Super
Tags: comedy, murder, realism, violence, flashback, absurd, tragedy, revenge, entertaining

Plot synopsis:
Frank Darbo (Rainn Wilson) is a meek fry cook at a diner who has had two perfect moments in his life: marriage, and assisting the police to apprehend a criminal. Now his marriage to Sarah (Liv Tyler) is beginning to crumble. He meets Jacques (Kevin Bacon), a stoner and friend of Sarah, who later runs off with her.Frank tries to get Jacques arrested, but detective John Felkner (Gregg Henry) won't do it, and tells Frank to find someone else to love. Watching a Christian-themed program on TV, Frank is impressed by a costumed hero, the Holy Avenger (Nathan Fillion), who represents the will of Jesus. Frank tries to confront Jacques, but is beaten up by his henchmen. Frank is later visited by the Holy Avenger in a dream, and decides to become a super-hero.Shopping for comic books, he meets Libby (Ellen Page), a clerk at the comic book store, who recognizes him from the diner where he works. He is inspired by the comic book, and becomes the Crimson Bolt. His first outing is a failure, and Frank goes back to the comic book store for inspiration, buying several comics on superheroes who have no real powers. After selecting a wrench for his weapon, he begins his assault on crime.Still in love with Sarah, he continues to watch her as henchman Abe (Michael Rooker) drives her to a mansion. His co-worker Hamilton (Andre Royo) asks him to save a place in line for a movie, and Frank has an altercation with another patron who butts into the line, sending him to ICU. Fearing prison, Frank discards his costume, but after watching another episode of the Holy Avenger, he gets it back.Frank stakes out the mansion, and sees Quill (Stephen Blackehart), Jacques, and Toby (Sean Gunn) doing drugs with Sarah. Jacques kisses her, and the Crimson Bolt smashes a window. The henchmen pull guns and he runs, taking a shot in the leg but escaping.Frank goes to Libby's apartment, where she's hosting a party, and reveals his identity. Libby is very excited and impressed, and she treats his wound. She offers to become his sidekick, and auditions a costume and several sidekick names, finally settling on 'Boltie.' About this time, detective Felkner figures out Frank's identity, and searches his house. As he exits a dark closet, Abe and the henchmen shoot him dead, mistaking him for Frank.The next day, Crimson Bolt and Boltie wait for crime. Boltie convinces him to assault a guy who keyed a car, but she gets very carried away, and Bolt has to stop her from killing him. At a gas station, the henchmen catch up with Frank, and chase him off. They pull guns, but Boltie hits one with the car, pinning him against a wall. Bolt grabs the gun and shoots a henchman, then drags Boltie, who's raving psychotically, back into the car. When they return to his house, Libby makes a pass at him, but he declines, stating he is a married man.They then go shopping for weapons and train in a gun range. The media starts to defend them, and Libby becomes ecstatic on seeing a TV news article showing both Frank and herself as potential heroes. Starting to develop feelings for Frank, she wakes him up one evening and dances suggestively for him while in costume, culminating with her pulling his mask over his head and raping him. While puking in the toilet, Frank sees Sarah's image and vows to rescue her.Jacques is hosting a drug buyer, Mr. Range (Don Mac), and Jacques gives Sarah to him so he can rape her. Bolt and Boltie storm the mansion, killing several guards, until Boltie is brutally killed in the shootout. Crimson Bolt goes on a rampage, killing more guards. Jacques' buyer tries to leave, and Jacques shoots him. Bolt breaks in and kills Quill and Abe. Jacques offers for him to take Sarah back and leave, and in the deception, he shoots Bolt, tormenting him by saying they're far more alike than Frank would want to admit. Bolt then kills him.Bolt sadly puts Boltie's body in the back of his SUV, and he carries Sarah out and takes her home, where she helps him heal. In the epilogue, we see Sarah leaving Frank again, but Frank comes to terms with it, understanding that his saving her was the catalyst for Sarah returning to school, getting a degree, re-marrying to a caring man, and having four children, who send "Uncle Frank" cards and drawings. In the end, Frank has retired, adopted a pet rabbit, and has many more perfect moments to cherish.End.

Review: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
'SUPER': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five) Another average guy superhero movie, this one is from writer/director James Gunn and stars Rainn Wilson.
She is also the funniest in it, and her intense acting just makes the movie so realistic to real life.Rainn Wilson is always funny in his movies, but I would have never expected him to be in a superhero movie like this, but maybe that's what they were going for with him in this movie..
