Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes

My friend got the movie and we sat down to watch. The main elements that immediately stood out to me was the "theater" style acting associated with many inexperienced screen artists. We have often seen this, even in our auditions, where someone who is used to the drama and overly expressive voice projection of theater often carry this into the film and create an unrealistic film environment. (The film public expect more today than ever.) This was not the case with all the actors since Vincent Roth did show some signs of comedic promise, but in my opinion, could have been hampered by some of the others.

As far as writing, well, I think it worked well and some very clever comic comments nestled in was very well done with this type of story. Now, if this is a low budget film, and they used what they had, well, I think they did a good job. Overall, however, I believe the acting was weak and that the director (Sorry, Mike) should have been looking for better if that were possible. Matching budget with talent with effects is always a challenge. Sorry, y'all, but I cannot rate it highly under such conditions.

I picked this up as an online rental just because it was highly rated in the gay/lesbian section and I'm glad I did. "Surge of Power" is a cute low budget film with obvious but undeclared gay characters. I enjoyed the story and got many of the insider references placed there just for the gay comics nerds like me. While Vincent Roth's acting skills may not have been super great, his enthusiasm, personality, cute face and chiseled body went a long way in making up for his other deficiencies. Getting through the opening credits, you realize that this is a dream project for Roth and it shows in the script, costumes and other design touches attributed to him.

There were a number of guest appearances by actors associated with comic book and science fiction TV shows like the original Lois Lane (Noel Neill), the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno), and Star Trek's Uhura (Nichelle Nichols). These appearances and other things served to both legitimize as well as poke fun at the movie. Another guest was actor Trev Broudy who was severely beaten in a hate crime in 2002 in his first acting appearance following his recovery.

While the movie may have been a low-budget vanity project, the superhero special effects seemed appropriate most of the time.

I found the movie entertaining as light-hearted fare in the superhero genre. I didn't have high expectations for the movie and was pleasantly surprised at the overall quality of the film. If you are a gay comics fanboy, I do recommend this a fun rental.

From the Midi file soundtrack of the opening titles, to the recycled cast of (what I must assume are) passer biers with no camera experience this movie was an experience whose mere mention will produce in me a bitter guttural response years from now when I'm lying in my dying bed. I am sorry, I am sorry if you made this movie (for hell awaits you), I am sorry if I offend anyone involved, but most of all, I am sorry I ever rented this thing. I know that the idea of a gay superhero is attractive to many people (but hey, aren't all superheroes gay anyway?), I have no quarrels with folk trying to support gay productions, there ought to be more out there, but anyone (gay or straight) with the strength to sit through this movie from beginning to end is in my mind a true SUPERHERO!

Well, I will tell you right up front: avoid this movie at all cost. What could have been a fairly interesting spoof on super heroes (gay one's at that) is one of the dullest films to come out since the invention of film. "Surge of Power" is quite possibly the longest 85 minutes in the history of the movies. Surge does have a power: to make it seem like time is standing still.

The script is half baked and lacks anything close to a believable story line. Let's hope Vincent J. Roth never writes another screenplay. The story never seems to move forward or amount to much of anything. Is this a comedy? A spoof? Comedy? Bad timing and bad acting just make it a bad film. There is no wit...just a bunch of nit wits. who probably think this film is great. Go back to film making class.

The acting is horrible. Let's not even call it acting...no one is even trying. The cast is packed with instantly forgettable actors. Most seem to be walking through their parts...or making it up as they go along. The actor who attempts to play "Surge" is worst of the bunch. Hot guy but not much else. He has no sense of timing...no sense of character. Thus the film makes no sense. You will find it odd how he never seems to be looking at the people he is talking with. Or is he just stoned? Celebrity cameos - and I am being quite generous using the word celebrity - are simply embarrassing. Oddly the high point of the film is the appearance of Nichelle Nichols (you remember her from Star Trek) as a character named "Omen." The lady does a lot with 10 lines of dialog and makes every else look bad. Sadly, she is gone after a few minutes and the film again sinks into mud.

This is what gay and lesbian films have come to? Producers Vincent J. Roth, Tom Tangen, and Michael Donahue should be ashamed of themselves.

Saw this flick last night at a midnight movie presentation in gay ol' Ft. Lauderdale and, interestingly enough, the "star" Vincent Roth introduced the movie. He is cute and well put-together, but his public speaking skills are on par with his acting ability, and unfortunately for all of us, that is not good. The movie doesn't really tread new ground, in fact, for a gay-themed movie, it wasn't really that interesting of a story. Very lame acting, with many over-weight actors who didn't fit their roles well and left some of us thinking that if we give enough money to an independent movie producer that, we too, could star in a movie! Vincent Roth is rather one-dimensional in his portrayal of the lead and only adds a bit of luster in one scene which is too little, too late. In fact, his body AND acting belong in an entirely different genre of film...PORN! Overall, the film lacks any charm...the only stand-out in the cast is the lead characters science-goober friend, who, unlike any of the others, COULD act his way out of a paper bag! Sorry girls, if you want an entertaining gay-themed movie to see, skip this one...but if you want to see gym-bodied guys with impossible-to-recreate "high cheek bones", in too tight spandex shirts running around like queens...this one is for you! I gave it 4 stars out of 10 just for the few scenes that DO work and the raw nerve it took to release this narcissistic piece of fluff!