Superhero movies, and Marvel movies especially, are often the beacon of a surefire hit at the box office these days. Part of that comes from a modern consistency in excitement and fun from this genre - a consistency that Morbius has completely drained.
What’s most disappointing about Morbius moving to the big screen is how flat, cheap and boring the premise has become. Morbius the film is devoid of any spirit that makes watching Marvel movies entertaining in the first place.
Morbius is an odd Marvel comics character, about scientist Dr. Micheal Morbius (Jared Leto) who mixes his DNA with a bat to cure his never-specified blood disease only to be cured and gain vampire-like superpowers…at the cost of needing human blood to survive. Sadly, his on-screen translation is more flat than his 2D-printed comic book counterpoint.
Case in point: there are only two action sequences in whole run time. In a superhero movie. Most scenes only have two people in them, making the scenes feel empty. If you thought last month’s The Batman was underlit, you’ll need night-vision goggles to watch this.
Most of the blame falls on director Daniel Espinosa, whose design and direction of the movie has sucked the fun out at every opportunity. (Yes, that’s a joke, but it’s also an effective description.)
This is Espinosa’s third film, and Morbius’ lack of thrills or intrigue comes as less of his surprise when looking at his filmography. His other two credits are 2012’s police drama Safe House and 2017’s sci-fi horror Life, both of which flopped at the box office.
So who let him direct this - not only his biggest production to date but also the most interconnected with a line-up of other movies? There are now three examples of how Espinosa simply doesn’t understand how to bring energy into a script, coach an actor to elevate the material, nor show any suspense in his editing. He’s a flawed director.
None (or very little) of Morbius’ shortcomings are the fault of its principle actors: Leto and his co-stars Matt Smith and Adria Arjona are forgettable at worst, but heartfelt at best. None of them, unfortunately, act beyond the campiness of the script, and the stupid, tacky make-up effects on the vampire characters totally hide their facial expressions.
How Michael Morbius gets away with his blood-hungry escapades is never explained in the script, and after several pseudo-scientific questions go unanswered, none of the five members in the audience with me really cared anymore.
This is the most bored I’ve left a theatre since last summer’s re-opening, and I wasn’t the only one: at my opening day showtime, someone walked out halfway through. Someone next to me was muttering expletives as the credits began.
Instead of the usual thrills I leave superhero movies with, I left the theatre with a sense of emptiness - like my own sense of fun had been feasted upon by the on-screen vampires.
Morbius is the worst Marvel I’ve ever seen. It’s still a lot of fun to go the movies - so long as it’s any other movie. Anything else.
Morbius
2 out of 10
PG, 1hr 44mins. Sci-Fi Superhero Thriller.
Directed by Daniel Espinosa.
Starring Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona and Jared Harris.
Now Playing at Film.Ca Cinemas, 5 Drive-In, Cineplex Winston Churchill and Cineplex Oakville & VIP.
