Super (I) (2010) User Reviews (276)

Dark, twisted, and oddly-endearing. A winner.

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 8 October 2012]

This is one that really came outta left field. Up until now, my only exposure to Rainn Wilson was as Dwight Schrute. And he's not even my favorite character on "The Office". But the man deserves high praise for his performance as the jilted lover-turned amateur superhero in "Super" - a movie that (having not known what to make of the trailers) turned out to be a pleasant surprise, indeed.

Wilson's seemingly fairytale marriage shatters when his recovering addict wife (Liv Tyler) runs out of the house and into the arms of drug-dealing Kevin Bacon. Believing his wife to be kidnapped (and sick of being perceived as weak) and with the help of an eager comic shop employee (Ellen Page), Wilson stitches a costume, take up a wrench and hits the streets as The Crimson Bolt. Page joins the unlikely enterprise as his overzealous sidekick and the duo arm themselves to the teeth and take the fight to Casa de Bacon.

Wilson is impressive as the deeply conflicted Christian who finds himself doling out some seriously violent street justice. It's at times goofy role, but nothing like his signature goofiness on "The Office" (no mean feat). Page is v(she's very likable here). And Bacon brings a hilarious detachment to the asshat dealer, making it a almost ironic performance.

I'm pretty sure this movie contains the funniest ass-kicking montage I've ever seen. The early days of The Crimson Bolt's crime-fighting career are spent smacking guys in the head with a wrench ... and more often than not, just running away. That's his shtick. Naturally, the character becomes more earnest as time wears on, adopting an almost Batman-like intensity in his punishment approach, and the movie (as a whole) follows this trajectory as the once-lighthearted and silly premise becomes ever more serious and violent.

What began as a dark comedy eventually dims all the way to black and increasingly brutal. But out of the death and destruction emerges an end result that manages to be sweet and, dare I say, poignant.

7/10

Loved it

[Chrispearce2 · 8/10 · 20 August 2020]

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

Super is super realistic...and super dark

[edgarman1040 · 7/10 · 3 May 2011]

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.

Blackest of black comedies

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 21 July 2013]

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.

Starts like silly fun comedy, ends up quite dark

[foxtografo · 7/10 · 6 May 2019]

Starts like silly fun comedy about the guy trying to be a superhero, but it quickly becomes a gory (quite shocking at times) 90's action movie style parody, with a twist of bizarre psychological characters that seem funny but they're actually creepy most of the times. Ellen Page steals the show with her crazy clowny character. It has it's flaws, right, but it was certainly a pleasant surprise and an entertaining movie. Definitely recommend it to indie movies lovers

An awesomely fun and twisted little fantasy

[DonFishies · 9/10 · 25 September 2010]

Despite enjoying other films like it, I was never a fan of James Gunn's Slither. It just came off as being average to me, and despite multiple tries, I have never ventured back to give it a second chance. Keeping that in mind, I ventured into a screening of Super at the Toronto International Film Festival hoping to be surprised, and not to come away disappointed. Thankfully, it turned out to be quite the awesome surprise.

Frank D'Arbo (Rainn Wilson) lives a pretty miserable existence. He has just two happy memories in his entire life – marrying his wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) and pointing a police officer in the right direction of a suspect. So when Sarah, a stripper and former junkie, leaves him for her boss Jacques (Kevin Bacon), he loses all faith. But during a chance epiphany, he realizes his true calling is to be a superhero – the Crimson Bolt – and fight against those committing any sort of crime, whether it be drug dealing, underage rape or even butting in-line at the movies.

While I figured the film would have a hurdle to face making it feel different than any other movie about ordinary people donning costumes and fighting crime (in the past few years alone, see Special, Defendor, Kick-Ass and to a point, even Batman Begins and The Dark Knight), but Super is a much different beast. From the epilogue through the totally ridiculous (in a good way) animated song and dance credit sequence on, you know you are in for something different. This is a film that embraces the absurd and the full-blown psychopathic, and delivers a twistedly hilarious comic gem that lacks the seriousness (mostly) that plagues the other films previously mentioned. And any movie about someone using a pipewrench to wreak havoc on crime is immediately enough to make me forget Defendor even existed.

