MOVIE REVIEW: Both ‘Breach’ and ‘Ghost Rider’ do their jobs but fail to wow
“Breach”
Director Billy Ray (“Shattered Glass”) evidently loves making films out of real-life scandals. His latest is about the biggest security breach in the history of U.S. government.
Chris Cooper (“Jarhead”) plays the headlining breacher, Robert Hanssen, a man convicted in 2001 of selling secrets to the Soviet Union. All of this background is explained in the first few seconds of the film.
We then watch how the story unfolds as an ambitious F.B.I. clerk (Ryan Phillippe, “Flags of Our Fathers”) is hired to work as Hanssen’s assistant while secretly reporting on his behavior. Phillippe’s character has a lot of responsibility, including doing his job for Hanssen, reporting to his superior (Laura Linney, “Kinsey”) on the down-low, staying cool under pressure, keeping his wife happy, and lying lots and lots.
While everyone does a convincing job of portraying real people here, Cooper gives the most interesting performance. A jaded product of our government’s bureaucracy, he gives some thought-provoking layers to the portrayal of Hanssen, showing him as a religious and educated family figure who, just like any other man, has problems.
Although the tension mounts in a few scenes between Cooper and Phillippe, the suspense level never rises to a satisfying climax. Everything just moves along at the same pace, with Ray giving us the story through a heavily objective lens. Good story and good acting, but nothing ends up as amazing.
“Ghost Rider”
This film is all black leather and flames. Sometimes this combination works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Laden with a gothic motif, this latest comic book adaptation is a fierce ride.
Nicolas Cage (“World Trade Center”) plays Johnny Blaze, a fearless motorcycle stuntman who sells his soul to the devil to save his father’s life. Johnny obviously doesn’t realize how crafty the devil is, for he is soon assigned to be the personal bounty hunter, aka Ghost Rider, for the regal prince of darkness (played by a distinguished Peter Fonda, “The Limey”).
Being a Ghost Rider involves a lot of responsibility. Johnny bursts into flames every night, has a skeleton for a body, rides around on a souped-up motorcycle, and speaks in a scary, guttural voice.
This voice is supposed to be demonic but only ends up being cheesy and even inaudible at times.
Johnny must use his powers from hell to destroy and stop a bunch of fallen angels, aka devil hoodlums, from wreaking havoc on earth and taking over hell. With the help of a lengthy metal chain, which can also burst into flames, and a devoted girlfriend (Eva Mendes, “Hitch”), whose cleavage is perkier than her acting, there’s nothing that can stand in the way of the ghost rider…except maybe for a film that’s too embellished.
From writer/director Mark Steven Johnson (“Daredevil”), this film is a fun mixture of elements coming from superhero comics, demonology and motorcycle exhaust.
While everyone easily enjoys the ride here, there are plenty of moments where the story pushes too far to wow the audience. The visual effects and sound editing are dead on, but some of the exaggeration will make you laugh instead of clutch your armrest.
Casey T. Allen is the film critic for The Utah Stateman. Comments on
any of his reviews can be sent to
him at caseyal@cc.usu.edu.