to woo Eva Mendes?

The most disappointing thing about Ghost Rider for me is that for an action movie there is very little action in it.  Most big spectacle scenes with lots of effects pumped into them usually involve Ghost Rider pointing at the enemy, screaming, then staring at them to death.  Every once in a while he'll swing his chain around, but it doesn't really do much with it.  The only real satisfying Ghost Rider setpiece in the film is a chase scene between Ghost Rider and the cops, in which we get to see him ride his crazy flaming motorcycle.

Outside of the superheroics, the film tries an odd combo tone between romantic comedy, neo-western, and horror.  While the genre mash-up is commendable, the result gives us actors who all feel like they're acting in totally separate movies than the other.  Performances are hammy all over the place and none of them seem to work with each other.  Nicolas Cage, for once in his life, is actually the most subdued person here.  This is something he would correct in the much maligned sequel, Ghost Rider:  Spirit of Vengeance.  But say what you will about that trashy film, it's much more fun to watch than this one.

Ghost Rider is still one of the most disappointing superhero films I've ever seen in a theater.  Every time someone states how something like Spider-Man 3 or Batman v Superman:  Dawn of Justice is the worst superhero movie they've ever seen, I just smile and nod while thinking to myself "You lucky bastard."

Though for the record, the worst superhero movie ever made is The Crow:  Wicked Prayer.  I don't care how much the latest blockbuster nerdraged you, this is indisputable in my opinion.

The Riff

Ghost Rider is an immensely riffable movie, so I'm overjoyed that there is a riff out there for it.  I'm not overly familiar with Blame Society and this the first time I've listened to a riff by them.  I know they've also done a riff for The Running Man, and between that film and Ghost Rider I can safely say they have great taste in riff targets.  It's a shame I didn't really find this riff very funny.

Most of the riffs range between safe and awkward.  There are a lot jokes that feel like first draft material, as if these are just initial reactions to the movie while palling around and getting drunk.  Occasionally it goes off into a run-on ramble, which they seem to overestimate how funny their bit is but dammit they're committed to it!  It's not all dull material, as there are a few bits that made me laugh, such as a scene where Nicolas Cage tries to transform in a mirror that actually made me laugh quite a bit.

Strangely enough some of the best stuff in this riff comes from their guest riffer, Nicolas Kage, who is a Nicolas Cage impressionist pretending to actually be the actor.  It's not smooth sailing for this bit, as he sounds like a really bad Jimmy Stewart impressionist attempting a Nicolas Cage impression, but the idea of them inviting "Nicolas Cage" to comment on the movie an ask him questions about it is sound, a lot like the "Rick Sloane" interview in the Hobgoblins MST episode.  Not everything Kage says is a winner, but the portrayal of him as quite dim and confused tickled me at least a little bit.

But even though little moments made me laugh, I can't really recommend this one.  It's mostly a drag and not very amusing.  If the idea of a fake Nicolas Cage commenting on this movie sounds funny to you then maybe give it a shot, because that's easily the highlight.  Unfortunately I don't see myself revisiting this at any point in the future.

Not Recommended