I think the element that sets Gunn's twisted fantasy apart from other films is that it is decidedly not mainstream. D'Arbo truly becomes the superhero we all wish we were by taking out anyone who is committing crimes. He has the vendetta against Jacques taking his wife hanging over his head throughout the movie, but in the meantime, he ensures that no crime goes unpunished – in increasingly graphically violent ways. I knew that using a pipewrench could only lead to a bloody mess, but I did not expect the movie to become the nasty bloodbath it quickly does. If you remember being disappointed at how much blood got cut between the conversion of Kick-Ass from a comic to a film, you will be delighted at just how much is spilt here. I knew Gunn was a graduate of the Troma film academy (Lloyd Kaufman makes a cameo late in the film), but I never expected to see just as much violence as I did. Thankfully, every injury and blood spurt is more hilarious and ridiculous than the last.

Wilson is amazing from start to finish as D'Arbo. I have never been a fan of his zany humour, but it fits this role perfectly. He jumps from being the pathetic loser to being the invigorated crime fighter with ease. And despite playing the role seriously, you never once think he is descending into parody. The film is a parody, but he never hams it up in the role deliberately looking for laughs. He has a very strong comic presence that he maintains throughout the film, and brings a rather poignant touch to more than a few scenes. If he sticks to more roles like these, and stays away from being the best thing in downright awful movies like The Rocker and My Super Ex-Girlfriend, he might have quite the career ahead of him.

The supporting cast is all very good and very funny in their smaller roles. Bacon is just as good as he always is, injecting the right amount of style and finesse into his scumbag of a character. Tyler could have done a bit more as the damsel in distress, but she remains quite memorable in her role. Smaller turns by Gregg Henry, Michael Rooker and especially Nathan Fillion all pay off wonderfully within the film. But if anyone can even stand close to Wilson's performance, it is Ellen Page as the off-the-rails comic nerd Libby. While she has found fame playing Juno and derivatives of the same character in the majority of her roles, she actually is quite different here. She alternates between being anxiety-ridden and being a complete psychopath, often in the same scene, and practically steals the film from Wilson. And when she finally becomes his sidekick Boltie, she truly is able to embrace the absurd.

If I have any problem with the film (outside of a rather bizarre and horrendous looking CGI sequence early in the film), it is that it never stays consistent with its tones. The humour remains intact throughout, but its absurdity starts to waver as the film goes on. It remains ridiculous, but it becomes a bit too serious in some sections. It feels more like Gunn did not want to truly push the film into the realm of comic fantasy, and still wanted some semblance of realism to stay within the film. He explained his tonal shift choices to the audience, but it still is not enough to make up for the film never knowing which way it wants to go. I loved its unpredictability of what D'Arbo would do next, but loathed never knowing what the next shift would be. It never destroys the film, but it weakens the film cohesively.

Super is an awesome film, and one whose dark humour never truly overtakes it. Wilson and Page are amazing in their roles, and the rest of the supporting cast does a great job backing them up. I just hope everyone can experience and have as much fun as I did.

9/10.

If Charles Bronson wore a costume...

[LloydBayer · 14 August 2011]

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!?!"

Likely to divide opinion with its multitude of genres, "Super" will become a cult fave

[Movie_Muse_Reviews · 7/10 · 27 April 2011]

The superhero film craze has led to a lot of ordinary main characters taking justice into their own hands. In that sense, nothing will strike you as original about "Super," the latest film from James Gunn ("Slither") and one made on a shoestring budget. Rainn Wilson stars as Frank, a man who loses his cool when a drug kingpin (Kevin Bacon) steals away his wife (Liv Tyler). After having a vision in which his brain is quite literally "touched by the finger of God," Frank decides to create his own superhero, the Crimson Bolt, a force against all that is evil in the world, or at least the small town he lives in.

Much like last year's "Kick-Ass," which re-examined superhero tropes using unlikely and subversive heroes, "Super" specializes in being deliberately perverse and relishes in the violation of genre expectation. James Gunn's film is foul, hilarious, real and campy all at different times. The film's disapproving critics will undoubtedly argue that down-to-earth characters and a gritty context cannot coexist with excessive, comical violence. Gunn likely believes that these two universes can be reconciled into one film, but nevertheless, the film delivers roaring entertainment with surprising moments of poignancy despite being a complete brain-scrambler.

