Marvel comics character Morbius comes to life in theaters

Image used with permission from Wiki Commons

The new Marvel movie Morbius came to theaters all over the United States on Apr. 1.

Morbius, a living vampire, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, was released in theaters on Apr. 1 all over the United States. 

Soon after announcing plans for a new shared universe of films inspired by Spiderman characters beginning with Venom in 2018, Sony began developing a fantasy action film based on Morbius. The film has grossed over $147 million against a $75 million to $83 million budget, making it the ninth highest-grossing film of 2022 so far.

Morbius stars Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius, along with Matt Smith as Milo, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal and Tyrese Gibson. In the film, Morbius becomes a living vampire after curing himself of a rare disease. Dr. Michael Morbius is dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others from the same fate. While at first his actions seem to be a radical success, a darkness inside of him is soon unleashed.

In an attempt g to cure himself of a rare life-long blood disease with experimental vampire bat science, Dr. Michael Morbius’s experiment goes wrong and he accidentally infects himself with a form of vampirism, finding himself torn between his human and monstrous natures. While he is seemingly cured of his disease, his bones become hollow and he gains the ability to fly, as well as gaining superhuman strength, super speed, and accelerated healing. However, he also begins to be tortured by a life-sustaining thirst for blood. The blood allows him to survive and gives him a strong aversion to light. 

A PG-13 film, Morbius was directed by Daniel Espinos, a Swedish film director. The film was produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Marvel. The film began casting and production in London in February 2019. Then filming was confirmed to have been completed by June 2019. The was delayed several times from an initial July 2020 date primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The film was given a 16% on the Tomatometer along with a 71% audience score. ¨Morbius isn’t telling the most original story, but cool visuals and fast action keep things entertaining,¨ one reviewer said.

The film was panned by critics who criticized its special effects, performances, writing, post-credits scene and the actor’s performance. The audience was not content with the outcome of the film. The critics’  agreed and said, ¨Cursed with uninspired effects, rote performances, and a borderline nonsensical story, this dreary mess is a vain attempt to make Morbius happen.¨

  Junior Bill Godnick said he loves Marvel movies and is constantly watching them with family and friends. ¨The recent Marvel movies that have come out in the past couple of years have been so good so I decided to watch Morbius and I didn’t really enjoy it,¨ Godnick said. 

However, Marvel movies are known for their end credit scenes that usually foreshadow future films and television shows, resolve a plotline from the film or provide comic relief. In the film Morbius, there were two end-credit scenes that had viewers stick around for the set up of intriguing questions for the future of the character.