The Spirit parents guide

The Spirit Parent Guide

Overall D

Rookie cop Denny Colt (Gabriel Macht) may be dead, but for some mysterious reason he's still alive and breathing. Reborn as The Spirit, he dons a mask and sets off to clean up the wicked streets of Central City. But his greatest enemy, The Octopus (Samuel Jackson), is not easily spooked and he's prepared to use any weapon at his disposal, including the beautiful Sand Saref (Eva Mendes), to bring the superhero down.

Release date December 25, 2008

Violence D
Sexual Content C+
Profanity C
Substance Use C

Why is The Spirit rated PG-13? The MPAA rated The Spirit PG-13 for intense sequences of stylized violence and action, some sexual content and brief nudity.

Run Time: 108 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

With so many comic book heroes vying for screen time these days, it’s hard to know if you can expect someone who can laugh at himself (Spider-man) or a serious dude (Batman... at least in his latest incarnation…). This is especially true for myself, because I’m not the type to have read most of the graphic novels from which these defenders-of-good were born (this one is based on a 1940s newspaper strip created by Will Eisner). But in the first fifteen minutes of The Spirit it is obvious this action figure (played by Gabriel Macht) takes his role seriously. His arch nemesis The Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson) however, seems to think the script calls for over-the-top melodrama that pushes the definition of parody into new realms.

With guns blasting, we also get the point during those same opening moments, that neither of these guys can be killed. Both absorb so much hot lead that you wonder how they can continue to stand under the all the weight. As the story unspools we learn about the experimentation that led to Denny Colt, a former cop, becoming the immortal being now know as The Spirit. This research was conducted by none other than The Octopus, a diabolical mad scientist with a penchant for wearing a Nazi uniform.

And what would a superhero movie be without a love interest? In this case there are two. The first is the evil yet sexy Sand Saref (Eva Mendes), who once shared a childhood relationship with The Spirit, but has since turned into a conniving hussy. The other is the good doctor Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson), a woman well aware of this man’s habit of “chasing skirts” who can’t help herself from joining the throng.

The plot of this movie is rather inconsequential. Apparently, The Octopus is fixated on getting his tentacles on a vase containing the blood of Hercules because a sip or two will give him near god-like status. This of course, will be bad news for the citizens of the dark municipality where they all reside, so The Spirit must stop him.

Parents should be aware that the resulting wall-to-wall carnage features many on-screen shootings, and even though most of the targets can’t die, the visuals of a half dozen bullets going into a person’s forehead are still rather disturbing. Blood effects are aplenty, with characters seen impaled with knives and swords, although the shock value is somewhat mitigated by the production’s color effects and use of silhouettes. Some sexual banter is included, along with a rear shot of a completely naked woman. Moderate and mild profanities are almost as numerous as bullets, and there is also a glamorous depiction of cigarette smoking in this MPAA PG-13 rated movie with nary a note of warning. (In 2007, the MPAA said depictions of smoking would be noted in films not rated R.)

With over an hour and a half of watching two opponents, each immune to all life-taking devices, pointlessly engage in endless battles, gunfights and monologuing—the whole thing becomes tedious very fast. With artistic style seemingly given priority over purpose and motivation, any spirit that may have existed in the original comic appears to have died on the page.

Starring Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes. Running time: 108 minutes. Theatrical release December 25, 2008. Updated

The Spirit
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Spirit rated PG-13? The Spirit is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of stylized violence and action, some sexual content and brief nudity.

With two immortal characters battling it out from beginning to end, violence without any consequence is a continuous concern. Gunfights, stabbings (with characters seen with bloody knives and swords sticking out of their bodies), and a decapitation are just some of the examples. A huge battle has two men shot repeatedly, with one literally being blown to bits. Sexual banter is heard. The main character is known for his womanizing ways and reputation of having had sexual relations with various females. A woman is seen completely naked from the rear. Frequent moderate and mild profanities are heard, along with terms of deity. Cigarette smoking is glamorized.

 

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The Spirit Parents' Guide

Immortality is an often-used method of giving a protagonist or antagonist extraordinary powers. Do you think the singular ability of being able to escape death would allow you to impose your will on anyone? What might you use this power for?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Spirit movie is April 14, 2009. Here are some details…

The Spirit releases as a Single Disc DVD in full frame or widescreen presentations, with audio tracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 (English) and subtitles in English and Spanish. Theatrical trailers are included on the disc.

The Spirit also releases in a Special Edition DVD. This 2-Disc Set offers the movie in a widescreen presentation, with audio tracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 (English) and subtitles in English and Spanish. Additional material include:

- Alternate Ending: this storyboard has a voiceover by Samuel L. Jackson and Gabriel Macht.

- Audio Commentary with director Frank Miller and producer Deborah Del Prete.

- Featurettes: Green World and Miller on Miller.

- Digital Copy of the Film

The Spirit makes an appearance on Blu-ray as well. This 2 Disc Set presents the film in 1080p HD resolution, with audio tracks recorded in DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (English) and Dolby Digital 5.1 (French). Subtitles are available in English and Spanish. Bonus extras include:

- Alternate Ending: this storyboard has a voiceover by Samuel L. Jackson and Gabriel Macht.

- Audio Commentary with director Frank Miller and producer Deborah Del Prete.

- Featurettes: History Repeats, Green World and Miller on Miller.

- Live Features: MoLog (Movie Blog network) and Lionsgate Live.

- Theatrical Trailer

- Digital Copy of the Film

Related home video titles:

After somehow getting stuck and repeatedly reliving the same Groundhog Day, a man must decide what he will do with him apparent immortality. Other comic book heroes adapted to the silver screen include Iron Man, Superman, and Batman.