Ghost Rider vs GR: Spirit of Vengeance

[the gael]

GR : SOV is clearly in improvement from the first one on every level, except on one : Peter Fonda's Mephisto was better than Ciarán Hinds Roarke / Devil, who was terrible.

 

[Matt Mortem]

I just watched the first GR and I can say without a doubt GR:SOV is better. Everything about the first GR was just bad. The CG was shoddy, the story was too light hearted, the villain was lackluster. While GR:SOV isn't without it's flaws (and they are certainly there) it is an improvement over the first.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

With no disrespect towards the team that made Ghost Rider (the first one), Spirit of Vengeance was a better portrayal, to me, of this character. While the first movie was a fun ride in itself (which I did enjoy), the lack of darkness rubbed me the wrong way in the end. Where that movie failed (and only slightly), Spirit of Vengeance did not. Ghost Rider in this 2nd incarnation was indeed darker, scarier and far more badass. That, I truly loved... and guess what folks? I didn't go to this movie to see Nic Cage or any other actor. I didn't even go to this movie to watch some incredible story written by a team of geniuses. I didn't go to this movie to see Blackout or the other baddies. I went to this movie to see Ghost Rider in all his flaming kick ass glory.

So, with that said, if I were to compare the two incarnations of this character... the 2nd beats out the 2007 version by a long shot and it's well worth watching on the big screen.

In some of the action scenes he did resemble Ghost Rider (motorcycle, saving innocent people, and chase scenes)..but when he was prancing around..doing weird en-vogue poses, screaming for no reason, floating in mid-air, and peeing fire...no..it was cool..but it's not Ghost Rider. In fact, again, this movie suffered some of the problems of the first...there just wasn't enough Ghost Rider epic action...no challenge for the hero, and no suspense whatsoever. In essence it was... well... bigassmessage.com/2489c

 

[Matt Mortem]

I also found the amount of damage he could take to be inconsistent in SOV. In the first encounter he was taken out by some bullets and an rifle mounted grenade launcher, but later he survived two javelin missiles.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Ghost Rider wasn't peeing fire. It was a joke he made to entertain and bond with the kid. The kid visualized it. That scene was actually very real to me and felt like a genuine moment. If it was GR doing that in any other way - it would have been off. But, the way it's done - through that kid - and Blaze just entertaining him. Something about that just seemed genuine.

 

[BigThor]

I also found the amount of damage he could take to be inconsistent in SOV. In the first encounter he was taken out by some bullets and an rifle mounted grenade launcher, but later he survived two javelin missiles.

Actually Ghost Rider was unfazed by the bullets, it was the two blasts from the grenades launchers that took him out.

 

[Matt Mortem]

Actually Ghost Rider was unfazed by the bullets, it was the two blasts from the grenades launchers that took him out.

Still, later in the film he took two Javelin Missiles with a smile. Just thought I'd point it out.

 

[BigThor]

Still, later in the film he took two Javelin Missiles with a smile. Just thought I'd point it out.

True, but he was stumbling after getting out of that crater and that was one of my favorite scenes in the movie even though it was pretty inconsistent.

 

[bullets]

GR SOV was a lot more enjoyable for me. I think Peter Fonda was a better satan but the sequel tops everything else.

 

[The Sarge]

I also found the amount of damage he could take to be inconsistent in SOV. In the first encounter he was taken out by some bullets and an rifle mounted grenade launcher, but later he survived two javelin missiles.

Doesn't compare to the first films best plot hole.
as Ghost Rider he takes hundreds of bullets, and it's no problem.
Then a dude stabs him with a knife, and when he turns back into Johnny Blaze he needs stitches because of it. . . .

 

[Spidey_62]

SOV is way better, I saw the first again on FX earlier and I could barely stomach it.

 

[FlameHead]

In some of the action scenes he did resemble Ghost Rider (motorcycle, saving innocent people, and chase scenes)..but when he was prancing around..doing weird en-vogue poses, screaming for no reason, floating in mid-air, and peeing fire...no..it was cool..but it's not Ghost Rider. In fact, again, this movie suffered some of the problems of the first...there just wasn't enough Ghost Rider epic action...no challenge for the hero, and no suspense whatsoever. In essence it was... well... bigassmessage.com/2489c

I kinda liked the weird ass **** he was doing. It was eerie in it's weirdness and what I liked most about Ghost Rider this go around was that he was at least scary.

As for challenges... our boy rarely had a challenge in the comics either. That's what's so awesome about him: He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. I'd be pissed if he had of really been loosing a battle at any point.

 

[BigThor]

As for challenges... our boy rarely had a challenge in the comics either. That's what's so awesome about him: He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. I'd be pissed if he had of really been loosing a battle at any point.