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.
I hear it's also a dark comedy but the reviews are split in half usually asking the question "What is Gunn trying to do in this movie?" The unusual shift changes of comedy and drama has you wondering but those who can answer the question will probably end up enjoying this film.
Frank convinced "blindly" that she was kidnapped, takes on his super hero persona of the Crimson Bolt.He's out of his league at first, but perfects his own style of justice in Gunn's typical comedic gory style.But I think the highlight of this film is in the crazy performance of Ellen Page as Libby, a hyper-active crazy comic book store employee who joins Frank in his delusional holy war against crime as Boltie.At first going into this movie, I was expecting the typical jokes that I loved in his first film but came out with something much more.
Super starts off as a wacky misadventure for Frank only further pushed by Libby, then in the final showdown it up and changes on you into a pretty sweet action flick with a almost sugary sweet emotional ending - I know that sounds crazy but this is one of the best movies this year I've seen, combining all the elements of genres to make a really authentic piece..
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.
With Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon, Liv Taylor en Rainn Wilson among others, it is clear this isn't a movie that came into existence in a very alternative circuit (Gunn's screen writing history suggests this as well).
There are two things that I don't understand.Could someone please explain to me how acting talent the likes of Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon, Nathan Fillion and Ellen Page could possibly end up in a poorly made, low-budget Rainn Wilson "comedy"?
I mean, it's hard not to find interesting a man who compares with such great conviction butting in line to acts such as dealing drugs and molesting little children.The film has gained great comparisons to the similarly themed - and equally demented - Kick-Ass, released only a year earlier.
While Kick-Ass is an action film with immense amounts of violence that's supported by its many three-dimensional characters, Super is a straight-up character study with its horrific violence used to support what kind of characters we are dealing with.Frank leads such a mundane and depressing life that he is the type of man who takes such pride in even his smallest of accomplishments.
The passion she carries as she goes around assisting Frank makes her the highlight of the film.Wilson and Page are joined by a great supporting cast, including Liv Tyler, Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion, and Kevin Bacon.
He plays with the villain, Jock, so very suave yet with such an obvious more conniving nature about himself that it makes him so much fun to watch every time he's on screen.If there's one thing that might turn people away from Super, it's the violence.
I was happy with Kick-Ass and the slightly more realistic approach that they made their 'super' hero take and with Super this promise of an even more ordinary man coming off the streets to fight crime made me want to watch it as soon as possible.Frank (Rainn Wilson) is just your ordinary bloke living an altogether uneventful life with few happy memories- 2 to be precise.
When Sarah relapses and leaves him for Jacques (Kevin Bacon), the local drug dealer, Frank is devastated and believes she was stolen from him.A chance viewing of a religious hero The Holy Avenger (Nathan Fillion) on TV implants the 'Good Vs. Evil' concept into his mind and before long Frank has an epiphany deciding that justice must be delivered, not only to Jacques but to all wrongdoers who happen to cross his path.Seeking inspiration for his new identity he travels to the local comic book store where he meets Libby (Ellen Page) who inadvertently helps him on his way.
Having mostly featured as her 'Juno' type character in other works it was refreshing to see her in a slightly different role you will not have seen her do before bringing out an anxious and psychotic personality which becomes even more extreme after she dons her Boltie sidekick attire.No super movie would be complete without a scene with POW and WHAM making an appearance on the screen at some point but where this is usually reserved for punches, The Crimson Bolt gets use out of them when wielding a shotgun.
Ellen Page was really the only good thing about this film...I thought the film was boring...Depressing...And just plain stupid....The few times Ellen Page was on screen was all the footage that should have been shot...I highly suggest that viewers record only her footage onto a different disc or computer program and then completely ignore everything else about this dumb movie...It's because of this film that I refuse to watch that television program called "The Office"...Call it a guess....But I'm betting this is one of those films that was considered to be so bad...That it was put on the shelf for a number of years...And probably would have remained there if Ellen Page had not become so popular...And that's all there is too it....
This film is way better than Kick Ass. It's done on a smaller scale, but there's a lot of heart put into this film and it shows.Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page make a great pair of crime fighters as they go off and do some of the craziest stunts.
The rules haven't changed!" If it weren't for the comic-book signs like "Wham" when a hood is being wacked, I might have missed the point that Super is a satire because believe me there are serious violence and flat jokes to make me wonder if it isn't just a bloody indulgence disguised as a tract on religious fanaticism.Frank (Rainn Wilson) is a cook with a mission: Save his drug addicted wife, Sarah (Liv Tyler), from bad guy, Jacques (Kevin Bacon) and ultimately the world from crime ("Shut up, Crime," he shouts in his caped crusader costume as The Crimson Bolt).
