To not point out the obvious parallels between Super and Kick-Ass is to be in denial, but the truth of the matter is the two films start with the same formula and end up in wildly different places. Both films have a wicked dark streak to their sense of humor, but whereas Kick-Ass unfortunately devolved into the very thing it sought to lampoon, Super went the other direction and decided to be as brutally realistic in its portrayal of the consequences as possible. James Gunn, who wrote and directed, has delivered the ultimate, hilarious, bloody spectacle that paints costumed vigilantism as the practice of the emotionally and mentally disturbed rather than just as the hobby of orphans and teens with parental issues. This isn’t your typical superhero film by any stretch of the imagination, and it’s all the more memorable because of it.
When a man’s reformed junkie of a wife leaves him for a wealthier, more charismatic drug dealer, what’s he to do? Does he mope on the couch for a few weeks? Or does he convince himself that a Christian superhero has charged him with the solemn duty of donning a mask and costume to fight the petty crime of his city and win back the girl? It’s the latter, and the guy in this case is regular old schlub Frank (Rainn Wilson), the girl is his hedonistic wife Sarah (Liv Tyler), and the gangster is smooth, albeit dangerous Jacques (Kevin Bacon). Taking on the persona of the Crimson Bolt, Frank delivers an extremely fundamental brand of justice, doling out blows to the head with a wrench to drug dealers and line budgers alike. Joining him in his quest, is the somewhat psychotic sprite, Libby (Ellen Page), a comic book store employee with a bloodlust that she quenches as the Crimson Bolt’s sidekick Boltie. Together they right the wrongs, or whatever feels wrong, and eventually mount a rescue of Frank’s wife from the clutches of Jacques.
Much of Super’s triumph stems from the cast, and while Rainn Wilson drives the film, it’s Ellen Page and Kevin Bacon that really put it over the top. The problem with Rainn Wilson is that his portrayal of Frank feels too much like Dwight from The Office with the same stiff delivery but injected with more emotion and earnest. He makes Frank more endearing, but it still feels more familiar than it should. On the other hand, Ellen Page’s gleeful skull bashing gives us a new side from her. Instead of being a sarcastic pop-culture spewing teen (Juno) or naively hopeful roller jockey (Whip It), she’s crazed, a girl on the edge of losing control as she unleashes the repressed anger her normal lifestyle has left her with. Without Page, Super would have felt incomplete and bland. Though not as publicized as X-Men: First Class where most of the world realized how much they missed Kevin Bacon, his turn in Super is just as good and makes you feel just the same. Every second he’s on screen has a special kick that helps you remember exactly why he became the household name he did. He’s sleazy, and yet not a caricature of a villain. He’s the popular guy that got the girl you liked in high school, but 30 years later with cash earned with drugs to make his charisma that much more dangerous.
Nathan Fillion makes a few very brief but funny appearances as Frank’s fictional inspiration, The Holy Avenger, acting as a more pious but still overblown caricature like he did with Captain Hammer.
Even though Super is filmed in a very straightforward fashion, it looks terrific in HD. There aren’t any special effects to speak of, and that’s kind of the point. The whole film is about a very basic crime fighter whose entire arsenal is brute force and nothing else. It looks good, but in the way that you notice small textural details.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
For an independent flick, the extras are quite promising with an entertaining commentary track by James Gunn and Rainn Wilson (though Ellen Page would have been a great addition), and a hilarious featurette “How to Fight Crime”. The winner of the set, however, is probably the piece on the making of the spectacularly animated open titles. Beyond that, there’s a very typical behind-the-scenes segment, a deleted scene, the trailer and the TV spot.
"Super" is on sale August 9, 2011 and is rated R. Action, Comedy. Written and directed by James Gunn. Starring Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler, Michael Rooker, Rainn Wilson.
