THE SPIRIT is the latest comic book adaptation to hit the big screen. Directed by Frank Miller, the film follows the same artistic direction as Sin City, using bold graphics and colour blocks causing it to appear as an animated comic strip.
The success of this film lies in its looks. It is stylish, bringing the genre to a new level of sophistication. Not only this, but the quota of beautiful women falling for the Spirit is quite high. Eva Mendes smoulders as the fatal Sand Saref, Sarah Paulson is the pretty blonde Dr Ellen Dolan, Stana Katic is the eager police rookie, and Scarlett Johansson plays the ultimate sarcastic side-kick, all with some interesting costumes to boot. There can be no denying that this film is visually spectacular.
Once you get your head round the visuals, however, the film is somewhat lacking. Lacking sensible dialogue, any character development, a feasible plot…One minute we have the Spirit battling his nemesis on a mud flat, the next we are trying to follow the half-baked attempt at a plot that is the finding of the blood of Heracles. All for little, or no, purpose it would seem.
On the other hand, this film does have everything a comic book geek could ever want. There is a Samurai scene, there are Nazi dentists, there are the clones, there is gratuitous and, often hilarious, violence, there are the gorgeous babes. Heck, there is even Samuel L. Jackson thrown into the mix. Will Eisner and Frank Miller knew their demographic well when they came up with this heady cocktail of a film.
Samuel L. Jackson plays the Octopus, the evil nemesis of the Spirit. His character is, by some way, the best thing about this film. He is everything a comic book enemy should be: insane, evil, and out for world domination using the most difficult methods possible. The Octopus and his assistant, Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson), tease and tempt the Spirit into their lair where, dressed as Nazis and under a giant Swastika, they subject him to ridiculous monologues about free-range eggs, genetics and dissolving kittens. All the issues with plot and dialogue become unimportant once Samuel L. is on the screen.
And that is how this film must be viewed. If you want to enjoy this, you cannot concern yourself with anything important. Even the cast seem to be having a ball, as they deliver their lines in sarcastic tones and run around in ludicrous costumes fighting, or seducing, one another. The only aspect of this film that is worth any critical acclaim is the artistic direction. But please, don’t let that worry you. Enjoy the ride, and you will not be disappointed.
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