Spawn (1997)
43%RT Audience Score: 36%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 6 nominations
Spawn is an overbearing, over-violent film that adds little to the comic book adaptation genre
Spawn” is like a bad Halloween costume that you regret buying as soon as you put it on. It’s a mess of special effects and violence that tries to be cool and edgy, but just ends up feeling dated and cheesy. The only thing that’s remotely interesting about this movie is how terrible it is. If you’re looking for a good time, skip “Spawn” and watch a real horror movie instead.
Production Company(ies)
Eye Steel Film Téléfilm Canada Rogers Group of Fund,s
Distributor
New Line Cinema, New Line Home Video [us]
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Hollywood Center Studios – 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving the demonic underworld, violence, intense fantasy action and crude humor
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 37m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 1, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 2, 2010
Genre(s)
Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Michael Jai White, Martin Sheen, John Alberto Leguizamo, Theresa Randle, Melinda Clarke, Miko Hughes, directed by Mark A.Z Dippe, written by Alan B McElroy, fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jay Boyar, Angie Errigo, Owen Gleiberman, Todd McCarthy, Lisa Alspector, Rita Kempley, produced by Clint Goldman, PG-13, Hellspawn, Al Simmons, Jason Wynn, Wanda Blake, Jessica Priest, Zack, Devil’s henchman, twisted, horribly disfigured, reincarnated, evil army, force of good, wicked clown, special visual effects, digitally animated effects, comics-derived sci-fier, cheap horror film, apocalyptic, revenge fantasy, mid-budget comic book movie, dated, primitive, terribly unconvincing computer graphics, atmospheric shots, experimental special effects, soundtrack, city visuals, poor Spawn adaptation, reboot
Worldwide gross: $87,840,042
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $163,740,941
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 798
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 17,856,155
US/Canada gross: $54,870,175
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $102,282,443
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 736
US/Canada opening weekend: $19,738,749
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $36,794,624
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 349
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $40,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $74,563,234
Production budget ranking: 570
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $40,152,302
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $49,025,405
ROI to date (est.): 43%
ROI ranking: 1,186
Michael Jai White – Al Simmons, Spawn
Martin Sheen – Jason Wynn
Theresa Randle – Wanda Blake
Melinda Clarke – Jessica Priest
Miko Hughes – Zack
Director(s)
Mark A.Z. Dippe
Writer(s)
Alan B. McElroy
Producer(s)
Clint Goldman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (38)
This barely coherent hunk of junk is like a cheap horror film with only a suggestion of the grisliness that appeals to fans of cheap horror films.
May 6, 2016
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
It’s simply a parade of toys and tricks, without a jot of playfulness, knowing humour or campery to endear itself.
July 12, 2010 | Rating: 1/5
Angie Errigo
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The film gives you the pleasurably junky sensation of living inside an apocalyptic videogame.
July 6, 2010 | Rating: B-
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A moodily malevolent, anything-goes revenge fantasy that relies more upon special visual and digitally animated effects for its intended appeal than any comics-derived sci-fier to date.
March 26, 2009
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
This hopelessly redundant action gross-out aspires to a form of hip vacuousness — and may achieve it.
April 26, 2007
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The nonsensical screenplay can barely stand-up to the hellzapoppin,’ Beelzebubbin’ effects mustered by first-time director Mark Dippe.
January 22, 2002
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Unfortunately, as a product of the ’90s, the film relies heavily on dated, primitive, terribly unconvincing computer graphics.
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 2/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
I would say I feel bad for a cast that’s clearly above this material, but at least they got paid for it; I ended up in the red.
August 8, 2020 | Rating: 1.8/5
Mark H. Harris
Black Horror Movies
Violent ’90s apocalyptic horror tale is dreadful.
October 3, 2017 | Rating: 1/5
Barbara Shulgasser
Common Sense Media
Ends up feeling like every other mid-budget comic book movie from the second half of the 1990s, and that was a uniquely dispiriting moment for such things.
December 6, 2016 | Rating: 4/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy
Has aged about as well as a banana in the sweltering sun…
July 12, 2012
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
As a movie, ‘Spawn’ can’t make up its mind what it wants to be any more than its protagonist knows who he is or what he wants to be.
July 8, 2012 | Rating: 4/10
John J. Puccio
Movie Metropolis…
Plot
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 supposed to destroy the world with a deadly virus that will help start Armageddon and allow Hell to attack Heaven. Spawn must choose between Good and Evil.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
John Leguizamo’s performance as the wicked clown in Spawn is described as “hamming it up” by one critic.
Mark-A.Z.-Dippe.jpg
