Spawn

SPAWN (15)

D: Mark A.Z. Dippé

New Line (Clint Goldman)

US 1997

96 mins

Fantasy/Action/Adventure

W: Alan B. McElroy & Mark A.Z. Dippé

DP: Guillermo Navarro

Ed: Rick Shaine, Michael Knue & Todd Busch

Mus: Graeme Revell

Michael Jai White (Albert Simmons / Spawn), John Leguizamo (The Violator), Martin Sheen (Jason Wynn), Theresa Randle (Wanda Blake Simmons-Fitzgerald), Nicol Williamson (Cogliostro)

A decade before Marvel changed the production of superhero movies, this 1997 comic book fantasy made its bow, unfortunately, the overall film is quite shoddy.

A mercenary is double crossed by his employer and subsequently becomes a soldier for the devil and vows revenge on those who wronged him. The plot owes heavily to both The Crow and Darkman, and although it deserves some kudos for attempting to introduce an African-American superhero, it fails due to the unimpressive story and uninspiring direction of Japanese effects man-turned-director Mark A.Z. Dippé.

Visually, the film is poorly rendered, with some terrible CGI effects which are saved only by some good makeup work. The performances are also dull, with John Leguizamo providing any enthusiasm, although he does this a little too much to the point that he becomes irritating and hugely unpleasant.

Batman & Robin may have been the worst superhero movie of 1997, but this runs it very close.

3/10