THE SPIRIT

(US, 2008, d. Frank Miller)

Intriguing.

Poor reviews and weak box-office in the US seemed to indicate that there was something wrong with this version of a comic book hero and villain. Maybe there is. However, this review is very favourable.

Not being a fan of Sin City, written by Frank Miller who co-directed with Robert Rodriguez - it was ugly and brutal in themes and treatment, and thinking that Zac Snyder's version of Miller's 300 was absurdly camp, I expected this to be as bizarre as the other films. Not so. While it has big guns blazing in exaggerated cartoonish style, it has no rough language to speak of (only the 'kick ass' variety). To that extent, it is more general audience friendly.

But, where it may not be general audience friendly is precisely where it is so interesting. If you want to see a cinematic experience of pop art, then The Spirit could be it.

Firstly the style - because that is what makes the immediate impact. It looks like a comic strip come to life (as did Sin City and 300). However, The Spirit has a more consistent and consistently interesting style. It is generally filmed in black and white and red. There are some blues now and again and some tints of green and grey, but the black and red is visually striking. The cityscapes and locations are stylised. So are the characters and their costumes with inventive lighting. They look and sound as if they are in a comic strip. You can imagine the bubble in the frame with the dialogue. Stunt work and effects are designed to create an urban unreality into which we are invited. Art students will be fascinated by The Spirit.

Secondly, the content.

One of the difficulties for those not in the know or fans of Will Eisner's creation is that we are plunged right into the action as this strange masked man, The Spirit, goes into action to protect the city (often rhapsodising about the city as his mother and his love and life commitment) which, in its turn, provides opportunities (manhole lids to deflect bullets) to protect him. The commissioner calls on him to help (he is a bit like Spiderman at times in helping people) but is always exasperated with him. He has a way with women which frustrates the commissioner's doctor daughter who is in love with him. His nemesis is an arch criminal called The Octopus. Neither seems to be affected by weapons and fighting which makes the proceedings more mysterious.

It is at about an hour into the film that we get a complete explanation of who The Spirit is, how he died and was resuscitated and how he has committed himself to serve the city. We also get an explanation of the megalomania of The Octopus and his plan to blend his DNA with that of Heracles(!) so that he can become both human and divine. Well! But intriguingly interesting.

Gabriel Macht is The Spirit, an ambiguous blend of the good, the heroic and the womanising charm. Samuel L. Jackson lets himself go as The Octopus while a rather straight-laced and bespectacled Scarlet Johansson is his assistant. Eva Mendes is on the side of good, generally. Sarah Paulson is the doctor. Paz Vega comes in to do an exotic Latin dance. Jaime King hovers as the spirit of death.

No, not essential viewing – unless you want to see a state of the art pop art movie.