GHOST RIDER
US, 2007, 114 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendez, Sam Elliott, Peter Fonda, Donal Logue, Wes Bentley, Matt Long, Raquel Alessi.
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson.
Every so often a film appears (usually from the United States, although the Mad Max series from Australia had a worldwide impact in the 1980s) that gets the popular commentators talking about the links between spirituality, religion and cinema. It happened in the late 1990s with The Matrix. Even classical directors like Poland’s Krzysztof Zanussi declared that everybody should see The Matrix for its philosophical/transcendent dimensions. The two sequels reinforced this opinion, especially with the range of references to religious traditions and mythologies, including Christianity. Neo was the One, a saviour who died and rose again and was loved back into life…
While not recommending Ghost Rider to all but the stalwart fans of films based on comic books, especially the Marvel comics, Superman, X- Men and Daredevil, it must be said that there is a lot of religious language and symbolism here that might well offer discussion points for younger audiences, as well as adults, who like to see the links between spiritual values and the movies.
Ghost Rider has been filmed by Mark Steven Johnson (who made Daredevil, a moderately successful venture but one which also had Catholic resonances) and no effort has been spared with top of the range special effects and computer work. Since the hero rides a motor bike, the effects enhance his carnival leaps through fire, over vehicles and helicopters. When he becomes the Ghost Rider (a superhuman being topped with an immense burning skull) his bike is aflame, leaving fire trails, not dust, in its wake. Ghost Rider is strong on contemporary thrills. (It should be added that its US box-office opening weekend in February 2007 was over $44,000.000, a sum which many contemporary films struggle to reach in total.)
Ghost Rider is a pop version of the Faust story. Mephistopheles appears in the form of the icon of bike riders, Easy Rider’s Peter Fonda. He buys the soul of the teenage stunt rider John Blaze (who grows up into Nicolas Cage) in exchange for his father’s recovery from terminal cancer. Needless to say, John does not realise what he is doing. And his motives were kind. Mephistopheles, however, puts him on hold until he is an adult in order to do the devil’s work.
Meantime, the son of Mephistopheles (a malevolent Wes Bentley) is doing a Lucifer turn and raising demons to help him take over the world. As he absorbs the souls of these damned, he says, ‘My name is Legion for we are many’. It is time for John to follow in the footsteps of a legend of the American west, that of the Ghost Rider who defied Mephistopheles and stole his contract for the whole population of a town.
Already, the film raises issues of good and evil, the devil and hell and selling one’s soul – though John realises that the devil has bought his soul, ‘but not my spirit’. There is a lot of talk about God giving people second chances especially if their motivations were good.
One sequence that is religiously arresting is the Ghost Rider’s saving a young woman from a mugger. He judges that the man is evil and, gazing into this man’s eyes with his own fiery skull, he enables the sinner to see and experience all the hurt he has inflicted on innocent people. This look is referred to as ‘The Penance Gaze’. It is a flame-filled purgatorial experience – and would be useful in discussions as an image of the need for purgation and atonement which we call Purgatory. Eventually, Black Heart (Mephistopheles’ son) also experiences this purging but opts for Hell.
All of this is narrated solemnly by that rugged icon of so many westerns, Sam Elliott. Here, he plays the Caretaker of a cemetery (with cross on a chain) who explains to John and to us the role of legends: that we interpret and understand events that are beyond us through legend. He himself is part of the legend and there is a dramatic journey with the caretaker and John riding fiery horses and bikes to their destiny.
Eva Mendes is a TV reporter of the more proactive Lois Lane variety.
There is quite a deal more explicit religious language and references to the Gospels. The first Vatican Council is not quoted so often these years. However, it suggested back in pre-cinema days that to understand revelation and the teaching of the Church, one of the most important means was by way of analogies. They may not have had analogies like Ghost Rider in mind. But, in the context of popular culture, they work.
1.The popularity of Marvel Comics over the decades? The cinema adaptations over the 1990s and the beginning of the 21st century?
2.The popularity of the genre, the various conventions, heroes and their superpowers, their human situations, the conflict between good and evil, their being solo heroes – and their love for women but not dependent on them? A sense of mission?
3.Filmed in Australia, standing in for Texas, the look of the west, the carnival? Melbourne standing in for the American city? The musical score?
4.The special effects, the stunt work, the bikes and the stunts, the flaming head, the use of fire, the scenes of souls being killed, swarming?
5.The Caretaker and his narration, his explanation of the legend of the Ghost Rider, legends and the truth? Interpretations and stories? The rider, his being Carter? The role of the Devil, the contract, the town and the selling of the souls to the Devil? Carter taking the contract and hiding it? His caretaking the cemetery? The 21st century, Carter and his last chance? Revenge of the Devil?
6.John and Roxanne, young, age, love, their plans, the scenes together? John and his father, riding in the carnival, their success? John showing off for Roxanne? His discovering his father’s cancer?
7.The appearance of Mephistopheles, Peter Fonda, the echoes of Easy Rider? The pleasant tone of Mephistopheles, the proposal, the contract, John being young, agreeing, his kind motives to help his father? Mephistopheles’ treatment? His father getting well, but dying the next day in the crash? The Devil leaving John alone? His going from the town, leaving Roxanne behind?
8.The transition to the adult John, Nicolas Cage in the role? Mack as his assistant? The team, the carnival work, the bikes? His success, the various events, going over the trucks and cars, planning to jump over the helicopter? The risks, the interview with Roxanne, his being inarticulate with her?
9.His impulsive doing the trick, success, getting his bike and chasing Roxanne, the plan to meet her? Her work with her cameraman, in the car, the chase? The effect on Roxanne of meeting John again?
10.John and Mephistopheles, his arrival, his making new demands, Blackheart being his son, Blackheart and his revolt against his father? John taking refuge and sanctuary at the cemetery, in the church, with the Caretaker? His being transformed to do the Devil’s work, the fiery skull, the fiery bike? Going out at night, the confrontation with the mugger? The Penance Gaze? The mugger and his seeing all his sins and hurting of innocents in the fire? John and his pursuing the criminals, destroying them? The devil supporters of Blackheart?
11.The next morning, going back to himself, the explanations, the Caretaker and his care? The books, the research? Roxanne, the clash with her? Walking along the street which had been wrecked by his fiery bike?
12.Blackheart, his appearance, style, type, clothes? His plan to overcome the world? His raising the various ghosts? Wanting the contract? The confrontation with John? The various people killed – Black frozen?
13.The police, Roxanne and the interview, the girl who had been attacked by the mugger? The police arresting John? His getting out? His telling the truth to Roxanne, transforming before her eyes? The pursuit of the devils, the fiery bike going up the wall? The confrontation with Blackheart?
14.The Caretaker and his story, the decision to ride, the story of the souls, the fiery horse and the fiery bike? The battle? Roxanne shooting Blackheart?
15.John and his leaving Roxanne, his love for her, going on a lone mission, her understanding?
16.The final explanations by the Caretaker of the nature of myths and truth?
17.The religious language used throughout the film, the reference to Heaven and Hell, to the Devil, selling one’s soul, John’s distinction between his soul and his spirit? The purgatorial experiences of those who saw their evil in the fire? Blackheart seeing his evil in the fire? The battle between good and evil and the continued mission of the lone Ghost Rider?
