Spawn

Watch Spawn

"Born in darkness. Sworn to justice."
  • PG-13
  • 1997
  • 1 hr 32 min
  • 5.2  (71,374)
  • 34

Spawn is a 1997 action movie directed by Mark A.Z. Dippé and starring Michael Jai White, John Leguizamo, and Martin Sheen. Based on the comic book series of the same name by Todd McFarlane, the movie follows the story of Al Simmons, a former CIA black ops agent who is betrayed and killed by his own boss, Jason Wynn. Al makes a deal with a demonic being named Malebolgia to come back to life and take revenge on those who wronged him. However, Al soon realizes that he has been turned into a Hellspawn, a creature of the underworld, with limited control over his own destiny.

The movie opens with a brief introduction to the Hellspawn universe, explaining the concepts of Heaven, Hell, and the Middle Ground, where the souls of the dead reside before they are judged. We are then introduced to Al Simmons, a skilled assassin who is sent on a mission to extract a scientist from a terrorist group in North Korea. The mission is successful, but Al is betrayed and killed by Wynn, his boss, and his former friend and partner, Jess Chapel. Al wakes up in the depths of Hell, where he is met by Malebolgia, who offers him a chance to return to Earth and exact revenge on those who betrayed him.

Al accepts the offer, but soon realizes that he has been transformed into a Hellspawn, a creature with superhuman strength and the ability to summon various weapons and creatures from the underworld. He also discovers that his wife, Wanda, has moved on and is now married to Terry Fitzgerald, his best friend and former partner. Al, now known as Spawn, seeks the help of a deformed clown named Violator, who serves as his guide and mentor in the ways of the supernatural world.

Meanwhile, Wynn is working on a top-secret project called Operation: Heatseeker, a device that can create a massive amount of energy from human souls. Wynn plans to use the device to become rich and powerful, but he needs the help of a computer programmer named Twitch Williams to finish the project. Spawn targets Wynn and his cronies, leading to a series of action-packed battles between Spawn, Wynn's mercenaries, and various supernatural beings.

The movie features a strong performance by Michael Jai White, who brings a sense of depth and vulnerability to Al Simmons/Spawn. John Leguizamo steals the show as Violator, a character who is equal parts comic relief and menacing villain. Martin Sheen is also impressive as Wynn, playing the role of the power-hungry villain with ease.

The special effects in Spawn are a mixed bag. While some scenes, such as Spawn's transformation sequence and the battle scenes, are impressive and visually stunning, others, such as the CGI rendering of Violator, look dated and cheesy. The movie's soundtrack, featuring artists such as Marilyn Manson and Metallica, adds to the overall sense of darkness and menace.

Overall, Spawn is a flawed but entertaining movie that will satisfy fans of the comic book series and lovers of action and horror movies. The movie's themes of betrayal, revenge, and redemption are well-handled, and the performances of the lead actors elevate the movie to a higher level. While the special effects may not hold up well by today's standards, Spawn remains a cult classic among fans of the genre.

Spawn is a 1997 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.2 and a MetaScore of 34.

Spawn
Description
Where to Watch Spawn
Spawn is available to watch, stream, download and buy on demand at Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube VOD and Vudu. Some platforms allow you to rent Spawn for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    1997
  • MPAA Rating
    PG-13
  • Runtime
    1 hr 32 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    5.2  (71,374)
  • Metascore
    34