Today’s quick review: Spawn. Betrayed and murdered, black ops soldier Al Simmons (Michael Jai White) sells his soul for the chance at revenge. He returns to Earth as Spawn, a demonic entity with a wide array of powers, and begins hunting for Jason Wynn (Martin Sheen), the man who killed him. But at every step of the way, Al is tormented by Violator (John Leguizamo), a demonic clown trying to goad Al into becoming the doom of humanity.
Spawn is a superhero horror movie based on the character created by Todd McFarlane. The movie follows a soldier who has his life ripped away from him, only to become the puppet of demonic forces as he tries to get it back. Spawn has a particular vision and pursues it aggressively. Liberal use of CGI, stylized storytelling, grotesque imagery, and freewheeling use of superpowers make it a nightmarish flight of fancy.
Unfortunately, Spawn’s ambitions prove to be its weak point. The movie is so eager to dive into its grand conflict that it never properly explains the rules of Spawn’s resurrection. Al’s character development is similarly lackluster. The movie tries to play up the tragedy as Al, horribly disfigured, learns that his wife Wanda (Theresa Randle) has moved on. But the movie never makes the leap from raw pain to heroism.
Spawn also makes some controversial choices with its action and its presentation style. The movie takes advantage of all the CGI available to it, but the graphics do not hold up well. Seeing Spawn in action is somewhat impressive, but his tendency to come up with new powers on the fly is a little cheap. Finally, the crass, overtly repulsive taunting of Violator is a strong flavor that colors the entire movie.
The end result is something that will hold a glimmer of appeal for the right audience but which will put off most viewers. Shaky fundamentals and a risky style keep the movie from holding the same, safe appeal as of ther superhero movies, while flawed execution keeps it from capitalizing on its strengths. Fans of over-the-top action and demonic imagery may want to give it a shot. Otherwise most viewers will want to steer clear.
For another look at a demonic hero who uses his powers for good, try Hellboy or Ghost Rider. For a more sensible blend of demonic horror and the superhero genre, try Constantine. For a superhero horror movie that dips into similarly vile territory, try Constantine: City of Demons. For a less ambitious superhero movie about a man who comes back from the dead for revenge, try Bloodshot.
[5.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120177/). I give it a 5.5 for a distinctive but highly niche vision.