DVD Reviews

Super - Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Aug 30, 2011, 15:16 GMT

When sad-sack loser Frank (Rainn Wilson, The Office), a short-order cook, sees his ex-addict wife (Liv Tyler, The Lord of the Rings) willingly snatched away by a seductive drug dealer (Kevin Bacon), he finds himself bereft and unable to cope. But he decides to fight back under the guise of a do-it-yourself superhero called Crimson Bolt. With a red hand-made suit, a wrench, a crazed sidekick named Boltie (Ellen Page, ...more

With a cry of “shut up crime!” the Crimson Bolt dons his superhero outfit, takes up his trusty monkey wrench, and whacks the crap out of crime where he finds it. Those that cut in lines beware, but the Crimson Bolt hasn’t thought of the real world consequences of being a superhero.

Frank’s (Rainn Wilson) wife Sarah (Liv Tyler), a recovering drug addict, has left him for her drug dealer Jacques (Kevin Bacon). Frank is a sad sack who only had two good things happen to him in life – marrying Sarah and pointing a cop in the right direction of a criminal.

The depressed Frank watches a religious based superhero show starring the Holy Avenger (Nathan Fillion) and experiences an epiphany – starring the same and accompanied by the finger of God. Frank will study of the ways of superheroes, thanks to help from hyperactive comic shop employee Libby (Ellen Page), and remake himself as the Crimson Bolt in his homemade costume.

Crime-fighting doesn’t come easy, but soon Libby takes up the cause as his sidekick Boltie and the duo turn their attentions to storming Jacques’ fortified compound. Will they triumph or find themselves hopelessly outgunned?

You can’t help but compare Super to other films like Kick-Ass. Although we might be able to subtitle this film ass kicked since Frank isn’t very adept at his derring-do. The film also addresses another subculture as ordinary folks have lately been costuming up to emulate superheroes. Unfortunately, those folks and Frank don’t have the resources of a Bruce Wayne or the ability to play their own writer to ensure that they always come out on top.

Frank, and maybe those other folks, don’t always have the omnipotence to know if their “victims” are really baddies. I was cheering for him when he whacked drug dealers and pedophiles, but then he brutally attacks somebody who cut in line it left me cold. I’m not entirely sure what the production is telling us, if it is. Sure there are some hilarious bits, mostly from Wilson and cast.

Wilson has that slow burn quality that adds more to the hilarity since he is dead serious in his hero-dom, even if we see that he’s possibly insane or has had a stroke to make him have these visions. Those other films seem glossier than Frank’s slapdash approach, though they too feature fallible heroes.

It’s not hard to side with Frank (when he’s not smacking those that butt in line) and the comedy does add some hearty laughs in between the bloodshed.

Super is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (1.85:1). Special features, all in high def, include a commentary from director James Gunn and star Wilson, a 30 second TV spot, 18 minute behind-the-scenes, a 5 minute look at making the main titles, a 4 minute SXSW appearance by the Crimson Bolt, 1 minute of deleted scenes, and the 2 minute theatrical trailer.

Super is a lower budget looks at the low budget street hero. Maybe I thought too much about it but I wasn’t sure exactly what the film was trying to say, but I did have some belly laughs along the way. Wilson is great and his co-stars all have great moments.