DVD Review: Frank Miller's The Spirit Entertains But Falls Short of Greatness

For those outside of the oft-maligned geekdom that is the world of comic books, the name of Frank Miller is no more recognizable than name of the bagger at the corner grocery store. Those in the know, however, recognize Miller as one of the masters in a medium that has a significant influence on popular culture. He is a brilliant artist and storyteller able to animate and give depth to characters in a form that is inherently resistant is nothing short of genius.

It should come then as no surprise that when Hollywood finally gave him the keys to an entire film – directing and writing responsibilities – it would be the project of bringing the Spirit to life, a comic hero of unique complexity that was the creation of Miller’s mentor and fellow comic hall of famer, Will Eisner. What Miller brings to the screen in The Spirit (releasing April 14 on DVD and Blu-ray) is a near-perfect representation on film of both Miller’s distinctive visual style and the comic book form.

The Spirit (Gabriel Macht, Because I Said So, The Good Shepherd) is the assumed moniker of Denny Colt, who was shot down in the line of duty, died, and was brought back to life by a compound created by a criminal mastermind called the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson, Kill Bill, Star Wars Episodes I-III, Pulp Fiction). The Octopus’ procedure gives Denny Colt powers of regeneration rendering him effectively invulnerable, but having been laid to rest he makes the decision to hide his identity and become the spirit of his hometown, Central City. Observing that his compound was successful, the Octopus undergoes the procedure and a hero/villain relationship is born. For the record, invulnerable enemies make for intensely cataclysmic but non-conclusive battle sequences.

Aiding the Spirit are Police Commissioner Dolan (Dan Lauria, The Wonder Years) and Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson, Down with Love), the commissioner’s daughter and physician who both patches up the Spirit and pines for his affection. Assisting the Octopus is Silken Floss (Scarlett Johannson, Lost in Translation, The Nanny Diaries), hyper-organized and patiently malevolent in contrast to the impulsive madness of her benefactor. Together, Floss and the Octopus are scheming to obtain a case containing the blood of the Greek demi-god Heracles, the only substance that can correct genetic abnormalities that arose from imperfections in the procedure for which the Spirit and his nemesis owe their powers of regeneration. At this point, the story intersects with a character from the Spirit’s past, Sand Saref (Eva Mendes, Ghost Rider, Hitch) who possesses the blood of Heracles and will trade the item for something that she desires and which the Octopus possesses.

Article Author: Bryan Myrick

Bryan blogs regularly on politics, international relations and culture at Unequal Time, serves as the Seattle Conservative Politics Examiner at Examiner.com and you can find his work on a variety of other political sites, including Blogcritics. …

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