'Morbius' Review: This Living Vampire Needs More Bite
After numerous delays, Morbius is finally hitting theaters this weekend. Though it’s not nearly as awful as the general consensus would make one believe, this half-baked comic book film could have benefited from more time in the oven.
The film follows a biochemist named Michael Morbius, played here by Jared Leto, who suffers from a debilitating blood disorder and is tirelessly working to find a cure for himself and those who also suffer from the disease. After conducting a wildly unethical and dangerous experiment, he finds himself cured, but at a horrifying cost, gaining a thirst for human blood and becoming a living vampire. Joining Leto in the cast are Matt Smith, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Al Madrigal, and Adria Arjona.
The performances are scattershot in terms of quality throughout the film, the two standouts being Leto and Smith. The former makes Morbius a compelling protagonist, a man with a warm heart and good intentions who is willing to find a cure for himself and others similarly afflicted at any cost. Leto taps into the darkness and anguish of the character without veering into the melodramatic and elevates the film, especially when it begins to spin off the tracks. As for the latter, Smith makes Milo, Morbius’ best friend who also suffers from the same disease, a fun, unpredictable antagonist. He’s chewing up scenery, relishing every second he gets to be a sinister blood-sucker. As for the rest of the cast, Harris’ talents are completely wasted while Gibson, Arjona and Madrigal are essentially wallpaper masquerading as characters.
As for the film itself, there is quite a bit of campy, so bad it’s good fun to be had. Some of the special effects may not be MCU caliber and lackluster, but the action sequences involving Morbius succumbing to his thirst for blood, especially early on, are effective and tap into the horror elements of the character. This is a film, like Sony’s Venom films, that knows it’s silly and over-the-top, and thankfully it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Simply think of those slightly cheesy, but enjoyable comic book films from the early 2000s and it’ll become easy to see Morbius would blend in nicely with those adaptations.
However, there is plenty hindering this film from becoming something truly special. One flaw that becomes heavily apparent early on is that this film should’ve gone the R-rated route in bringing this beloved character to life. Telling the story of a blood-thirsty vampire shouldn’t be this watered-down or virtually bloodless. With critically and financially successful R-rated comic book films like Logan and the Deadpool films proving not every superhero film needed to be PG-13, it shouldn’t have been a hard sell.
it was also disheartening not to see director Daniel Espinosa’s distinct visual style on display. After directing stylistic, underrated films like Safe House and the sci-fi horror flick Life, he was an inspired choice to take on this character and his respective story, but his direction is mostly flat and frankly dull here. It feels as if he’s relying on the special effects to enhance his action sequences, but none of them truly stand out or linger in the mind.
However, the most notable issue with the film was its central conflict between Morbius and Milo. Though it was clear early on that the two becoming enemies was inevitable, the catalyst for the end of their friendship was underwhelming, at best. It felt as if they needed one more, well-rounded and emotionally charged confrontation to flesh out that conflict and justify their divide, but that scene never came. While it was still heartbreaking to see the two at odds with one another, especially after the film does an admirable job establishing their friendship and kinship with one another, that conflict could’ve had a far more potent emotional punch. It also didn’t help that their third act, anti-hero vs. villain battle felt rushed and overly shrouded by questionable CGI.
Though Morbius has its fair share of flaws, it’s not without its fun or appeal. The combo of Leto and Smith, paired with some occasionally fun action sequences, make this film far better than most critics are making it out to be. It may be a bit of a guilty pleasure, but there is still boundless potential for the character now that the groundwork has been laid. Let’s just hope that if he gets sequel, the shackles can be taken off to let this living vampire truly fly.