"Super" begins like a typical narrated indie comedy. It portrays Frank as a bit of a dreamer, a slightly unrealistic person with a slight but charming naïveté. He finds oddly religious sources of inspiration to become a hero, such as the Holy Avenger (Nathan Fillion), a made-up TV superhero used to promote Christian messages to children. Although Gunn brings Frank's overactive imagination to life, the film stays grounded in its "real person seriously considers being a superhero" concept. As Frank's world comes crashing down, we develop a definitive sense of pity and support his revenge fantasy. Then Gunn blows the lid open.

First off, the Crimson Bolt's weapon of choice is a pipe wrench. It seems goofy and kind of silly at first, but then he's actually bashing people over the head with a pipe wrench until they're bleeding and/or unconscious. Eventually, sweet lovable frank becomes a morally ambiguous hero, especially after he decides to teach the guy who butted in line at the movie theater a thing or two. This certainly makes "Super" a more complicated film, but it also creates a definite discomfort. Enter Ellen Page as the over-zealous comic book shop girl who inserts herself into the equation as Frank's kid sidekick Boltie. She not only attempts to seduce Frank, but she has an even more unrealistic notion of the violence she seeks to create. Together, they serve as a catalyst for the black comedy elements and the campy gore.

Both Wilson and Page push themselves in positive ways with their roles. Page leaves her dry wit comfort zone for some outrageous antics and Wilson shows some range with Frank's emotional side. Their radically different notions of what being a superhero is about leads to great hilarity and disturbing conflict.

Gunn chooses to sacrifice communicating the great depth of these characters by violating viewer expectation with the violence. Some of the gore stays realistic but uncomfortable while other deaths go over the top. The inconsistencies jar the tone of the film and suggest to the audience that they should take the film more or less seriously depending. It can become very difficult to remain engaged in the character sub-plots and the script's other strengths with this distraction. The other issue is the lack of realism with Frank being able to pull of his superhero. He drives around with his own license plates, for example and does a terrible job of concealing his identity. For a film that chooses to create down-to-earth characters, it becomes a bit hypocritical to ignore obvious truths.

Yet the fun, the humor, the strength of character and the way Gunn challenges thematic notions raised by most superhero films definitely elevates "Super" in a way that suggests its future will be as "cult favorite" as opposed to "lauded superhero spoof." The way it toys so carelessly with realism and cartoony realism makes the ride a bit bumpy, but judging it purely on entertainment value it's a hilariously good time. One simply must be able to reconcile its various genre elements in order to remain engaged in Gunn's unique and well-intentioned story that deconstructs our previously unquestioned love of superheroes.

~Steven C

A Masterpiece, will ruin your entire night.

[pentacrit · 10/10 · 16 April 2019]

This movie is an enigma. Its hilarious at times, horrifically depressing and heart-wrenching at others. The ending of this movie will make you want to just turn off the TV and reflect about life. There are times I laughed out loud, and times I felt genuinely shocked.

If you're marathoning or binging movies, make sure this one is the one you watch last. As stated, this ending will make you existential.

Also Juno forces herself onto Dwight Schrute, and thats hilarious in its own way, but its done in such a real, horrific way in the movie I didnt even realize about the context till long after the movie was over.

A Dark Superhero Movie

[Fields201 · 7/10 · 5 June 2011]

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.

Complex Concept, Good Actors, Awful Execution...

[nrkist2424 · 5/10 · 29 March 2012]

No spoilers. I liked the concept of this film. I love all the actors in this film. They are all very talented and have all demonstrated great range in really demanding and polar roles...but theme and tempo and mood are all over the place and the film is always hitting the wrong notes at the wrong time. I know some people will say this is 'indie' and it is intentionally this way. That somehow managing to totally f'up a thematic continuity within the story and failing to ever establish an emotional report with the audience so that the black (and somewhat gory) humor can work in this sappy story framework is some sort of artful post-modern rejection of cookie-cutter cinema. It doesn't work, and that is not the message that is conveyed. What is conveyed is that Gunn had NO IDEA which way he was going with this film.

It's as if Gunn couldn't decide if he was going superficial camp with a deeper message or dark and maudlin with a bunch of cheap emotional gut-shots. It gets really irritating and these two opposing factors really take you out of the film.

That's not even mentioning the surreal vision elements that I don't believe are even referenced in the last 40-50 minutes of the film...

Good concept. Good Actors. Real mess of a film.

Final Note: Ellen Page is beyond irritating in this.

5/10

Don't molest kids! Molest minds.

[crazy-ben66 · 10/10 · 4 May 2011]

On 2nd April 2002, a 50 page script (originally written as a short) born from the creatively messed up mind of James Gunn flourished into the world. Entitled 'SUPER' (deliberately all in capitals) the film was destined to be a personal homage to the early comic-books Gunn had grown up with as a child, combined with the sincerely twisted Troma films he had worked on whilst first touching down in the movie business. What remains today, 8 years later, is both a darkly sarcastic tale of personal justice, and a horrifically funny look at the every-man, melting together to form a rather obscure and perversely convoluted masterpiece of independent cinema.

Destined to be likened to the recent features of late such as Matthew Vaughn's 'Kick-Ass', 'SUPER' stands alone, successful in its conquest to both alienate the viewer, and twist their perceptions of justice and doing the right thing. Whereas 'Kick-Ass' longed to be gritty and satanic in its approach, it only appeared so through the hazy goggles of Hollywood, never fully commanding the realistic ambiance that sits so gracefully at the centre of 'SUPER'. Gunn's unique and devoutly crooked approach is so confident and gracious in its presentation, every-shot though tremendously rough, settles calmly into the film, reflecting Darbo's genuine feelings that he's not actually doing anything wrong. The film, although simple in its set-up, truly digs in under the skin of what is right and wrong and who decides, toying with religion and depression and other serious affairs along the way; whilst also juggling sociopathic violent outbursts and superbly perverted comedy.

Although fantastically scripted, the heart of 'SUPER' belongs to the frankly outstanding cast. Rainn Wilson's astounding central performance as mopey Frank and his demented alter-ego frantically shakes the viewer throughout, tearing the words directly from the page with emotional and personal flair, allowing him to be both despondently bitter and broken, as well as painfully hilarious at exactly the same time. Strong support is held up by Kevin Bacon's "interesting" villain Jacques, as suavely bold and sophisticated as modern drug dealers come, with his team of bumbling accomplices making troublingly comic targets. Liv Tyler drifts sweetly and innocently into the backdrop of Frank's crusade as his angelic wife Sarah, but the show-stealing Ellen Page dives straight in front as the sadistically adorable Libby, later becoming Darbo's sidekick Boltie. Her fearlessly pushy and exaggerated enthusiasm for bloody violence is both utterly hysterical and painfully sinister, although never drifting to the dark-side of the audience's perception, despite her adversely psychotic attacks on "crime". Even the cameos from the likes of 'Slither' star Nathan Fillion (among others) are marvellously acted and well placed, providing constant hilarity for Gunn fans and others alike.

Due to the tiny budget (roughly $2 million) and limited shooting schedule, visually 'SUPER' can be noticed to be rather dim in places, luckily salvaged by the hauntingly humorous use of onomatopoeic graphics (Bam, Boom, Splat, etc.) and truly fragrant soundtrack, in particular Tyler Bates' chirpy yet thoughtful scoring.

Viciously funny, sadistically adorable and hilariously heart-felt, 'SUPER' is bound to be one of the most original, unique and darkly comic films you will ever have the privilege to lay eyes on. It won't be to everybody's taste, some welcoming the extreme violence and sickening comedy, others not, but it will certainly open up your mind to look beyond the face value of justice and is sure to blur your perceptions of right and wrong beyond recognition.

What exists beyond the colourful spandex and bloody smears is a truly heart-wrenching and unpredictably grim portrait of the 21st century peppered with love and laughter, making 'SUPER' the most beautifully honest and ambitiously passionate vigilante tale to ever grace the eyes of the public. Treat it with care and a thoughtful mind, this is not your average gore- fest, 'SUPER' is an engrossingly real and overlooked gem, so original yet commemorative in its approach. Rubbing shoulders with the heavy-weight blockbusters of 2011 won't allow it to fare well financially, but 'SUPER' is a fresh and poignant escape from the dark depths of the Hollywood explosion-fest and should be endured by all those who seek excellent filmmaking. Shut up, crime!

Surprisingly enjoyable with a strong cast, good balance of humor and drama

[hexrei · 7/10 · 3 May 2011]

So I like quirky, unusual (not-so)superhero films, and it's not exactly a prolific genre. I've posted before about Kick-Ass and Defendor. Super will be inevitably compared to the above by many, but it stands as its own film with a significantly different feel. Not as comic booky or teen-oriented as Kick-Ass, not as serious and ultimately tragic as Defendor, but with action, violence, and drama to rival either.

Rainn Wilson is perfectly cast for the role of the inept, possibly delusional loser-come-superhero, while Ellen Page is a great turn as a comic book store clerk who is way,way (and I mean way) too excited about becoming the sidekick. Liv Tyler spends most of the time whispering, confused, and high, I think they probably just carted her out of her trailer to the set and had her be herself. And Kevin Bacon makes a great villain team with the under-rated Michael Rooker.

The film maintains a rather desperate atmosphere with highlights of giddiness which sets up both compelling drama and natural-feeling humor, falling somewhere in the middle of its two most recent genre entries. Recommended.

Never Pays Off

[Flickcollecter · 2/10 · 4 June 2011]

This movie had promise. The first hour, give or take, had enough going for it to keep me involved. It is quirky. From the hand-held camera work to the low tech animation and effects, I was in. The violence is over the top and unrealistic which works in this movie for that first hour. In the last part, the writers veer off course and it feels like a bait and switch. This viewer was left confused and feeling like I had to not only catch up to what they were doing, but to completely reevaluate these characters.

Rainn Wilson is able to create a sympathetic if eccentric character in Frank. He sells the dramatic parts as well as the comedy. There are some truly laugh-out-loud parts in that first hour. Frustratingly, something happens to the story at a certain point. It has been described as dark. I would say it was offensive. When the movie is being absurd, I can buy in. When it tries to take me from absurd to a more "real" place, I cannot. In that last half hour though, there are two different scenes that depict very devastating events in a very realistic manner within minutes of one another. Neither of which was essential to the story. The movie lost me there.

The actors put a lot into this movie and they are all watchable. Nathan Fillion and Linda Cardellini are wasted as their collective parts last about 3 or 4 minutes. They shine when either is on the screen. Kevin Bacon is fantastic and Liv Tyler does a nice job. I was happy to see Michael Rooker as well. It disappointed me that the writers appeared to have a thought toward giving his character some depth and then pulled the rug out from under him. I was able to assimilate Ellen Page's incredibly over the top portrayal of a wannabe sidekick even with her undesirable characteristics, until it got too "real." Overall, this movie's message is simply not strong enough and seems to only act as bookends for the movie as a whole. The plot and events in between do not communicate that message and so it doesn't really pay off. This viewer was left feeling embarrassed for laughing at some of the earlier parts in light of the last half hour. Not a superhero genre movie and not strong enough to be a social commentary.

Bam! Pow! Kaboom!...

[azathothpwiggins · 13 August 2020]

Frank Darbo (Rainn Wilson) loses his wife, Sarah (Liv Tyler) to a scummy drug lord (Kevin Bacon). Rather than committing suicide, wallowing in self-pity, or simply moving on, Frank has a "vision" from God. This comes after he watches a TV character / preacher known as "The Holy Avenger" (Nathan Fillion), who is sort of Jeezuz-gone-steroidal. This apparent revelation leads Frank to assume a new identity as a not-so-super hero known as "The Crimson Bolt".

Soon, TCB is joined by his self-appointed, totally unhinged sidekick, "Boltie" (Ellen Page). Together, they set out to fight crime, and rescue Sarah from the clutches of eeevil, with decidedly mixed results.

SUPER is hilarious, exhilarating, and even poignant at times. Those looking for a straight-on, low-budget Marvel / DC clone, might not be satisfied. However, anyone who enjoys a fine black comedy that doesn't mind shaking things up a bit, will love this! All of the characters are fun, including Michael Rooker as -what else?- a thug, and Gregg Henry as a cop. Wickedly bizarre, mirthful entertainment...

One of a few movies of a regular Joe tries to be a super hero with failed results.

[ritera1 · 7/10 · 12 July 2022]

Rainn Wilson. Kevin Bacon (as the bad guy). Ellen Page (when he was Ellen).

This time, it's Wilson after his drug-addict wife leaves him.

In total, it's a satisfying run, although I found the middle 30 minutes a bit unsatisfying.

When I mean "in total," it was original in the ending. But throughout, it's basically people with broken brains trying to find morality and redemption in being a "hero." But for them, it's sloppy and violently misguided, more times than not.

Very low budget but the end is a typical battle with the gore Gunn also had in Suicide Squad. They launched into the final battle matter-of-fact but with a unique twist.

(Strangely Jean Claude Van Damme apparently had the Bacon role but was a no-show on set.)

Shut up crime!

[reddiemurf81 · 6/10 · 16 January 2021]

I have seen this one twice before,, and while I definitely see Gunn's genius written all over it,, I also have to say that I don't love it. It's a very well made and written movie. Incredibly good cast! There are just certain things about it that leave me feeling like it's a depressing story. It ends well enough,, but it's not a movie I want to watch over and over.

Brilliant

[sevastokrator · 8/10 · 22 March 2018]

It is hard to rate independent/alternative films, because although I'd give this one a 10/10, it would seem unfair to put it beside movie classics. On the other hand, I totally enjoyed every second of it. The story is both bizarre and great, Rainn Wilson delivers a strangely adorable performance, and the film as a whole is original and brilliant. A cult film and definitely one of my all time favorites.

My favorite film.

[thebeanbrother · 7/10 · 26 June 2019]

I went into this film expecting something in the vein of "Kick-Ass" or "Mystery Men" After all, there is a lot of potential in taking the piss out of the superhero concept. However, what I came away with after seeing this for the first time was one of the most unique and genuinely great experiences in a movie I'd ever gotten, period.

On paper, this is just a dumb fun superhero spoof with the added bonus of an R rating, but the script for this film is absolutely outstanding. I'd hardly even consider it a superhero spoof, it's more so a black comedy with a very gripping and fascinating main character. Frank Darbo is a man who's outlook of morality is so juvenile, the way he copes with his terrible life is cobbling together a crappy Halloween costume of a superhero he made up for himself, and enforcing brutal, unflinching vigilante justice on all the wrong people. Not only is this a stupidly funny concept that is explored to its fullest potential in the movie, it also serves as a backbone for a very satisfying, if not bitter sweet story of a man learning the true, realistic nature of good and evil. It's not really poking a lot of fun at your typical superhero schlock, it more so uses the superhero motif to reflect how simplistic and child like our two leads are, that they would be so narrow minded as to think that parading around in tights is in any way doing good for society. So when reality sets in and it's no longer funny and over the top superhero comedy in the final act, it hits the viewer about as hard as the main characters.

The cast is great, the performances are great, the dialogue is really cleverly written, the technical stuff like the camera work, practical effects, score, ranges from very serviceable to fantastic (apart from one or two instances of really bad cgi) I don't think the film is a straight up masterpiece, which is why it's a 7 and not a 10. If I rated movies purely out of my enjoyment for them, this would be a 10 no doubt, but it's important for me to mention that this isn't like some groundbreaking arthouse movie that redefines storytelling, It's my favorite movie more so because it achieves everything it sets out to do, it has a fantastic final battle that left me in shock the first time I saw it, and the main character is fun and interesting to follow I feel hits really close to home for people who are a little socially isolated, and wish the world was a simpler place. Do yourself a favor, and watch what I believe to be James Gunn's magnum opus.

Awesome

[jeffgunz · 10/10 · 23 January 2021]

This movie is unreal, must watch!!! The brutal violence of this dark comedy just puts it over the top.

Dark and twisted

[ashfordofficial · 6/10 · 22 December 2021]

So dark! You're sure you're not from the DC Universe?

Filled with gruesome graphic violence and fantastic acting, Super (2010) is a wonderfully executed and surprisingly shocking dark superhero film from director James Gunn.

All credits to Elliot Page and Rainn Wilson for their awesome performance as the crime fighting duo, Boltie and The Crimson Bolt.

Confounding Plot Proves Difficult to Pin Down

[drqshadow-reviews · 3/10 · 11 September 2011]

No matter what you're expecting this movie to be like, you're wrong: every ten minutes, like clockwork, it changes gears unexpectedly and bucks the audience. It defies categorization, seeming to take delight in confusing its viewers. The similarities to Kick-Ass are there, with the nerdy DIY superhero learning the world's a pretty dirty place after dark, but Super also manages to be as gratuitously gory and continuously off color as a Troma film. Its awkward timing and confounding sense of humor, though, make comparisons to both styles less apt. By the climactic, explosion-filled finale, its transgressions from goofball comedy to creepy drama leave its viewers debating whether they want to laugh or cry. An intensely uncomfortable experience you'll either love or hate.

Don't compare it to Kick-Ass.

[DarthPaul85 · 8/10 · 2 April 2011]

This film is about an ordinary man who decides to start fighting crime, even though he has no special skills or powers. It also takes place in the "real" world, where of course nobody has done this before.

The similarity to Kick-Ass ends there.

Believe me, this film is definitely a comedy, I laughed out loud many times. What happens, though, is that the film gets so dark and unforgiving that the "morality" of the film is hard to decipher. In that sense, it is very different from Kick-Ass. It's a great "spiral" from a literary point of view, but the movie doesn't make the transition smoothly.

Rain Wilson is funny in spite of himself throughout the film, although he does try to be serious quite often. Is this basically watching "Dwight" be a super-hero? Yes...to the same degree The Rocker was about "Dwight" playing in a rock band.

Ellen Page is fun, although her story "arc" is the weak link in the film. It's completely believable. Everything that she does (and what gets done to her) is pretty realistic for a "superhero" movie. That said, it's almost too low-key, and ultimately I found her role in the movie unsatisfying (though well-acted).

Kevin Bacon is great. This movie actually made me miss him of late. He provides a much-needed credibility to this film...it's hard to put it any other way. I wanted more of him.

And of course, there's Nathon Fillion. He's only in the movie about 2 minutes or so, but while he's on it's wonderful. Keep this man in comedies, Hollywood!

Ultimately, fans of superhero movies, dark comedies, and even cheesy horror films (Slither) will enjoy it immensely.

Casual movie goers may get turned off by the gritty violence and somewhat convoluted message.

Watching a violent psychotic breakdown

[lmelnick-999-260424 · 6/10 · 31 March 2011]

Let me first say that I don't usually enjoy the regular guy turns superhero genre like Kick Ass, but do find redeeming humorous elements. This film really sets itself apart from the others. I was very torn about this film, and not sure how to feel after. There are excellent performances, some humor, but for the most part, it is painful, dark and creepy, to say the least. It's less of a fantasy and more of a serious psychotic breakdown. You watch a person in desperate emotional pain who loses all sense of right and wrong in such graphic detail that it is truly painful to watch. The graphic violence is shocking, and the very weird sex scene just completely turned my stomach. The performances are really wonderful from all, especially Ellen Paige. The storyline needs some work, there are no consequences, no redemption, no professional help, and surprisingly no incarceration for obvious crimes. There is no positive message from the film, and although I think this will quickly become a cult classic and loved by most pre- and post-adolescent boys who will think the violence is awesome, it is most definitely not a kid's movie, or for that matter, a mom's movie.

A film that has no idea what it wants to be.

[Rockwell_Cronenberg · 3/10 · 24 April 2011]

Frank D'Arbo (Rainn Wilson) gets left by his drug addict wife (Liv Tyler) for a douchebag drug dealer that no one would ever date (a wonderfully hammy Kevin Bacon). So for some reason D'Arbo decides to suit up and be a superhero to get her back. But then he spends most of the movie just fighting random crime that has nothing to do with his wife. It's cool though, he ends up trying to get her in the end. James Gunn wants to focus on throwing his particular brand of outlandish, grotesque humor at the audience, like he so wonderfully did in Slither and his PG Porno internet series, but then he tries to give the film heart and emotion. This is where it completely falters and the whole thing ends up feeling like a really cheap, unevenly toned mess.

I mean, don't get me wrong, there are some genuinely hilarious scenes and Ellen Page is an absolute delight in a role entirely different from anything she's done so far, but the whole thing just feels off. Rainn Wilson is likable enough on The Office, but the guy just can't carry an entire film by himself and the supporting cast feels like they belong in a whole separate movie. The entire thing feels like it has no focus and the motivations of characters jump all over the place, never letting the viewer immerse themselves at all. One second our main character is all about getting his wife back, then he's just fighting insignificant crime that means nothing to the actual story, then he completely switches focus back to his wife. Just like the film itself, the guy has no focus and, despite some hilarious moments, never gives the audience a good idea of what it actually is. It feels like something a couple of college kids threw together in a week and put online.