The Bolt beating a loudmouth who butts in a movie line does with a monkey wrench what we all hoped Woody Allen would do to the phony intellectual in Annie Hall.The film is saved from oblivion by Ellen Page's Libby, who joins Frank as Boltie, the more grown up but kookier version of Kick Ass's Mindy Macready/Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz).
Yes, "Super" is a movie about an amateur "superhero," and yes it is funny and dark and deep, but there is a uniqueness to this film that makes it hard to compare to any other.
"Super" conjures up a range of emotions that "Kick Ass" never escalates to and makes it seem like the glossy Hollywood flick that it was trying so hard not to be.It's not always perfect: it could've done with more plot development, under-used and under-developed characters, often confused direction and at times signs of low budget.
I think the movie was great in genereal (drama, gore, funny, action)...the story of a regular guy becoming a superhero its not bad...but the idea of his crusade was to rescue his wife and after all she left him anyway was sad because in the way libby actually cares about frank and had a tragic death..
In this film, once we ignore the comic book trope, we get to know the inner suffering of the person who describes the happy days of his life, both of them -- one being marrying another troubled soul, whom he loved dearly.Sure, Rainn Wilsons', Frank Darbo vacillated between the earnest Frank Darbo and the super hero "The Crimson Bolt" was classic paranoid schizophrenia --- or elements of it.
In Gunn's film, the average Joe who dons a costume to fight crime isn't an affable misguided teen, but rather a depressed short-order cook, Frank (Rainn Wilson), who can only recall two perfect moments in his whole life, one of which is his marriage to Sarah (Liv Tyler), who has recently left him in favour of heroin dealer Jacques (Kevin Bacon).
Clearly suffering from mental health issues as a result, Frank comes to believe that he has been chosen by God to fight injustice, and becomes masked avenger The Crimson Bolt, but finds that being a hero isn't like in the comic books.As with Kick Ass, Super is a blend of action, comedy and graphic violence, but the effect is more unsettling than its better known counterpart, Gunn's morally ambiguous character casually dishing out extreme violence for minor infractions at the drop of a hat (even whacking a guy on the head with a wrench for cutting in line at the movies!).
When love of his life Sarah (Liv Tyler) left him for another man, Frank (Rainn Wilson) is heart-broken and feels God is punishing him for being good and kind all these years despite suffering a horrid childhood.
Misjudge or miscast it, and you risk taking a tumble into the critical abyss of Very Bad Things.Such is the case with Super, a sort of covered-market Kick Ass, in which Rainn Wilson's nebbishy cuckhold is 'fingered by God' one day and transforms into 'The Crimson Bolt', a psychopathic masked avenger prone to brutally braining miscreants (or queue jumpers) with a wrench.Tonally, it's terribly uneven; as a self-fulfilment satire, it's unoriginal and laboured; while a shrill performance from Ellen Page playing an equally damaged sidekick hardly helps matters.If you're looking for a moving, melancholy and darkly hilarious look at vigilantism, you'd do worse than track down Christian Watt's brilliantly quirky Channel 4 documentary 'Superheroes Of Suburbia.' By contrast, Super just doesn't deliver on its title..
Super (2010) ** (out of 4) Lifetime loser Frank (Rainn Wilson) comes home one day to find that his wife (Liv Tyler) has left him for a drug dealer (Kevin Bacon) so he decides to dress up as a superhero and fight crime.
It is good fun though and the character of Frank or as he is known as his superhero persona Crimson Bolt(Rainn Wilson) is fun and well crafted from James Gunn who writes and directs this and Gunn seems to create many people who are weirdly interesting.Among that cast of weirdly interesting people are Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon and Liv Tyler who together bring a more skillful acting approach to a comedy movie that can have it's odd shake.
Just plain bad - not even Super Bad. While there are some funny moments in this black comedy (mostly due to Ellen Page's manic intensity as the sidekick and a few cameos), there are simply not enough of them to recommend watching this movie.The spoof of a superhero's film is a welcome relief from the onslaught of Marvel releases, but the excessive and bloody violence committed by the self-made crime fighter greatly detracts from the absurdity of the concept and imparts a harsh reality on the protagonist's actions.The characters do not evolve in any way so there is no morale of the story.