Superguy: Behind the Cape

Far and away, hands down, a superior flick to Spider Man 2.

SuperGuy: Behind the Cape is more than tongue-in-cheek: it's tongue hanging all the way out. A well-developed plot line combined with great special effects create a superb backdrop for the whole question of why we look outside of ourselves for power. The message unfolds uproariously in numerous subplots: that True Power Lies Within Us. It's a great ride, and a great story. One that not only entertains but enlightens. It'll really make you think...laughing all the way

"SuperGuy: Beyond the Cape" is an absolutely hilarious comedy exploring the societal absurdities of our time and pop culture's fascination with super heroes. There are great performances here, some of them by relatively unknown names. I have simply not seen a movie so consistently funny in a long time. The makers of this took the time to think out the comic and logical implications of their ideas and they exploit the comic possibilities to the max! The idea of exploring the ramifications of a super hero living in the 'real world' is so ripe with absurd potential it's a wonder no feature film director never took a stab at it before(to my knowledge, anyway). The satire of the current news media is particularly sharp here. I also got a kick out of the SuperGuy religious cult stuff and the portrait of the obsessive 'fan boy' sort. Some reviewers tended to compare this film to "Spinal Tap," which seems to have achieved almost iconic status in film satire. I think, however, that the humour in "Spinal Tap" was rather scattergun and a little too broad - I liked it, but I thought it could have been more. "SuperGuy," on the other hand, has a mercilessly tight focus. Some of the little touches are quite telling. Even the extras are up to the rest of the movie. It's nice to see people taking the time and effort to get things right. I totally recommend this movie. The laughs just don't let up. Greg Cameron, Surrey, B.C., Canada.

While an interesting idea (what would be the ramifications of having a real life superhero?), this fake documentary just doesn't come together well. It did little more than evoke a smirk for me, but based on the subject matter and some of the DVD case photos (Superguy smoking and drinking in a bar, in full costume no less), I expected to laugh.

I agree with some of the suggestions concerning how the media and general public would react, and I do think the ending makes sense. So it is admittedly a pretty realistic and thoughtful look at the phenomenon. Mark Teague works fairly well as the misunderstood superhero character, and the rest of the actors hold up their parts as well as could be expected (some believable, some overplayed). The special effects are quite low budget, and the flying scenes are considerably worse than the original 1970's Superman. Which could have been a source of humor, perhaps if they'd made the flying effects ridiculously bad. I think the problem is the filmmakers were trying to be serious when they should have been going for laughs, and vice versa.

My biggest complaint, though, is that many of the sequences and subjects go on far too long (OK, OK, we get the point), and the laughs just never quite materialize. As a 20-30 minute short, it could have been much better, but at 74 minutes its ideas are pushed to the breaking point.

So, while not without some redeeming qualities, I cannot recommend Superguy overall. 5 out of 10.

Reviews From Amazon DVD purchasers/renters: From the United States: Michael J. Hayde

5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny and a little touching Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2006 Watch your backs, Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy... you've got some real competition in Mark Teague's "Superguy: Behind the Cape." Although clearly an independent production made on a shoestring budget, this "mockumentary" has a generous amount of laughs, laced with a hint of charm.

Teague's performance as Superguy rates points for versatility. He could have given us a one-dimensional, single-minded "hero" along the lines of a mimic doing a bad Shatner-as-Kirk impression. Instead, his "Superguy" is a complex character who tries to do a job, takes pride in doing it well, and vacillates from puzzlement to sadness to anger when things are going against him.

The peripheral characters are also showcased well, particularly Superguy's drunken redneck father and his ultimate fan, a postal worker living in his mother's basement. The latter particularly resonates: between the sheer ridiculousness of his devotion and the pathos of his personal life, it's almost a Chaplinesque performance. (I supsect too that anyone who knows comic book or "Star Trek" devotees will find this guy VERY recognizable!)

Given the extreme low budget, the special effects are marvelous. You're not going to awestruck, but you will likely be impressed... and perhaps tempted to "try it yourself," if your PCs or Macs are up to it.

All-in-all, this is a funny, well-written look at all sides of the super hero phenomenon. I laughed about as much as I did when watching "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind." You will too.

2 people found this helpful

SR Fireside

4.0 out of 5 stars More than what I bargained for.

Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2005 I have heard people call this a mockumentary similar to the classic Spinal Tap. If you ask me it's more like a mock-biography. It has the feel of a VH-1 Behind the Music sort of thing or a 20/20 expose. Anyway this movie is a great little production in the life and times of a super hero. It's obviously a low budget independent film. However what they do with the resources they have are very impressive.

