Spawn

Plot

A mercenary is killed, but comes back from Hell as a reluctant soldier of the Devil.

Release Year: 1997

Rating: 4.9/10 (28,575 voted)

Critic's Score: 34/100

Director:
Mark A.Z. Dippé

Stars: John Leguizamo, Michael Jai White, Martin Sheen

Storyline
An assassin named Al Simmons is double-crossed and murdered by his evil boss Jason Wynn. Al makes a deal with the devil and returns to earth as Spawn to see his wife. He is ordered by the devil's minion, The Clown, to kill Wynn. Wynn has made a deal with the clown too and is suppose to destroy the world with a deadly virus that will help start Armageddon and allow Hell to attack Heaven. Spawn must choose between Good & Evil.

Writers: Todd McFarlane, Alan B. McElroy

Cast:

Michael Jai White
–

Al Simmons
/
Spawn

John Leguizamo
–

Clown
/
Violator

Martin Sheen
–

Jason Wynn

Theresa Randle
–

Wanda Blake

Nicol Williamson
–

Cogliostro

D.B. Sweeney
–

Terry Fitzgerald

Melinda Clarke
–

Jessica Priest

Miko Hughes
–

Zack

Sydni Beaudoin
–

Cyan

Michael Papajohn
–

Glen, Zack's Dad

Frank Welker
–

The Devil Malebolgia

(voice)

Robia LaMorte
–

XNN Reporter

(as Robia La Morte)

John Cothran Jr.
–

African Liaison

Caroline Gibson
–

News Anchor

Marc Robinson
–

Punk #1

Taglines:
The Evil has a new enemy. The Justice has a new Weapon. And the world has a new hero.

Release Date: 1 August 1997

Filming Locations: Hollywood Center Studios – 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $40,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $21,210,131
(USA)
(3 August 1997)
(2536 Screens)

Gross: $87,949,859
(Worldwide)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min
 |
USA: 98 min
(director's cut)

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Richard Harris was originally going to play Cogliostro but pulled out of the project.

Goofs:

Errors in geography:
At the beginning of the movie, Sommins is supposed to be on a mission in Hong Kong, but when he fires his missile to destroy a terrorist's plane, you can see the famous lookout tower at LAX.

Quotes:

[first lines]

Cogliostro:
The battle between Heaven and Hell has waged eternal, their armies fueled by souls harvested on Earth. The devil, Malebolgia, has sent a lieutenant to Earth to recruit men who will turn the world into a place of death in exchange for wealth and power, a place that will provide enough souls to complete his army and allow Armageddon to begin. All the Dark Lord needs now is a great soldier, someone who can lead his hordes to the gates of Heaven and burn them down.

User Review

Just Like the Comic – For the Right and Wrong Reasons.

Rating: 5/10


This film is just like the comic that inspired it: Great visuals (I
still really like McFarlane's superhero art style), but much like the
majority of "Spawn" stories, it really doesn't go anywhere. The set
looks good, the characters look good, the cape looks REALLY good, but
the story? Other than telling the origin and the standard "must stop
the bad guy" motive, it doesn't do as much as it should. And yes, I
know it's a Hell-based movie, but the metal soundtrack just got
distracting and annoying, instead of enhancing the story like it should
have. John Williams or Danny Elfman it wasn't.

Need to see the film? It's a great visual ride. Just don't expect much
more than that. It did make for some cool toys, though.