I agree, I like the fact that GR's pretty unstoppable and I didn't like Blaze getting hospitalized from those grenade launchers but shruggin off those javelin missiles later kinda on made up for it. t:

 

[Nathan]

Did this Movie have an epic battle at the end, or was it just as disappointing as GR1?

 

[BigThor]

Did this Movie have an epic battle at the end, or was it just as disappointing as GR1?

It depends on your definiton of "epic", but in my opinion it was pretty awesome and MUCH better than the final battle in GR1.

I'd give the fight about an "8", because it may not have been all that long but there were quite a few blows thrown and it truely was a fight to the death.

 

[bullets]

Did this Movie have an epic battle at the end, or was it just as disappointing as GR1?

There's plenty of action throughout so it sort of makes up for the end battle being short. Although I thought it was bad ass how he disposes of the villains.

 

[hellfiremaster]

My take...

So much better than the first one they should take away MSJ's director license. However since the first one sucked so bad, this movie just had to suck less, which it did.

Good:
I liked Cage in psycho mode.. worked well being tormented.
I liked the action, and kind of didn't mind the style of cinematography those guys use.

Bad:
Shot in Europe. Damn, GR has never been off the US and TWO movies shot in places that have nothing to do with the comic. Bring him home to NYC.
Jerky GR Cage.. Cage needed to act like GR was the baddest mo'fo in the world, not like he suffered seizures.
Story.. Goyer should sue these jacktards for putting his name in the credits
NOT DARK ENOUGH
Baddies easily dispatched again... the devil doesn't call some demon from hell at the end for protection??? WTF? Call Ghostbusters do something, gets thrown in the air, then goes to hell in a hole in one movement?
Satan... really? An old dude? C'mon.. you can be anything you want and you're this guy???

Had potential, but it got screwed up:
Scene in nightclub.... could have been a righteous soul cleansing..
GR CGI over actor.. Cage blew a golden opportunity, see above..
Comic interludes... good idea.. just done poorly...

Sony should let Rob Zombie do the next film and give him 150 mil budget... or let me do it.

HFM

 

[BigThor]

I wasn't a big fan of Ghost Rider's suddent head movements in this film, I think Ghost Rider's movements should be kind of slow and deliberate.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

I kinda liked the weird ass **** he was doing. It was eerie in it's weirdness and what I liked most about Ghost Rider this go around was that he was at least scary.

As for challenges... our boy rarely had a challenge in the comics either. That's what's so awesome about him: He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. I'd be pissed if he had of really been loosing a battle at any point.

Flamehead, yes he did. What about Zarathos vs GR near the end of the Midnight Sons arc? He lost. GR vs Switchblade, he lost that battle too. Blaze lost to Danny Ketch's SOV near the end of Aaron's run also.

Two GR's vs Zadkiel in Heaven, and they also lost. There were lots of ways to keep the pressure on Ghost Rider. I liked how Blackout was able to manipulate Danny in not releasing the SOV because he held hostage the remaining family members and friends. When GR let himself almost be destroyed by Ski's GR taskforce after the accidental death of one of the team members...there are ways at getting at Ghost Rider. Also, the Betrayals arc, where Ghost Rider's powers were fluctuating wildly because Danny was fighting for control of his life. Or when the Queen infected Danny and it was physically transforming Ghost Rider? In Way's run also, an angel and a demon made a deal for Blaze's soul, and they shot Blaze in the back of the head, killing him and sending him to hell..it took him a long time to get out.

There are lots of ways to give GR a challenge.

 

[BigThor]

^ Like I've already said several times, Johnny Blaze was nowhere near any of his family members or loved ones in the film so how was Blackout suppose to go after them?

Besides, I'm pretty sure Johnny Blaze was hospitalized after Ghost Rider was put out of comission by those grenade launchers, that sure sounds like a challenge to me.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

If they actually used the real character, instead of turning him into Blackheart version 2.0, things might have been different.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^Exactly, give me the first movie over this anyday, at least that was SOMEWHAT faithful to the origin story of GR and got both GR's and the villains powers correct.

 

[Nathan]

I still haven't watched this, but by the sounds of it, the sequel is at least fun to watch. GR1 was stupid and a bore. This can only be an improvement, even if they are not faithful to the comic.

 

[BigThor]

All they did was give Blackout "decay" powers in this film which are clearly a cool addition to his abilities, geez some people take comicbook faithfulness too far.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

All they did was give Blackout "decay" powers in this film which are clearly a cool addition to his abilities, geez some people take comicbook faithfulness too far.

Blackout couldnt make it dark in the middle of the day, unless they were in a dark place with lights on inside. So that was another stupid addition to his powers. He was never human either, he was born a vampire and had fangs and was generally an amazing villain in the comics.

Sorry but what we got in the movie was garbage, when compared to the comics, so in this reagrd, faithfulness would have improved the movie, not "taken it too far."