The Spirit: Review By MovieGuyMatt

Everyone I have talked to about this film has either really disliked it, or really enjoyed it. Before I get into what I thought about it, I would like to address this yay or nay attitude. As is always the case, a person's expectations play a very major role in whether they do or do not like something. After having seen "The Spirit" and talking to quite a few others who had also seen it, I feel that this film is perfect for expressing this point.

When one expects a certain outcome, and then is given a different one, generally, that person feels dissatisfied. This is an understandable reaction. Were that same person to have gone into said situation with a different expectation, or even lacking one at all, the resultant level of satisfaction may have been entirely different, though the situation itself remained the same. To me, THIS is why expectations are dangerous. Something could quite possibly be VERY enjoyable, but, because you EXPECT it to be a certain way beforehand, you are let down. Is that the fault of the experience, or YOUR fault for having tried to label the experience before you witnessed it for yourself? I am of the mind that this dissatisfaction is entirely your own fault. How many times have we heard the adage: "Don't judge a book by its cover?" Or in this particular case, don't judge a film by its trailer.

For those of you who saw the first trailer for "The Spirit," you may have thought asI did. I saw that trailer and expected a serious, gritty, noir thriller. Now, mind you, I am completely unfamiliar with the source material, and that FIRST trailer, to me, seemed like it was advertising a dramatic and stylistic noir crime thriller. Then I saw the rest of the trailers and I realized what I would be seeing: a farce. A very stylistic, over the top, tounge-in-cheek joyride for the senses, lacking any and all seriousness. It was to be gee-golly good time set against a backdrop of vibrant colors, sexy dames, crotchety cops, larger than life heroes, and diabolical villains. How could I NOT get excited.

So, today, I went to the local cineplex, left my analytical mind at the doors, plopped down my $5.50 (cheap, I know) and found myself a comfortable seat to sit and enjoy what I fully expected to be a fun, silly, violent escape from reality.

And you know what happened? I had a great time. I had formed an expectation, yes. And I know I just got on my soap box about it. Here's the thing though: I got exactly what I expected. Exactly. Had I expected it to be along the lines of my original train of thought, serious, gritty, full of drama, I would have likely been pissed. I may have even walked out. But that's not what happened.

"The Spirit" was a lot of fun, and I think that most of those people I mentioned talking to at the outset of this review, those ones who didn't like it, I have a feeling that their expectations might have been to blame. If you want something that doesn't require you to think, that's funny, entertaining, and nice to look at, (and you CANNOT argue THAT point naysayers: Scarlett Johanssen, Eva Mendes, Jamie King, Sarah Paulson, Paz Vega et al) then "The Spirit" delivers. I say stop being so critical for a second people, have you forgotten how to simply have FUN with a movie? Don't listen to the negative nancys out there and treat yourself to a couple hours of crime busting fun.