Ghost Rider

As far as comic book-inspired movies are concerned, "Ghost Rider" isn't quite as bad as "Elektra" or "The Punisher," which were certainly the worst of the recent lot.

But it's a far cry from "Batman Begins," the "Spider-Man" movies and Bryan Singer's "X-Men" films, which have set the bar pretty high for everything that's followed.

This supernatural action/thriller can't decide whether it wants to go for laughs or chills, and some of the supposedly chilling moments are the silliest and most laughable ones.

Speaking of laughable, it's hard to take star Nicolas Cage seriously. He plays Johnny Blaze, a motorcycle stunt rider who sold his soul to Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda).

Johnny had hoped the deal would save his father's life. But Pops died and now the devil has come to collect on the younger Blaze's "debt." Instead of consigning him to hell, though, the Lord of Darkness turns Johnny into a blazing, skull-headed, motorcycle-riding spirit of vengeance.

And as this Ghost Rider, Johnny is supposed to stop Blackheart (Wes Bentley), the rebellious son of Mephistopheles, who wants to create hell on Earth.

The CGI-heavy transformation sequences are done pretty well, but screenwriter/director Mark Steven Johnson's attempts at character drama are pretty clunky.

In particular, the romance between Cage's Blaze and his childhood sweetheart, Roxanne (Eva Mendes), doesn't work. (There's a definite lack of chemistry between the two actors. Strangely, Matt Long and Raquel Alessi — who play the younger versions of their characters — don't have that problem.)

Still, Sam Elliott is a welcome presence, even if his all-knowing narration sounds eerily similar to the one he did in the Coen brothers' "The Big Lebowski."

"Ghost Rider" is rated PG-13 for violence and disturbing violent imagery (automotive mayhem, shootings, demonic attacks and violence against women), scattered profanity, brief gore, and vulgar slang and gestures. Running time: 110 minutes.

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