NINETOES VS. MORBIUS

Ninetoes has watched Jared Leto’s turn as a Spider-Man villain… and learns that post credit scenes aren’t always planned out very well.

Biochemist Michael Morbius tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead.

Directed by Daniel Espinosa

Written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless

Starring Jared Leto, Matt Smith, and Adria Arjona

Hey there, movie lovers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ. Today, I am looking at Morbius. I have popcorn in my system and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!

The first time I saw a “Morbius: The Living Vampire” comic book was when I was a kid, living on Long Island. I got a copy of that comic, and I was sucked (please pardon the pun) into the story and the art. Back then, I never dreamed it would be made into a movie, but alas, it has! Now, before you read further, I am one of those people who, if the consensus of critics absolutely hate a movie, I will be that one person who 8 times out of 10 will like it. Not love it, but like it. Sometimes I just want some mindless fun.

Onward we go…

…This is the story of two “brothers” who met in the hospital when they were younger. They both suffered from a rare disease involving their blood. Thiers is a painful existence, and Michael grows up to be a biochemist who is desperate to find the cure, which he does, but at what cost? And what happens of his brother Milo takes the cure? Surely, no good can come of it…

Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless did a wonderful job capturing the spirit of Morbius. The story was engaging and kept my attention. The acting was good, especially to see Jared Leto and Matt Smith play off of each other. Smith stole the show as the villain of the movie and did so magnificently. The evil glee he exuberated was infectious and made the movie that much more enjoyable.

The special effects were done really well. There is one sequence where Morbius is riding the wind in front of a speeding subway car, and heaven help me, I wanted to go on that ride myself. The make-up effects were excellent, and they captured the face of Morbius in a way I could never fathom! It is truly remarkable what can be done these days, and if I did not know any better, I would say that CGI was used.

As good as the story is and the effects are, this ends up being nothing more than popcorn fodder, and in a way, it achieved what it was meant to do: it gave me some mindless entertainment. As much as I love the character, this movie is one that is what I would call a “one and done”; I only need to see it once to get the full effect of it. However, if the tag scenes at the end of the movie bear fruit, I might be inclined to come back and revisit my decision, but it is going to have to be a better movie with a stronger story. (Editor’s note: Ninetoes isn’t a nerd and doesn’t know all the behind the scenes stuff with the Marvel and SONY films, which is why we love him as a reviewer, his opinions are unbiased by the internet trolls! It also means he’s unaware of news like the discontinuation of the SONY spider villain films – Tom)

This movie is perfect for those who enjoy vampires, Marvel Movies, Jared Leto, and Matt Smith.

I give Morbius 3 popcorn buckets out of 5.

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.