Meh. I’d like to go back and re-read the comics I have – not the old 1970s series on which the movie was largely based, but the 1990s rebirth stuff – and see if it really is as weak a premise as it seems. On paper it sounds great: dude with flaming skull who rides a tricked out chopper wreaks vengeance on cowardly evil.
But then, like all comic book movies, somebody makes some damned bad decisions and it all goes awry. Like casting Ben Affleck as Daredevil. Or telling Nic Cage to affect a southern accent.
Word to the makers of future comic book movies: cast unknowns, or relative unknowns, in the title roles. Let them create the character rather than trying to shoehorn somebody well-known into the role. The Fantastic Four was great, partly for that very reason. Ditto X-Men in most respects. Colin Farrell could never play Bullseye now but he did a bang-up job back when.
Maybe comic books are really too thin a premise for movies. Maybe there’s just not enough there. Or maybe it’s just Marvel comics, written for slightly stupid, easily bored, self absorbed baby boomers that are the problem. I dunno. But I’m not ever getting my hopes up for a mainstream comic movie again.