Year of Release: 2022
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Starring: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Al Madrigal, Michael Keaton, Joe Ferrara, Zaris-Angel Hator, Joseph Esson, Charlie Shotwell
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Netflix
Synopsis and Review
Director Daniel Espinosa who made a splash with a few films both of which featured Ryan Reynolds, namely "Safe House" and "Life", tackles the superhero genre with a narrative focused on a villain that appeared on Spider-Man's adventures, harking back to 1971, when the character originally appeared. This feature focuses on the story of Michael Morbius, who as a child is challenged by a chronic and debilitating illness. He soon is joined at the hospital by another young boy with a challenging ailment by the name of Milo, and they bond as they grow up under the tutelage and protection of hospital director, Nicholas. Michael eventually becomes a doctor himself, and a celebrated one, thanks to his work developing artificial blood. However he is also researching a cure for himself, relying on vampire bats from Costa Rica. While the solution he uncovers, and tests on himself does work, it also turns him into a vampire, turning his bloodlust into a killing spree, one that firstly impacts the crew he was on the research expedition with. Upon returning to New York, Morbius tries to control his blood urges with artificial blood, which only lasts for a few hours. Milo soon discovers what is happening, and seeking a medical solution for himself, also takes the serum, in the process becoming a vicious vampire just as Morbius. However whereas Michael fights with his condition, Milo relishes it, and becomes progressively consumed by his bloodlust. It's up to Michael to eventually stop him.
"Morbius" is another film that was impacted on its release schedule by the challenges created with the pandemic. It's also a film where the narrative arc that is created for its characters, is thinly defined, therefore never truly delivering much in terms of understanding who these characters actually are and what is motivating them (well, aside from the lust for blood). The narrative places Michael Morbius as a scrupulous and honest physician, whose sole purpose is helping others, but also himself from the debilitating illness that plagues him. And that's pretty all that the character ever amounts to be. Even as the character does some monstrous things, they're rapidly justified by the fact that the victims were disposable, and whatever moral ambiguity or falling from grace the character experiences, is never particularly focused on. The character is built much like an anti-hero, without openly calling its villainy, leaving that to Matt Smith's Milo, whom we basically know nothing about, aside from the fact that he also has a debilitating disease, and upon taking the serum, becomes a vicious vampire. There's no subtlety to the evolution of these characters, or justification for their actions. The remaining supporting characters are also rough sketches, from Nicholas and his father figure persona, Martine the colleague who eventually becomes a love interest, and the detectives, who also function as a comic relief. It's a film that while featuring an efficient production team, it fails to deliver insightful characters and a compelling arc for them to live on. Matt Smith and Jared Harris try their best to respectively bring some edginess and heart to their characters, whereas Jared Leto is somewhat forgettable in a role that had immense potential as a man who swore to protect and cherish life, and who has had to kill in order to preserve his own (and his character also resembles an emo rock star rather than an actual doctor). It's yet another formulaic and fairly undeveloped comic book adaptation that will quickly be forgotten.
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