Morbius Movie Review: Marvel's Gothic Tale Of Vampire Turned Into Superhero Will Soak All Your Blood

Marvel means superhero. But is it completely true? Can Marvel be something different too? Yes, it can be. Can it be something related to vampires? Yes. Here's  Morbius to give you all the answers. You see, this concept of failed experiments (of scientists or doctors) or side effects of experiments is way too old in Hollywood. James Whale made some iconic films like Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) with this formula in the horror genre. George Waggner followed Whale's footprints and made The Wolf Man (1941).Those early experiments were shocking to the audience in that era because Hollywood was establishing new genres then. But the same stuff became old and cliched with films like Hallow Man (2000), Spider Man (2002), Hulk  (2003) and a few others. Some films used the formula of a failed experiment to show the good guys, while some used it for the bad ones. Spider Man 3 came with that Venom thing, which showed us two characters being haunted by the same supernatural power, and recently we saw a Malayalam superhero flick, Minnal Murali (2021) with the same thought. Marvel's Morbius is quite similar to these two films. But it has a damn boring plot and a predictable twist that just doesn't survive. In the film, Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease with the help of his girlfriend and fellow doctor, Martine (Adria Arjona), but he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead. He is blessed with enormous powers, but he doesn't know how to control them. Is it a gift or a curse? His surrogate brother, Milo (Matt Smith), shows him the other side of this new invention, which creates differences between them. Who will win in the end? A good vampire or an evil one? The second half of Morbius provides you with all the answers, and believe me, there is nothing unpredictable or new here. Marvel films are usually not dark, but this one is an exception. I don't need to explain what happens when Marvel tries something dark and intense. The fans don't expect them to make such films. They just want entertainment and larger-than-life characters with screaming heroic acts, not a story. With Morbius, Marvel fans get neither of them. Morbius is not a superhero film, actually. It just ends up being a superhero flick, somehow. A vampire drama is nothing new for us. From The Golem (1920), Nosferatu (1922), Dracula (1931), and many other well-known horror films and TV shows (in every industry across the world), the idea just doesn't change. Then how can Morbius be an exception? It just happens to be dropped in the wrong universe and at the wrong time, that's all.Jared Leto has been impressive in the last 5-6 years, with some good acting credits to his name. So, Morbius was a simple task for him because VFX did the majority of the work for him. Well, this is not just the acting-driven role he deserves, but he's fine with whatever acting-loaded scenes he has got. Matt Smith is surprising, though. His character comes as a surprise, and that's still digestible, I should say, but his performance too comes as a surprise, and that's a pleasant surprise, I must say. The gorgeous looking Adria Arjona hasn't got too many long scenes, but whenever she appears, she makes sure that you notice her presence. Jared Harris, Al Madrigal, and Tyrese Gibson's support is strictly okay.Morbius is full of colourful visuals. It looks unnecessary and illogical as the colour themes and that foggy smoke behind the vampires don't really make any sense, but don't know why, the screen appeal carries it through. It doesn't bore, and that's too much, but the screenplay does. Also, the fighting scenes are shot from close angles – putting a lot of strain on your eyes for some time. Nevertheless, a few of them are brilliantly shot, and indeed, they entertain you. However, a little more practical sense would have only helped. Morbius' mediocrity is not limited to the writing, but also reflects on Daniel Espinosa's outdated vision. Come on man, I mean, it's 2022, not 1982 to show so much repetitiveness on screen. Espinosa's directional techniques drain all the blood out of Morbius' body. Somehow, the soul survives due to Marvel's comic tale. Rest, it's a strictly below-average show saved by some breathtaking action sequences and somewhat pleasant visual effects. Don't expect anything more than that, not even a penny, because if you do, Morbius will suck all your blood during those 106 minutes. Overall, an underwhelming Gothic tale with uneven Marvel stamping all over.