Today I witnessed the grand opening to a literary genius's first solo mark as it impacted on the movie screen.  Frank Miller's first full fledged directing effort brought forth the 1940's comic strip created by Will Eisner.  The flick is a modern adaptation to the adult comic The Spirit, though it has the look and feel of an old time detective film noir.  Despite my assumptions going in the movie is drastically different than Miller's Sin City film (and comics) and though the green screen was used for nearly all of the frames, the look and feel of this movie are truly a unique work of art.  The smart comic tale that is spun follows a man who cannot quite die, who hunts down criminals in the city as the Spirit (played by Gabriel Macht).  The acting here is top notch and achieves Miller's vision which is witty humor, action, Tarantino-like words and story innovations, and scintillating women.  The beautiful femme fatales played by the stunning Scarlett Johansson and uncompromisingly curved and sexy Eva Mendes grace the screen with ferocity that ends the film leaving a desire for more.  Jaime King yearns as death and Samuel L. (Mother Fu*@ing) Jackson fits the role of the ultimate villain, the Octopus, to perfection as he continually spouts the ravings of a megalomaniac seeking godhood.  The look and twist of story here project something new and never before seen, and it is to be hoped that with The Spirit, Frank Miller is just scratching the surface of his filmmaking prowess.

Grade:  A

Happy New Year!

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