Spawn (1997): More style than substance

I remember picking up Spawn (1997) on VHS at an outdoor car boot sale when I was a kid. I can’t quite recall if that was my first introduction to the Spawn franchise or if it was when my grandmother bought me a Spawn action figure from the pound shop (that’s the dollar store for those across the pond). The figurine came with a mini comic, which I became a bit obsessed with, reading it over and over again. It was probably only 10 or 12 pages long, but the part that really stuck with me was a panel of Clown cooking a rat in an alley, singing “Hey diddle diddle, a rat on the griddle.” Then he assured us readers it wasn’t a rat, just a large field mouse.

It was just another thing, like Warhammer, I wanted to dive into as a kid but didn’t know how—or have the money—to do so. I have fond memories of watching Spawn, but I was curious how it would hold up now that I’m revisiting it as an adult.

Spawn plot summary

The movie follows Al Simmons (Michael Jai White), a covert government operative who is betrayed and killed by his superiors, only to be resurrected as Spawn, a Hellspawn warrior. The highly skilled CIA hitman who is betrayed by Jason Wynn (Head of the CIA played by Martin Sheen), and murdered during a mission. After being sent to Hell, Simmons makes a deal with the demonic ruler Malebolgia (voiced by Frank Welker), agreeing to lead Hell’s army in exchange for a chance to return to Earth and see his wife, Wanda (Theresa Randle), again.

However, upon his return, Simmons finds that five years have passed, Wanda has remarried his best friend, and his life as Spawn is now intertwined with a battle between good and evil. Guided by the sinister demon Violator (John Leguizamo) and the mysterious Cogliostro (Nicol Williamson), Simmons must navigate his new reality while confronting his former life.

As Spawn, Simmons discovers a sinister plot involving Wynn, who has developed a dangerous biological weapon. With the threat of an apocalyptic event looming, Spawn faces a moral dilemma: should he seek vengeance or protect those he once loved? Along the way, he must come to terms with his transformation, learning to wield his necroplasmic powers and choose between the path of destruction or redemption.

Spawn review

The main reason I loathe superhero films, at least those made in the last ten or so years, have become nothing but mastabatory aids. Either you get your rocks off by watching juiced up actors (and yes, we all know they do) of mediocre ability, flex, pout, and fly in underpants; or you’re a basement-dwelling dweeb who just wishes one day to be bitten by a magical spider, and you’d become the object of adoration just described. Well, that’s my opinion anyway. Whatever story there is in such films; it’s facile at best, absolute wank at worst.

Spawn is not an obvious thirst trap for man-children. Yet, it is still more style than substance. There was times, in particular the opening credits and backstory narration, where I caught second-hand embarrassment. They stole the opening credits to Se7en (1995), and added hellfire and edgelord vibes. That, with the over-the-top, techno-metal industrial soundtrack, facilitated feelings of cringe rather than excitement.

It does get better though, as the film goes on. The style persists, masking any semblance of story. The narrative is coherent, but very simple and straight to the point. This ‘edgeploitation’ flick is little more than a look and feel. But does that take away from being able to enjoy the film – no. Whilst I no longer feel like the bad-ass I felt when I was an awkward pre-teen watching this, I still had fun.

Much like the film’s soundtrack, the Spawn franchise is very much a product of its time. Heavy themes of government conspiracy run through the story, accentuated by the fascistic aesthetic surrounding Jason Wynn’s character and office. Early on, there’s also a nod to another ’90s trend—introducing female interloper and antagonist in the form of Priest (Melinda Clarke), who rises to “top assassin” after Simmons’ demise. Priest is an amalgamation of several female antagonists from the original comic book series, created specifically for the movie to break the male-dominated lineup of powerful characters.

The digital effects in Spawn have not aged well and look incredibly dated today. However, I appreciate that CGI was only used when practical effects couldn’t achieve the complexity required, like with the animation of Spawn’s cape. The practical effects, especially for the Violator puppet, were remarkable—on par with the work seen in Jurassic Park (1993). This is thanks to the expertise of director and special effects supervisor Mark A.Z. Dippé, along with special effects artist Steve ‘Spaz’ Williams. Their craftsmanship shines through even when the digital effects falter.

It is notable that this movie was intended to have a PG-13 rating. Comic writer Todd McFarlane predicted this direction might create a camp of haters, as the rating would limit the darker storylines and themes that the comic is known for. After watching the Director’s Cut, though, I found there was still enough creepiness and darkness to match the film’s tone. That said, some content was definitely off the table. There’s no way they could have included the Billy Kincaid story arc in this movie, despite being one of the first stories in the Spawn saga. You can’t exactly have a character in a film who is a child predator and murderer in a PG-13…

Spawn is a film that blends ’90s edge with a heavy dose of style, but ultimately lacks depth. While the movie’s dated digital effects and cringeworthy moments leave much to be desired, there are redeeming qualities in its practical effects and entertainment value. It offers a coherent, if simplistic, narrative, but remains more a visual experience than a compelling story.