Ghost Rider
In order to save his dying father, young stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Mephistopheles and sadly parts from the pure-hearted Roxanne Simpson, the love of his life. Years later, Johnny's path crosses again with Roxanne, now a go-getting reporter, and also with Mephistopheles, who offers to release Johnny's soul if Johnny becomes the fabled, fiery 'Ghost Rider'.
What critics thought
Ghost Rider landed with critics as a tonally confused misfire — too self-serious for camp fun, too silly for genuine menace. The CGI flaming skull drew some admiration, but reviewers broadly found the origin story mechanical and the character of Johnny Blaze more laughable than threatening, despite audiences receiving it more charitably than the press.
“For a comic book with a rebel spirit, the adaptation feels obediently conventional”
Michael Ordoña·Los Angeles Times
“instead of a buoyant, imaginative superhero movie on the order of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films or Bryan Singer's Superman Returns, we get a lumbering, paint-by-numbers origin story”
Scott Foundas·LA Weekly
“Ghost Rider would have been most fun had it been made for a dime by a Roger Corman-type outfit as a quickie Gothic adventure spinning Zane Grey, Faust and Evel Knievel”
Robert Koehler·Variety
Genres
Thriller, Action, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Mark Steven JohnsonDirector
Nicolas CageJohnny Blaze / Ghost Rider
Eva MendesRoxanne Simpson
Sam ElliottCarter Slade / Phantom Rider
Wes BentleyBlackheart / Black King
Peter FondaMephistopheles / Mephisto
Matt LongYoung Johnny Blaze
Brett CullenBarton Blaze
Raquel AlessiYoung Roxanne Simpson
Donal LogueMack
Tony GhosthawkTeam Blaze
Hugh SextonTeam Blaze
Marcus JonesTeam Blaze
Christopher YoungComposer
Russell BoydCinematographyFrom the studio
Ghost Rider
In order to save his dying father, young stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Mephistopheles and sadly parts from the pure-hearted Roxanne Simpson, the love of his life. Years later, Johnny's path crosses again with Roxanne, now a go-getting reporter, and also with Mephistopheles, who offers to release Johnny's soul if Johnny becomes the fabled, fiery 'Ghost Rider'.
What critics thought
Ghost Rider landed with critics as a tonally confused misfire — too self-serious for camp fun, too silly for genuine menace. The CGI flaming skull drew some admiration, but reviewers broadly found the origin story mechanical and the character of Johnny Blaze more laughable than threatening, despite audiences receiving it more charitably than the press.
“For a comic book with a rebel spirit, the adaptation feels obediently conventional”
Michael Ordoña·Los Angeles Times
“instead of a buoyant, imaginative superhero movie on the order of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films or Bryan Singer's Superman Returns, we get a lumbering, paint-by-numbers origin story”
Scott Foundas·LA Weekly
“Ghost Rider would have been most fun had it been made for a dime by a Roger Corman-type outfit as a quickie Gothic adventure spinning Zane Grey, Faust and Evel Knievel”
Robert Koehler·Variety
Genres
Thriller, Action, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Mark Steven JohnsonDirectorNicolas CageJohnny Blaze / Ghost RiderEva MendesRoxanne SimpsonSam ElliottCarter Slade / Phantom RiderWes BentleyBlackheart / Black KingPeter FondaMephistopheles / MephistoMatt LongYoung Johnny BlazeBrett CullenBarton BlazeRaquel AlessiYoung Roxanne SimpsonDonal LogueMackTony GhosthawkTeam BlazeHugh SextonTeam BlazeMarcus JonesTeam BlazeChristopher YoungComposerRussell BoydCinematography