Originally posted April 1, 2022
Morbius is the comic world’s take on the vampire legend, introducing a doctor who accidentally becomes a bloodsucker and exploring the consequences of his transformation.
Comic book characters tend to have the worst luck with science experiments. If something can go wrong, it likely will – and in the worst possible way. Physical transformations, uncontrollable powers and disastrous realizations are just some of the after-effects of these trials gone wrong. On the plus side, scientists are more likely to assess their situation critically and attempt to limit the damage… versus a bystander who unwittingly enters the danger zone and suddenly has unexplainable, potentially destructive abilities. In the case of Morbius, a brilliant doctor has the noblest of intentions, but his obsession with the project leads to unintended consequences.
Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) has never known a life without illness. He has a rare blood condition that makes him frail and requires constant treatment, without which he would die. As a boy, at a children’s facility under the care of Dr. Emil Nicholas (Jared Harris), Michael met Lucien, a.k.a. Milo (Matt Smith), who suffers from the same disorder, and he swore he would one day cure their ailment. Identified as a young genius, Michael becomes a world-renowned scientist, dedicating his life to hematology and finding a remedy for their debilitating disease with the aid of Dr. Martine Bancroft (Adria Arjona). Unfortunately, his efforts to draw on vampire bats’ unique biology results in a serum that cures their condition, but at a price — he must now consume blood to survive, or risk turning into an overpowering, ravenous monster.
This is a familiar narrative in the world of comic book heroes and villains. Michael immediately understands he’s made a terrible mistake, forced to decide if his newfound vitality and personal survival is worth the risk to everyone at large if he fails to control his blood urges. As a result, he keeps the compromised cure a secret, unwilling to inflict his curse on anyone else. However, as in many of these stories, not everyone views the cure in the same light, revelling in a life without weakness or oppression, regardless of the cost. These opposing opinions are at the centre of the film’s conflict and remain relatively grounded in a realistic-as-possible world by director Daniel Espinosa, who took a similar approach to the 2017 sci-fi picture, Life.
Michael’s and Milo’s approaches to their lifestyle constraints are very different. The former has excelled professionally, becoming a rogue star in the medical world, devoting his expertise to helping children like him with compassion and care. He has hope for a better tomorrow and it shows in his interactions with his peers. Milo, on the other hand, lives like he may not see tomorrow. In spite of being wealthy, he takes unnecessary risks, becoming indebted to dangerous men, and pushes life to the limits. Fortunately, Milo’s affluence has also benefitted Michael, as he’s been somewhat of a benefactor throughout his career — no questions asked.
The first half of this film is very engaging as audiences are introduced to the protagonist, learning his history, becoming familiar with his unexpectedly sympathetic personality and being in awe of his boundary-pushing medical work. Even watching him test the limits of his cured body and discover his newly acquired abilities is entertaining. And while the initial cat-and-mouse chase is exciting, particularly as the super-humans face-off against each other, it does lose its momentum relatively quickly. Moreover, Michael’s opposition to the cure and its side effects raises questions about his actions in the final act.
Nonetheless, the film is very well cast. Unlike Leto’s previous foray into the superhero universe with DC’s Joker, he is much better suited to play Michael Morbius. He effectively portrays the nuances of the character’s personality, as well as his struggle first with his disease and then its cure. In spite of Smith’s everlasting connection to the quirky and loveable Eleventh Doctor, he has once again demonstrated that he’s an excellent bad boy and should definitely be considered for more villainous roles in the future. Harris’ part is limited, but he is an appropriate choice to act as a positive influence and mentor for Michael. Conversely, even though Arjona is provided a few opportunities to assert Martine’s importance to the research, it would’ve been nice if she could be positioned as more than an accessory to Michael’s work.
At just under two hours, the film doesn’t feel noticeably long since in spite of its missteps, the narrative is constantly being propelled forward. There are two mid-credit scenes that tie the film into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, but no end credit sequence. In light of these developments, it will be interesting to see how the studio carries Morbius’ story onward after this initial introduction.
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Starring: Jared Leto; Matt Smith and Adria Arjona
