 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Spirit
- Review Date: December 24, 2008
- PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
Violent, sexy superhero flick is all style, no substance.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this update of a 1940s comic book from one of the creative forces behind 300 is overflowing with hyper-stylized and excessive violence -- and suffused with smirking sexuality. There's only one instance of nudity (female buttocks), but the movie's sexual politics are decidedly retrograde -- all the female characters are either tarted-up villains, "bad" girls with hearts of gold, or long-suffering true loves who stand by their men. Also be prepared for buckets of stylized (but still graphic) bloodshed and lots of gory wounds and deaths. While the violence has the hyperactive, cartoony feel of a comic book, it's also brutal and depicted with extraordinary detail.
What's the story?
When he was a live, The Spirit was a cop named Denny Colt -- but after his
death he returned from the grave impervious to wounds ... and more than a
little confused. Now the masked crimefighter (Gabriel Macht) keeps the city safe from criminals and crime, perpetually grappling with his nemesis, the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson). The Octopus and international jewel thief Sand Saref (Eva Mendes) -- who just happens to be Denny's long-lost boyhood love -- are tangling over a pair of mystical artifacts; if The Octopus gets what he wants, he'll become all-powerful and unstoppable. Can The Spirit stop his nemesis, reunite with his lost love, and untangle the mysteries of his own mysterious resurrection?
Is it any good?
Directed by Frank Miller -- the comic book creator behind 300 and Sin City -- THE SPIRIT takes comic book icon Will Eisner's 1940s character and updates him in all the wrong ways. The classic Spirit strips had a noir sensibility, but they also had rich, well-drawn characters and a brilliant sense of urban setting; Miller, making his directorial debut, jettisons all that for flashy visuals, sexy posing, and over-the-top violence.
All of the actors are capable -- even the bland, handsome Macht in the title role -- but Miller's script is so shabby and threadbare that it's impossible to care about the characters or their situations; awash in fake blood and infantile sexuality, The Spirit doesn't so much represent the triumph of style over substance as represent the triumph of style over everything, including sensibility, storytelling, the look and feel of the original material, and the need to create a coherent film. Miller may be able to craft a story on the printed page, but with The Spirit, it's clear he can't make the jump to the big screen.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the appeal of comic book cinema. Why do so many comic characters, no matter how marginal or lesser-known, seem to wind up on the big screen? Do all comic book movies have the same appeal? Why or why not? Families can also discuss the movie's broad, almost cartoony violence -- is a violent film that's so over-the-top more or less problematic than a realistic one? What would be the real ramifications and consequences of violence like what's shown here? Also, how does the movie depict women? What role do they play? And how much of the film's marketing and iconography is about selling sex?
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AGE
No Spirit Here...
While i was very excited to see this movie and has been waiting the whole year to see it, i have to say this is the WORST movie i have seen in quite a while. Yes the style of the film is cool, but the acting and story are GOD AFWUL!!! DONT EVEN RENT THIS!!!
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AGE
HOW DID THIS GET RATED PG-13? I am appauled at how unreliable the rating system has become!!
I am sorry, but there is no way I would even bring my 15 yr old to this movie. Thank you CommonSense Media for being here to inform concerned parents!!
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AGE
not a good movie, not clean, boring.
bad movie, weak plot, boring over all, alot of sexual content, nudity, conversations are inapropreate, highly sexual. dont watch this
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AGE
Don't listen to the critics...this is a great film
Every so often, there's a movie that most critics (supposedly) hate, but is a really good film. The Spirit is one of those types of movies. The people who've reviewed The Spirit probably don't know who Frank Miller is, and if the reviewer does know, (s)he doesn't know that this was his directorial debut. If you liked Sin City, no doubt you'll like this film. In terms of content, I think this film was pretty close to an R. This was pretty violent for a PG-13, with shootings, stabbings and lots of blood; however, this movie's in a film-noir style, so the blood looks fake. There are graphic scenes of a severed finger and a ribcage, though. There was also quite a bit of sexual content, such as when Sand makes multiple copies of her butt, throws one of the pictures at someone, and says the person made an a-- of himself. I was laughing pretty hard at that scene as well as The Octopus dressed as a Nazi (but in a humorous context). Other than these issues and a few uses of "godd-mn" by the police officer dude, this is a great movie.
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AGE
Whoah! How much more CAN you love your city?
The spirit appears to have a rather disturbing affection to his city, noting her wrinkles and smoothness. Still, he seems to get every woman, no matter how inanimate! I mean really, is it possible to attract that many people? Then again, it cannot be hard seeing as the city was just a backdrop, with only a few inhabitants. The streets were bare, and no one seemed to notice the CRUEL VIOLENCE HAPPENING IN THE STREETS! Tha acting was wooden, the scenes were bleak and terrible and... Samuel L. Jackson! I love his acting! What could have pushed him to this? Mabye those insideous eggs he keeps blabbering on about. This is a terrible and violent movie, with nudity and blood. I can say if you are a fan of the Spirit comics, prepare to be blown away! And no, not the way you may think.
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AGE
Funny
I have never read the comic book but the movie was funny and action packed. I don't agree with the age meter because there is mild sexual talk and violence. But the violence is comical and not serious and bloody. You do see a woman's butt and her bare frontal silhouette. (She makes copies of her butt on a copy machine which is funny.)
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AGE
under-rated
might be in black and white kinda but it isnt the average superhero movie. bloody and kinda of brutal. like the part when the octopus explodes and his rib flies into the wall and a chunk of meat falls off the rib. pretty bad sexuality. and violent gunwise. but what the hell!!!! it was a great movie i loved it!!!!!
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AGE
A movie only for action fans
It is quite a good movie, for people who like action, but there are some action scenes, brief nudity and sexual content which isn't age appropriate. The style of the movie is pretty good, but the acting is ludicrous. Personally I also found this movie quite slow in the begining.
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| Studio: | Lionsgate |
| Director: | Frank Miller |
| Cast: | Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 103 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 25, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | April 14, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense sequences of stylized violence and action, some sexual content and brief nudity |
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