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| This one's for me. |
The film that shall not be named really broke me yesterday. I wasn't sure I could stomach something as bad as that again (not that there is anything remotely that bad in existence) So, today I took it a little easier on myself. So today I watched a movie I have always loved, that I have been defending since I stepped out of the theater with my father and brother in 2008, Frank Miller's The Spirit
The movie follows Denny Colt/The Spirit (Gabriel Macht) an immortal(?) Invulnerable (?) noir detective (!) who is in a never ending war against The Octopus (Samuel L Jackson) an also immortal/invulnerable occult-obsessed-crime-kingpin-fashionista, who in each and every scene wears a new and ridiculous outfit. We see Jackson in an SS. uniform, a mad scientist number, samurai armor, like for real? if you love movies staring Cher or Madonna for the outfits this movie is for you.
The Spirit narrates the film in the "batman" voice, we've all grown to know and mock. But this one is heightened to a point of absurdity, and that's the very point. Do not go into this movie looking for logic, it's not there. Look for style, of which it has plenty,(it's entirely shot in that semi black and white that 300 and Sin City perfected) and I bet you'll be surprised by how much fun this movie really is.
The story is simple, The Spirit is trying to take the Octopus down, but both are immortal so they'll do this forever. We learn later in the film, that the Octopus used the Golden Fleece to turn both he and The Spirit (then Denny Colt) into the death resistant beings they are today, but now The Octopus is looking for the blood of Hercules to turn himself into a more powerful being so he can finally be rid of the Spirit.
Simple might have been a lie. However the plot isn't important, whats important is the feel. This is as close to a film "mood piece" as I've ever seen. The grim and grit of noir is turned on it's head and examined with a microscope finding humor in odd places. An example of this is the cloned henchmen (Louis Lombardi) What would have been a dark and twisted science experiment in a proper noir is played for cartoonish laughs. Maybe that doesn't always work, but it's brave as hell.
And that's one of the things I love about this movie: it is brave as all get out. The story is ridiculous, but no actor seems to be sleeping through it. The style is bloated and some would say hackneyed, but it's being done by the guy that invented the form. The acting is hammy, but that's how you act in a noir. People are so ready to dismiss things that don't adhere to realism. Acting doesn't have to be one thing. Samuel L. Jackson is a straight up cartoon character in this movie, but what else should he do? Do you want a grounded and self serious portrayal of a nazi obsessed with greek myths and samuari culture? Just because something doesn't adhere to the same rules as everything around it doesn't make it bad, it makes it unique. And the Spirit is one of the most unique movies out there.
Should I watch this? YES! I love this movie. I can't promise you'll love it, but I can promise you'll remember it.
Where can I watch this movie? Rental on Amazon
thanks for reading guys. I'm really enjoying these. Shout out to Nick Canon, to whom this movie is very important to our friendship. Comment below if you have ideas about what I should watch this weekend!
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