Thursday, November 3, 2011

Super - DVD Review

**

Starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon, Gregg Henry, Michael Rooker, Linda Cardinelli and Nathan Fillion.
Directed by James Gunn.


"Shut up, crime!"

This lower-budget riff on ordinary people becoming superheroes has the misfortune of coming out the year after Kick-Ass. K.A. was slicker and more comic-booky, and while this one has its own goofy charms, and it goes to darker places, it's undone by its happy-face epilogue, and the fact that it's just not that funny.

Rainn Wilson (The Rocker) plays Frank, a loser with a hot wife (Liv Tyler) who loses her to the local drug-dealer (Kevin Bacon). When watching a superhero show on a Christian channel, Frank gets inspired to become a vigilante. This catches the eye of a local comic-book girl (Ellen Page).

Frank transforms into the Crimson Bolt. His weapon of choice - a wrench. He beats on thieves, pedophiles, and guys who butt in line.

The concept has promise, but Frank's not a very interesting protagonist. Maybe part of it is Rainn Wilson just isn't a leading man. There's also nothing believable about Ellen Page's character, who makes herself his sidekick Boltie and practically rapes him in one scene. Yes, Ellen Page forces herself on Rainn Wilson. In what bizarro universe...?!

Nathan Fillion's small role's the funniest thing in the movie.

No comments: