Super

With a recent emergence of superhero movies aiming to be grittier and more realistic, Super is arguably the most accurate portrayal of what would happen if someone without powers or insane amounts of money decided to be a superhero. It would require a strict devotion to doing what YOU believe is right. There is, of course, almost always a level of ambiguity among superhero stories. Batman is considered by some to be a menace who if ever caught would most likely be charged with assault and breaking and entering, among other offenses. But he decides to be a vigilante because he sees injustice and wishes to fight it. He believes that what he is doing is right. Similarly, Rainn Wilson's character Frank becomes tired of standing idly by after his wife Sarah, portrayed by Liv Tyler is taken away by the slick and dangerous Jacques, played by Kevin Bacon. Frank intends to get his wife back and stop crime in his neighborhood. But as soon as Frank dons a costume and a monkey wrench as his weapon of choice, his mental well-being quickly comes into question. After all, what kind of person would strike someone in the head with a wrench, thus sending him to the ICU, for cutting in line at the movies? Is he psychotic? Is he deluded? Frank argues that it's actually everyone else who is deluded. What if we're the ones with a problem. After all, most of us witness the injustices and evils of this world and simply accept them as facts of life. We tell ourselves that nothing can be done about them and continue with our lives. Frank however knows what is right, even if that truth is only in his heart. The film earns it's R rating with massive amounts of graphic violence and a particularly strange sex scene. While Kick-Ass already tackled similar subject matter, Super takes a different approach. While Hit-Girl had weapons and combat training, Frank a.k.a. The Crimson Bolt and Libby a.k.a. Boltie (Ellen Page) have no experience at all and have nothing but rage and a penchant for violence to help them stop the bad guys. Additionally, Super begs the questions: Are the protagonists defenders of justice or psychopathic killers? Can they be both? While Kick-Ass had Joan Jett's Bad Reputation playing during Hit-Girl's butchering of a group of criminals, Super doesn't always portray our heroes' actions in such a cheery light. In order to save Frank's wife, The Crimson Bolt and Boltie need to be murders. They don't have the money or skill to develop sophisticated weaponry that will incapacitate their opponents. They don't have that luxury. They will gather whatever crude weapons they have in order to exact justice on those who escape the law. And if that makes them crazy, then so be it.

This is a 'love it' or 'hate it' movie. Like this reviewer, a small fraction of the audience will find themselves in between. The general public will either love this or hate it, depending on their expectations in comparing this movie to "Kick-Ass"; and it will always be compared with "Kick-Ass". Both films are about ordinary people donning costumes to fight crime. However, this is where the comparison ends. Written and directed by James Gunn, this is not a movie for just anyone. Keeping in mind his "Dawn of the Dead" and "Slither", it becomes evident that Gunn has intended for this movie to target a specific segment of the movie going populace, specifically those who enjoy very dark humor.

A cook by profession, Frank D'Arbo (Rainn Wilson) is sad man with a depressing past and a feeble excuse of an existence. His greatest moments in life is marrying a recovering drug addict, Sarah (Liv Tyler) and helping a cop catch a purse snatcher. These events are so overwhelming that Frank even symbolizes its meaning through crayon sketches. Then things turn sour again. Sarah relapses into drug addiction and even leaves Frank for Jacques (Kevin Bacon), her drug dealer. Attempts to get his wife back results in insults and beatings, until the day Frank has an epiphany. Having realized that the only way to recuperate his wife is to punish drug pushers, Frank becomes a furious vigilante, and soon gains media attention as "The Crimson Bolt".

As an independent production, "Super" has its moments as a believable and funny film, with some good acting by the likes of some top actors. Although the plot, acting and twisted humor are the highlights of the film, it never comes together as a whole. Like Kick-Ass, the story pits average Joes as superheroes but without super powers. But unlike the aforementioned film, the vigilantes here are almost psychopathic. And yes, there is more than one. Last seen together in Juno, Ellen Page joins Frank as "Boltie", a sensuous side-kick bordering on lunacy. Together, they are more dangerous than the sleaziest of dark alley crooks. As actors, both D'Arbo and Page are scary, funny and insane. In opposing roles are Kevin Bacon and Michael Rooker as his side-kick. Bacon is the same as in all his antagonistic roles, 80% threat and 20 % deed. My biggest disappointment is the underplayed role of Liv Tyler. Gorgeous as she is, Tyler's role (and character) is a negligible two pennies worth that could have been done without.

Coming back to Gunn and his attempt in making an off-beat, albeit, dark comedy, I can say his approach is acceptable in starting an offshoot in the superhero genre. By his words, there are thousands of bank heist movies, so why not a few movies about superheroes without super powers.

If you haven't seen "Kick-Ass", I would suggest you watch that film first. If by then you are ready for some in-your-face violence (literally), a twisted and absurdly dark plot with a questionable conclusion, then, and only then would I suggest you try this movie. But don't say you weren't warned. In not calling it tasteless, this film does have a certain odd taste to it. It's like curiously savoring a medium-rare steak and then wondering halfway "what if the meat is human flesh!?!"

In many ways, SUPER is a more successful film than KICK ASS, a movie with which it shares many qualities: they're both black comedies about ordinary people becoming superheroes to help the innocent and fight evil. The thing with KICK ASS is that it forgot it was a spoof somewhere along the way and become exactly what it was previously parodying; SUPER, which looks ultra-low budget in comparison, never forgets and stays true to itself throughout.

SUPER is shot in a kind of faux documentary style that really works. As with most comedies, it's a mixture of gags that hit and miss. The ones that miss are the overly familiar low brow jokes about sex and vomiting, but the ones that hit more than make up for those; my favourite scene is the one where the Crimson Bolt squats in a dark alley, waiting for criminals to show up. He wait, and waits, and waits...

Rainn Wilson, a hitherto unknown-to-me actor, acquits himself well with the role and, crucially, proves to be a sympathetic hero. Ellen Page, whose presence I typically find irritating in a movie, is a delight as his over-excited sidekick. Kevin Bacon contributes the best and most confident performance I've seen from him in years, and you wonder what he's been doing all this time. There's a nice little role for cult favourite Michael Rooker, too, which is the icing on the cake.

One thing I particularly liked about SUPER was the realism in regards to the extreme violence: there are no bloodless hits and bullet holes here, just real-life injuries: when people are whacked they bleed and bleed copiously, and bullet damage is horrendous rather than superficial. It's a refreshing change, and distinctly non-Hollywood. For that, SUPER deserves kudos.

Wow, I can totally relate to this movie. My life may not be as tragic, but I could definitely relate.

Super follows Frank (Rainn Wilson)who lives a rather pathetic life. He's obviously not happy where his life is, and he can't seem to be as normal as your typical, everyday guy. His wife, Sara (Liv Tyler) who normally wouldn't be caught seen with Frank, just basically married him because of her troubled life. Then one day, Sara just packs up and leaves and Frank just can't get over her. He tries to get her back from the evil Kevin Bacon, but to no success. So one day, he has a revelation, and decides to dress as a superhero named Crimson Bolt in efforts to find meaning in his life. A friend of his named Libby (Ellen Page) volunteers to be his sidekick known as Volty and together the two of them work together to save Sara from the evil Kevin Bacon.

All I can say is that this isn't a happy movie. Our two protagonists cause more crime themselves than the good of society and they really don't seem to get too much credit in their efforts to shut up crime. In the end when they decide to get Sara back, comes a situation I never saw coming. This is the first time in a long time where a twist in the story was totally unexpected, and I applaud the filmmakers for making me surprised. That rarely happens.

There's also an attraction between Libby and Frank. However, Frank is so bent on being with his wife that he turns down Libby's efforts. I really wanted him to just forget his wife, and pursue a life with Libby. He might even be more happy. Does he? Well, I won't spoil that.

Super is a good movie, but very dark. I was glad I was able to catch it. It's definitely not a feel good movie, and again I could totally relate to the main protagonist. It makes me wonder if there is a little Super in all of us.

As stated, dark and twisted. Good cast and great work. I really liked it and it was what I expected. Give it a go.