Europe.
A woman called Nadya (Violante Placindo) and her son, Danny (Fergus Riordan), are attacked by a team of mercenaries led by Nadya's ex-boyfriend Billy Ray Carrigan (Johnny Withworth). Nadya and Danny were being protected by the Order of Michael, the Warrior Angel, but they are all killed by Carrigan's men, forcing Nadya and Danny to escape on their own.
Knowing this, Moreau (Idris Elba), an alcoholic member of the Order of Michael, tracks down former motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage). Blaze sold his soul to the Devil (Cierán Hinds) to cure his father's cancer, but the Devil - using the identity of Mephistopholes - later caused Johnny's father's death. Johnny's soul was then merged to Zarathos, a fallen angel. Every time Johnny spins a coin with an eagle in one side and a coyote on the other, the coyote side will fall up and Johnny will be transformed in the Ghost Rider, an Spirit of Vengeance that punishes sinners and sends their souls to Hell to burn for all eternity. Moreau attempts to convince Johnny to protect Nadya and Danny in exchange for the secret of how to control Zarathos, but Johnny refuses.
Meanwhile, Nadya and Danny are ambushed by Carrigan on the road. They kidnapp Danny and prepare to kill Nadya when Johnny feels them and transforms into the Ghost Rider, attacking Carrigan and his men and killing some of them before Carrigan escapes with Danny after firing a missile against the Ghost Rider. The Ghost Rider transforms back into Johnny, who goes to a hospital to treat his wounds. Nadya, who was left behind by Carrigan badly beaten, is found by the police and also taken to the hospital. She recognizes Johnny and asks for his help. He refuses at first, but then relents and takes her to see Moreau.
Nadya tells Johnny that, back when her and Carrigan were together, they sold drugs. One day, she was shot by a rival dealer and left to die by Carrigan. The Devil, using the identity of a man named Roark, then appeared to her and offered to save her if, in exchange, she had his child. She accepted and, nine months later, Danny was born. Johnny is surprised and decides to take Nadya to see Moreau. Knowing this, Roark sends coyotes to attack the monastery and kill Moreau, but Johnny is able to fend them off.
Meanwhile, Danny is taken by Carrigan, who was hired by Roark, to a place where they'll meet so Roark can pick up Danny. However, the boy, who has supernatural powers due to his bloodline, manages to cause Carrigan's SUV to crash, killing a few others of his men. Carrigan and his surviving goons then retreat to a abandoned gas station to purchase some more guns from a russian dealer in order to fight the Ghost Rider, that is coming for them.
At the monastery, Moreau tells Johnny that he is not the first one tricked by Roark into becoming the Ghost Rider. He also tells them that Roark's powers are limited on Earth, but, if he posseses the body of a hybrid on a particular day - that happens to be the day of Danny's birthday as well - he'd be able to condemn the souls of the entire Human race. Johnny and Nadya then set to rescue Danny by visiting Cono, the drug dealer that provided the rocket launchers to Carrigan. Cono tells them where Carrigan is hidden and they head there. In the process, Johnny is told by Moreau that he can control the Ghost Rider if he has faith in himself.
Johnny and Nadya arrive at Carrigan's safe house and the Ghost Rider emergers, killing all of Carrigan's and the russian's men. Finally, he leaves Carrigan to burn to death in a fire. Nadya rescues Danny, but the Ghost Rider attempts to punish her as well for having the Devil's offspring. Danny protects her mother and, in the process, he discovers that he has an evil side that is being awakened slowly, and that it is so powerful it can control Zarathos. Johnny goes back to normal and takes Nadya and Danny back to the monastery.
Meanwhile, Roark finds Carrigan and uses his powers to transform him into Blackout, a supernatural creature that can drain anything's life force with a simple touch. Blackout makes his way to the monastery, where Johnny, Nadya, Danny and Moreau are betrayed by some members of the Order, who attempt to kill Danny in order to ensure that Roark won't possess his body. The sacrifice is stopped by the Ghost Rider, whom Johnny is finally being able to control. In order to defeat it, the monks use a sacred mirror to exorcise Zarathos, releasing Johnny from it. Blackout then appears, kills the remaining monks and kidnapps Danny, leaving Nadya, Moreau and Johnny behind.
Blackout takes Danny to Roark, that convinces the boy to join him. In order to stop Roark from reaching the Eagle's Nest - a temple where he'll make the soul transfer - Johnny asks Moreau to bind his soul to Zarathos once more, despite the fact that being released from the curse is what he wanted the most. Moreau does so and the Ghost Rider, now fully controlled by Johnny, returns and makes its way to the temple alongside Moreau and Nadya.
At the Eagle's Nest, Roark begins transfering his soul to Danny's body. Moreau, Nadya and the Ghost Rider arrive, but are attacked by Blackout, that throws Moreau off a cliff and forces the Ghost Rider back to Johnny's body. Nadya attempts to make her way to the Eagle's Nest and save Danny, but Roark has completelly hipnotized the boy, blocking the door. Blackout grabs Nadya and kills her. Johnny sees this and attacks Blackout, luring him to the nearby woods.
There, Blackout grabs Johnny and starts killing him when Johnny reveals his plan: Blackout's decay aura has afected the surrouding trees, that held massive stone boulders. The trees crack and the boulders fall on Blackout, crushing him to death. Johnny gets back up and enters the Church. He's weakned by Blackout's touch and can't summon the Ghost Rider. But he urges to Danny, saying that his mother died so he could live as a human. Danny, half-possesed, registers this and jumpstarts the Ghost Rider's power.
The Ghost Rider throws the decaying body of Roark inside the Gates of Hell and uses his chain to close it. The Eagle's Nest reverts back to what it used to be: A Holy Church. On fire. The Ghost Rider takes Danny out, and, outside, they meet Moreau, who managed to stop the fall by craving his sword into the stone and climbing the mountain.
Suddenly, Danny changes. Roark manage to transfer a part of his evil essence to the boy's body. It controls Danny's power, attacking the Ghost Rider, but Moreau reminds him that holy ground exorcises Roark. With Johnny's help, Danny takes back control of his body and walks into the flaming church, ejecting Roark's seed from himself. Cleasing his spirit.
Johnny, Danny and Moreau bury Nadya. Johnny takes Moreau and Danny back to the monastery, where Danny is accepted among the monks and starts his training to learn how to control his powers. Johnny says that Rourke is not gone. He can never be gone. But now he's weak. And when he tries to strike again, Johnny will be there to stop him. Not only him, but also the Spirit of Vengeance within. The Ghost Rider.
Before riding off into the sunset, Johnny gives Danny his coin. He doesn't need it anymore. Danny decides to give it a spin as he watches Johnny leave.
It lands on eagle.
THE END.
.It is hosted by Harry Knowles of the Ain't it Cool News website in celebration of his birthday. This mini-festival shows 24 hours of vintage films as well as premieres. The marathon is invite-only via an application process. Competition to get in is fierce, as 10,000 or more applicants attempt to gain one of the approximately 200 seats. This system was put into place to ensure that only die-hard film fans would be in attendance as well as to be fair, as attendance is limited to the seating capacity of the Alamo Drafthouse.