The special effects are all essentially bluescreen digital effects, but it looks good. It's the sort of production quality I would expect from television shows like The Tick or Charmed. The cameras used aren't as good, but since it's filmed like a documentary/expose the camera work actually lends itself to a more authentic feel. The acting is actually pretty good if a bit understated. I think Mark Teague made a perfect SuperGuy.

The film itself is very funny at the get go if you're into the mockumentary sort of thing. However in the middle things start getting a bit on the disturbing side. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be a dark comedy at that point or something else. In that middle section the movie's pace suffers. It feels like the interviews and footage drag on and on a bit too much. However by the end the momentum picks back up again.

My take on the more serious side of this production is the fact that this movie puts out an interesting social commentary on how society would react to having a real live superhero in their midst. You will find bits of things happening that are found in other superhero parodies like The Incredibles (but I can't say the Brad Bird took the ideas from Superguy), which I think further validates the idea here.

This DVD actually has a host of interesting extras and I'm surprised they aren't listed here. You get a blooper reel with various outtakes, several deleted scenes, a fascinating image gallery, two movie trailers, and of course previews from the DVD maker. All in all this collection of extra features are really quite good. The only thing that would have made it even better would have been a commentary track by cast and crew.

I notice there is no plot synopsis listed either so here is my take on that. What you have is an expose in the life of Superguy. From his humble beginnings to his rise to capitalist fame to the trials and tribulations of being a superhero. You get to hear interviews from family, co-workers, fans, critics and others along with seeing news footage of his exploits as well as the hero behind the cape in his home.

If you catch this DVD anywhere and like what you hear so far go ahead and pick up a copy. It's worth a bargain price if you are casual fan. I would only pay more if you are really into independent films and/or comic book/superhero jargon.

10 people found this helpful

Robert Torres

5.0 out of 5 stars Super guy is a super surprise!

Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2020 This early 2000's release feels surprisingly more relevant in today's super hero saturated media.

This is one of this low budget indie films that manages to rise above budget limitations by having a strong story and a great deal of commitment by those partaking in the production. The fact that its done in documentary style really works to tell the story of a real life superhero and how his existence effects the world overall and the cultural impact on society. From imitators, to fan obsession, to would be supervillains, to music artists, to religion, politics, news media, etc.

Its starts off pretty light-hearted, but does get serious as things go along, and really plays into the notion of the human flaws our heroes exemplify, that despite having great power and a great responsibility, its also a great burden and carries with it a great deal of pressure and expectations that cannot always be achieved.

Kudos to Mark Teigue for making this film and starring as the titular hero.

He created something funny, heartfelt and thought provoking. Bravo!

Nigel J. Yorwerth

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful!

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2005 Imagine a super hero who is built up as an idol by the adoring American public only to be torn down and vilified once they realize that he has imperfections and can't be in more than one place at a time.

This is brilliant cinema and funny as all get-out.

2 people found this helpful

From other countries Michael L. Reed

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reviewed in Canada on February 9, 2013 Being a superhero freak this movie was very interesting take on the average dude becoming a super hero. Its very good and I enjoyed it a lot.

SUPERGUY: BEHIND THE CAPE (4 outta 5 stars) Wow... seeing this obviously cheaply-made DVD on sale at Wal-Mart for $4.00 I expected it might be an amusing little joke... I was certainly NOT prepared for it to be so intelligently-written and creatively handled! Basically the movie is a "documentary" whose premise is "what if there was an actual superhero who had to live and work in the real world?" Every possible angle of this scenario is explored in amusing AND thought-provoking fashion. At times the movie does go a little overboard in trying to link "Superguy" to every facet of contemporary culture (i.e. the "Eminem" character) but you don't really want to penalize movie makers for being TOO imaginative, do you? The movie's description and low budget might lead you to expect nothing more than a zany comedy... but, in between the funny bits, the movie dares to present actual commentary on the concept of heroism and the on-going war between celebrities and the media. The "documentary" angle works very well for a low budget feature... some of the special effects that are employed throughout are actually very impressive! (A scene where people are deliberately leaping off buildings in the hopes that they will meet Superguy looks chillingly real.) A pity that the flying effects look so bad most of the time because everything else seems completely convincing (well, that costume needs some work, too). A terrific movie which deserves to become more well-known!