Nevertheless, Blaze sacrificed himself for the sake for another person, an act of love that is supposed to be rewarded by a greater power than Mephistopheles. That is why the plot of Ghost Rider seems to be the high point of the film. Satan having a son who wants to dominate the earth is a little far-fetched even for a twisted modern fantasy, but the belief from ancient times that evil spirits daily walk the earth accounts for any sidelines during the movie’s main focus—redemption. Blaze’s central desire is to escape his destiny, which is to be the Ghost Rider and punish criminals with his “Penance Stare.”
Crime and punishment is a theme that runs all over Ghost Rider as well as the point of salvation and the controversy of judgment. The Ghost Rider isn’t really good or evil but a necessary mediator whose only mission is to root out injustice and issue justice. This character may sound like a hero straight from the mind of a comic strip illustrator, but the Ghost Rider is actually a quite creative protagonist, an embodiment of an unbiased supernatural judge with no ulterior motives. Besides that, Cage is a good actor and his personal contribution to the Ghost Rider goes together with the ironically enjoyable atmosphere of the film in general. On one hand, Ghost Rider has enough horror to pale the face of any viewer, but on the other hand, the film is a smooth, fun cinematic ride that drives from one scene to the next without stopping or decreasing the suspense.
Ghost Rider is available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc wherever movies are sold in Fresno and online; it also can be rented for free from local libraries.
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