A new Marvel legend has arrived and has the potential to be an intriguing hybrid of sinister horror and superhero thrills.
Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others from the same fate, Dr. Morbius (Jared Leto) attempts a desperate gamble. While at first, it seems to be a radical success, the darkness inside of him is soon unleashed.
Morbius doesn’t shy away from investing and putting effort into their special effects, and they aren’t half bad. While it’s quite as impressive as what Disney/Marvel has perfected, there are times when the pale, sickly figure of Morbius is actually pretty shocking and they do a good job at making his disease look realistic. Once the vampire abilities start kicking in, there are moments when the effects are looking cool in the way the transformation features are designed. I really liked seeing his eyes transform into this blind-like state, but other elements like the warping of his face at times and even the cool finger effects of his claws were done well in this film. Again, not the most jaw-dropping or unique experience we’ve seen, but it works for the movie.
There is still a lot of improvement, but Morbius manages at times to shake things up with technology to make some moments stand out. With the more low-level effects like the dash like speed force he has managed to be fast, but not too slow-motion madness that the likes of Zack Snyder use. As we discover more of his powers, there are moments that help make you feel you’re along for the ride, and the sonar effect is my personal favorite, and the nice use of lightning and sound effects help create those elements of dread, darkness, and superhero abilities.
The acting isn’t the best, but there were moments where the actors were able to elevate the movie with performances that could have been capitalized on more. Adrina Arjona is stunning on many levels, with a combination of beauty, brains, and spirit that makes for an interesting supporting character. She has the ability to challenge the rules, but always held a lot of the logic and goodness of the city making her a perfect partner for Morbius. Matt Smith had moments that would have worked if they had tweaked the writing a bit. Smith’s non-intense moments due hold a lot of heart to them, and the first part of the film shows the promise of a complicated character. When Smith needs to go to the extremes, there are times his mannerisms are perfect and other times are just a little too much. Jared Leto tries to do as much as he can as the star of the film. Leto starts out strong, but by the end of the film, there are just some missing direction or planning that gets lost.
Overall, Morbius isn’t all bad, it’s actually a pretty decent movie. It all comes down to planning, writing, and balance, which this movie lacks. There are plenty of things about Morbius that will make me watch it again, but the story and the writing are just a rush mess that seemed to take hits with each delay and the last-minute teasers trying to lure you back in with a potential sequel. Morbius has the potential to be a great film, and hopefully, they get another shot at making this character worth coming back for.
Morbius is now playing exclusively in theaters.
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