Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10639 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-05-25
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 102 minutes

Synopsis
Based on Will Eisner's classic 1940s and '50s comic series and written and directed by his acolyte Frank Miller, THE SPIRIT follows the adventures of the crimefighter of the title (Gabriel Macht), a former cop mysteriously brought back from the dead. Hiding his identity as Denny Colt behind a mask and a fedora, the Spirit, now seemingly indestructible, protects his beloved Central City from his mortal enemy, the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson), while contending with the many women in his life, including the doting Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson) and the dangerous Sand Seref (Eva Mendes).


Credited with co-helming the film adaptation of his renowned SIN CITY comics (with Robert Rodriguez), Miller turns to one of his primary influences for his solo directorial debut. Not surprisingly, he uses the hyper-stylized SIN CITY look as a template for THE SPIRIT, allowing Eisner's pulpy vintage aesthetic to merge with SIN CITY's gritty atmosphere. Macht is well cast as the brooding Spirit, who has a habit of talking to himself at length, while Jackson gleefully chews scenery and burns through costume changes as the quirky, egg-obsessed Octopus. Although Paulson, Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, and others are largely relegated to "Bond girl" status, they play their roles with declarative verve, making THE SPIRIT an enjoyably campy addition to the pantheon of comic-book movies.

Customer Reviews

Idiosyncratic cinema on an incomparable Blu-Ray Disc
Save the best for first: in pure sound and vision terms this is the greatest Blu-Ray produced to date. The picture quality shows sharpness, depth and contrasts above and beyond "The Dark Knight", "Casino Royale" and, in my eyes, even "Sin City". The sound quality is also in a class of its own: DTS HD Master Audio 7.1! The first BD I've come across with this quality, edging out X-Men 3's 6.1 effort for multi-channel HD class. I think most home cinema fetishists will have to buy this disc, whatever they think of the film.

The film is good, but very much an acquired taste. Contrary to many reports I had read in magazines and on the net "The Spirit" is free of bad acting, but the director has chosen and accomplished a very camp, tongue-in-cheek style for his mid 20th century heroes, and this sure as hell looks like bad acting until you size up the film's specific gravity. It is a film that takes neither itself nor the superhero genre seriously, endlessly self-parodying and always aware of the most typical cliches and how to play with them. If you just want a good superhero/comic-book flick, you may very well hate this and find it truly annoying. But if your sense of humour is generous enough you will find a lot of laughs in this film, and yet still a fair amount of the compelling and gripping; just know that the film will always let go of that grip and laugh as you fall a moment later.

As another reviewer on here states, an open mind is the key. Perhaps rent it first, if you can, it will not please everyone. But it is an entertaining and original film, think of it as a Charles Hawtrey to Sid James's "Sin City". And for anyone who lays great weight on picture and audio quality, it is a revelationary sensory experience. Great value too at the moment. Enjoy.

Don't jump on the bandwagon
Clear your mind of all negative press regarding this film. Watch it with a fresh, unexpecting influence free perspective. If you can do that, and truely watch this film without negative intentions in your head, it is a masterpiece. I was all ready to hate it, and sorely disspointed to be presented with a film that I simply cannot stop thinking about. Sin city doesn't even deserve a place in my heart anymore. Simply beautiful.

Great film!
After all the bad reviews I'd read, I expected a really awful film. Thankfully I was surprised to find out that The Spirit is actually amazing, and a real gem. Its unique approach and 21st century injection into a classic graphic novel work wonders and provide the less-than-stellar Samuel L Jackson with a role that suits his mediocrity. Expect a replica of the dark sinister world of Sin City and you'll be disappointed. Have an open mind and expect a few laughs in between some amazing style and you'll love The Spirit!