Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Spirit’

Written by Scott Edwards 

I have never known what it would be like to have an arch nemesis, because I don’t think I have ever hated somebody that much in my entire life. But so many people have that one person on their list that is the bane of their existence and no matter the reason, they want that person to be gone at all costs. Not being able to get rid of these people on their lists, the hope for something tragic to happen to them is always racing through their minds, and even though that might make them feel better, they may never get to see their foe vanquished. Maybe I will be able to find someone that I hate with everything in my heart before I pass on, but they will have to do something outrageous to my family or close friends that can never be forgiven as I could care less as to what they think or feel or have planned for me.

Central City is a place plagued by crime that lets out screams for The Spirit, a true defender of justice on a nightly basis, but this night there is something more to its cries. With word that The Octopus is on the streets again, The Spirt is forced to jump into action like never before. Arriving to see Detective Sussman already down and next to death, The Spirit listens to the dying man tell him about who he had seen in the water, a beautiful woman that came from the depths that did not expect to see him there. But before The Spirit is able to put it together about who the dying man saw he is attacked by The Octopus who is ready to give his foe the beating of his life. While the two men battle to a death that will never come, The Octopus lets his nemesis in on a little secret, that the two men are more alike than they would like to admit. 

Gathering himself together after receiving the beating of a lifetime, The Spirit returns to see that Sussman has a piece of evidence that might help out the crime fighter. An old locket that The Spirit knows well, that takes him back to his childhood days when he was trying to impress his girlfriend Sand Saref. The two were very much in love, but when Sand’s father was killed walking the beat on the streets, her attitude changed drastically. Leaving the country to find her own riches, Sand has returned to the city that she despises to retrieve an artifact that can make all of her dreams come true. But little does she know that her path has crossed with The Octopus and two identical boxes on the bottom of the lake carry two very different treasures. When the boxes are mixed up, Sand will have to do something that she never previously expected she would have to do, make a deal with The Octopus to achieve her lifelong dream.

The Octopus has found something special lying in the lake and will do anything to bring it into his possession since the blood of Hercules would turn him into a God, but the same goes for The Spirit. With all of his minions conducting their searches for the blood that is in Sand’s possession, they come up dry and his plan will have to change. Being able to plan a trap for The Spirit, Octopus gets a call from an associate of Sand’s giving him a place to make the exchange of the two mixed up containers. Not fully knowing what all of the pieces are leading to, The Spirit knows that he must stop the transaction before both parties get exactly what their dreams desire.

You know, when this movie came out it was not enjoyed by the masses, so maybe it should be revisited. Even though it featured such a dark story and overall bleak appearance, I actually laughed harder during this movie than I have during almost all of the Marvel movies combined. I love The Spirit, he is a fun character that has a drive to keep the city safe from his arch nemesis, but the two have a big problem, neither of them are able to die, so it is just handing out beating after beating with no winner. With his wandering eye, the hero is never deterred from what his mission is, even if he is not going to help the cops on their case. The love story from the past with Sand actually stays that way, in the past as he only wants to prove that she is not a murderer with all of the bodies being left in her wake.  It’s just a fun movie and not what I expected when turning it on, it might be worth watching after all of the serious superhero movies finish up so you can compare the two and see which style you enjoy more.

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