Starring: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Al Madrigal, Michael Keaton
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Runtime: 104 mins. Reviewed in Apr 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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A brief Marvel superpower film, focusing on biochemist Michael Morbius, who, in trying to find a cure for a rare blood disease, experiments with bats. The result leads to a variation on the Doctor Frankenstein theme with touches of vampire stories.
For this reviewer, quite a surprise. With the early part of the story and treatment, he found that he was enjoying the film, not what he was expecting. In fact, having never read Marvel Comics, and having no knowledge of who Morbius was, it was a surprise to find the trailer was 100% misleading, especially about the character of Michael Morbius.
By way of extra review, this reviewer sat behind four 14-year-olds in the cinema. Those who scoff at Marvel Comics and their range of movies sometimes remark that they were written for 12-14-year-olds. And, judging by this group in the cinema, they were reaching their mark. And, momentarily embarrassingly, they were reaching the reviewer. Which led to the reflection that material for 12-14-year-olds is good for them but why can’t we enjoy at least some of them as well. A further compliment to the boys was that one of them insisted they take all their litter out with them after the film – and an opportunity to ask him whether he enjoyed the film. Yes, he said, it was the second time he had seen it (and this was the morning of its third day of release).
So, a sobering experience with a real audience. The running time is brief compared with other Marvel epics, delivering what it intends, even though critics might declare that is not what it ought not to be delivering
The action opens in Costa Rica, Morbius confronting a huge cave of bats and seemingly overwhelmed by them. Then a return to Greece, 25 years earlier, Michael in a clinic cared for by a sympathetic medic, Dr Nicholas (Jared Harris). The young Michael becomes friendly with another boy in the clinic – Milo. It is a friendship that runs so deep that Michael gives him his name. Born with the name Lucien and having the same blood disease that Michael has, Michael renames the boy Milo. Their shared affliction leads to a lifelong bond. Michael demonstrates his cleverness by fixing an elaborate machine with a ballpoint pen resulting in Dr Nicholas recommending him for further studies and a scholarship. So, the human touch after the episode with the bats.
The adult Michael rejects a Nobel Prize, stating that his attempts so far to find a cure for his condition have been failures. He works in a laboratory, financed by the adult Milo (Matt Smith), collaborating with a young doctor, Martin Bancroft (Adria Arjona). Contrary to the impressions created by the trailer, Dr Michael Morbius is actually a man of integrity, seriously involved in his work. However, during an experiment on a boat in international waters, he succeeds in his experiment but with dangerous consequences.
This is where the film turns into a variation on the Dr Frankenstein theme, wariness of undisciplined scientifical and medical experimentation, and the Frankenstein monster this time the doctor himself – and, as the action progresses, the real villain is a transformed Milo.
And, of course, with the bats who survive on blood, Morbius is transformed by his cure to a vampiric condition. There are many Dracula moments.
With a death in a hospital, as well as the deaths of all the crew on the mysterious boat, there are police investigations, media reports and the audience seeing more and more of Milo and his ambitions.
Which means then that Dr Morbius is a kind of Bruce Wayne figure, wanting the good, but transforming into a character beyond, this time with superpowers of transformation in flight, fangs and gore.
Leto’s Morbius is, as mentioned, far more sympathetic and with integrity than initially thought. Despite his transformations, he wants what is best and is prepared to suffer consequences. And, during the final credits, there are two indications of what some of the consequences might be, the introduction of an oddball character seen in prison, Andrew Toomes (for those in the know, Vulture) then transforming himself and confronting Morbius, a character played by Michael Keaton. So, in the future…
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