Grade: D

Is it too early in 2009 to pick one of the worst movies of the year?  Big star names like Eva Mendes Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johanssen may draw some movie-goers.  But just a few minutes in and you’ll be rolling your eyes.  The Spirit is based on the comic book series.  The Spirit is a policeman who died, only to be brought back to life by a bad guy who is kind of a mad scientist.  Now he is impossible to kill, at least for the time being – he doesn’t know when the effect will wear off.  Samuel L. Jackson is the bad guy, the Octopuss, and Scarlett Johanssen is his sidekick.  Gabriel Macht is The Spirit and Eva Mendes is his former flame turned jewel thief.  Very campy, over the top.  Interesting graphics, and shots – mostly played for laughs, but overall, just really dumb.