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Ithaca, 25 December 08 -- Comic books and graphic novels have become big business in Hollywood over the last couple of decades, with a trend beginning arguably with Christopher Reeve's "Superman" and including the more recent "X-Men" and forthcoming "Wolverine," not to mention the brilliant film adaptations of Frank Miller's "Sin City" and "300." Surely, the Hollywood executives who pick movie pitches must've thought, another Frank Miller picture such as "The Spirit" would be a winner!

No one expects much from a comic book movie released at Christmastime; there are timely releases of last-minute, serious Oscar contenders, but "The Spirit" isn't one of them. Think of it instead as a parody of the recent serious comic-book movies, but made by Frank Miller instead of by the Wayans Brothers or David Zucker, the funny crew behind the "Scary Movie" parodies.

Much like the far better "Sin City," this latest Frank Miller effort (based this time on a comic by someone else) is presented in a very high-contrast, nearly monochrome style, evocative both of vintage black-and-white cinematography and the stylized art of comic books. I loved the title character's bright red tie leaping out of the stark black of the rest of his costume, the red car taillights, the red alleyway glow, the occasional red backdrop, and the... blue Aquafina label?! As accustomed as we've become to product placement in TV shows and movies, I have to admit I find it tough to forgive a placement so jarring that it messes with the whole movie's colour scheme.

People talk about walking out of bad movies all the time, but it rarely happens. I don't think I've ever done it; the one time I can most recall wanting to walk out was for the first several minutes of "Moulin Rouge," though I'm glad I didn't. About ten minutes in, *click* I was into it. But tonight, people actually wandered off to go to the rest room; some came back, but I think a few decided their investment in the ticket price wasn't worth protecting.

There are good things about "The Spirit," even though it's only got about enough storyline for a comic book. It's actually a decent story for a comic book, but just a hair slim for a comic book movie. It's got a past, a present, and an implied future. It's got a pair of evenly matched characters facing off against one another. It's got lots of cats, including an adorable kitten named Muffin. And it's actually got an accomplished cast.

Let's get this out of the way right up front: Samuel L. Jackson's (appropriately) over-the-top performance is this movie's saving grace. His recent appearance on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" is why I wanted to see the movie, and he does a fine job as The Octopus, though his gun-toting bravado is eerily reminiscent of his role in 1994's "Pulp Fiction." (The box with glowing contents rings a bell, too.)

Gabriel Macht as the title character reminds me a little of the overeager movie studio security guard in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," but his stridency seems just about right for a comic book movie parody. A running gag is that the Spirit is a womanizer, and the love interest from his youth is played wonderfully as a teen by the pretty Seychelle Gabriel, and then as an adult by the smoldering Eva Mendes. This character, named "Sand Saref" as a comic-book lettering gag, actually manages to turn the Spirit's caricature-like reaction to women into a sweet romance.

Louis Lombardi gets lots of screen time as one or another of the Octopus's infinitely replaceable (and infinitely dim) henchman clones, and Dan Lauria impresses as the police commissioner, another caricature of a character that works in this context.

With all this talent, it's a shame this unintentional parody doesn't have the meat we've come to expect from our comic book movies. Worth watching? Sure, when "The Spirit" hits Netflix or HBO. Save your $10 unless you're hungry for the lightest fluff around.