The Spirit

OVERALL: Could have been better but still fun. Had one of the most memorable scenes ever. Eva Mendes, as villain Sand Saref, and Scarlett Johansson as villain from another camp, Silken Floss, have my favorite pass the Bechdel Test scene EVAR! These two women discuss, while negotiating an artifact exchange, the merits of working with the main villain and their lives in general. It is a true moment. The two actresses blow this scene out of the water! It is short – too short, but totally memorable. I watched the movie again just to see it. And guess what?!?! Thanks to the glorious Internet and YouTube you can watch the scene for yourself! I pasted A Fabulous Swap at the bottom of this post. Enjoy Stana Katic enjoying her big gun in the scene too. LOVE IT!!!!! In fact, I think it was the reason I wrote this review. 🙂 

POINTS: Fabulous acting and fun visuals. Black and white with just a bit of red for the color scheme.

PITFALLS: Ok, this movie has GREAT actors really strutting their stuff. However, and gosh I hate to write this, but the lead who plays the Spirit and is supposed to carry the movie just couldn’t. I’m sorry Gabriel Macht. Somehow, somewhere, you were not right for this role. You are good in other things, but alas, not this. The movie suffered from that.

Also Frank Miller is a wonderful comic book creator but he is NOT a movie director. There were times when the sound was, for lack of a better word, hollow. And the pacing was just a tad slow. Actually the scenes where the women dominated were more interesting. Huh.

FEMALE CHARACTER(S): OMG. As I have written before there are some fun women in this movie. Just watch A Fabulous Swap below and believe.

CULTURAL PITFALL(S): This was a salute to film noir, so unfortunately we had to listen/watch stupid lines/scenes that were sexist. Oh good grief really? Yet parts of the movie redeemed those pitfalls. Still it really grated on my nerves. Why does every woman have to make a fool out of herself over the hero? Good grief. Enough it is embarrassing.

Oh and the only black person I remember seeing is the villain, fabulously played by Samuel L. Jackson. Though we did have a Latina woman, Eva Mendes, so that was good. Still could have used more. 

HIGH POINT(S):

1.) This movie has THE BEST scene between two women villains EVAR! I remember thinking that when the scene came and was done I thought “This was worth it!” Still saves the movie for me. 🙂 Hat off to perfect delivery given by Eva Mendex and Scarlett Johansson. PERFECT OMG! PERFECT!

2.) “Someone get my a tie and it sure as hell better be red.” How could you not love that line?

3.) Eva Mendes. Ms. Mendes, just how much fun were you  having playing Sand Saref? I hope it was a LOT because I enjoyed every second of you on screen.

4.) Scarlett Johansson. Ms. Johansson, just how much fun were you having playing Silken Floss? I hope it was as much fun as Ms. Mendes was having. Nice you got to drive off into the sunset too. 😉

5.) Stana Katic. Oh Ms. Katic, you know the drill. You were perfect! “No sir. We’re just equipped.” Oh well done.

BECHDEL TEST (Website): 3 of 3. YES! My fave scene between two women villains EVAR!

RACIAL BECHDEL TEST (Website): 1 of 3. Room for improvement

IMDB: The Spirit (2008)

OFFICIAL MOVIE WEBSITE:  Couldn’t find it so here it is on Wikipedia.

DVD/BLU-RAY WORTHY: Already own it.

LION PAW PRINTS:  2 of 5.

The Spirit Trailer (2008) – Official Trailer #3

The Spirit (9/10) Movie CLIP – A Fabulous Swap (2008) HD