If you insist on going to see Ghost Rider, please enter the cinema with extremely low expectations. Even then, expect to be disappointed! The film is directed by Mark Steven Johnson, the man behind the other disappointing super hero flick, Daredevil.

The plot stays somewhat faithful to it's original comic book origins, with Johnny Blaze (Nicholas Cage) striking a deal with Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda). Blaze exchanges his soul for the life of his father, only for Mephistopheles to have his father killed the day after the deal is made. Understandably, this leaves Johnny feeling a little bit bitter and twisted about the world and he ditches his girlfriend, Roxanne (Eva Mendes), and hits the road.

Years later Johnny Blaze is a big name stunt rider, jumping stuff on his motorbike. Things change when Mephitopheles appears to cash in on the deal Blaze had made years earlier. Blaze is transformed into the Ghost Rider, and now the only way he can get his soul back is by killing Mephistopheles' own son, Blackheart. All very complex, but ultimately predictable.

The action scenes aren't too bad. The special effects are good, and the flaming skull thing works quite well. The problem with the movie is that all the twists and turns are telegraphed so far ahead you could walk out 40 mins into the film and still know have a good idea of how it will pan out. Nicholas Cage displays the acting range of a rock.

The Ghost Rider story a lot of potential, it's just a shame that the movie didn't live up to it! Sadly, on February 9, 2007, Marvel producer Avi Arad announced the development of Ghost Rider 2 at a press event. Based on the first effort I think it might be time to let the Ghost Rider films fade into the shadows for a little while.