“Sometimes
all it takes for an average
guy to become a superhero is to be
crossed in love; and sometimes being
a superhero is not all it’s cracked up
to be as an all-time loser finds out in the
darkly comic, poignant and irreverent
thriller spoof Super...”
ALL HIS LIFE, DINER CHEF Frank D'Arbo (Rainn Wilson) has been humiliated
and rejected. He has had just two perfect moments in his life — when he
played a minor role in helping the Police and when he married his beautiful
wife Sarah (Liv Tyler).
So when Sarah leaves him for smooth-talking drug dealer Jacques (Kevin Bacon),
Frank is driven to desperate measures. Wallowing in self-pity, he tries to persuade
her to come back to him and for his pains he is beaten up by Jacques' thugs.
Even the Police cannot help as they say Sarah, a recovering alcoholic and drug-user,
left him of her own free will and Frank swings between hating God and praying
for Sarah's return.
Resorting to the over-active imagination of his childhood when he was plagued
by visions, Frank begins watching dire television programmes that include bizarre
science fiction and teen dramas with The Holy Avenger dishing out advice to
youngsters. Then, one night, he dreams of a multi-tentacled alien allowing the
finger of God to enter his brain.
Influenced by the superhero comics he buys from a store where he meets the youthful
Libby (Ellen Page) and, with the words of The Holy Avenger — "All it takes
to be a superhero is the choice to fight evil" — ringing in his ears, he
rises from the depths of despair to transform himself into The Crimson Bolt,
a superhero without powers but armed with a trusty wrench, waiting to protect
innocents from the dark forces of evil. Powers or not, Frank launches his one-man
war on petty criminals.
Frank is soon dispensing his own form of justice and is being hunted by the
Police as a crazy guy who whacks people with a wrench. And if Frank can't win
he has a back-up plan: Run.
While trying to rescue Sarah, Frank is shot and needs somewhere to hide out.
Well, doesn't every superhero need a sidekick? He turns to Libby, who although
cute has psychopathic tendencies and she quickly becomes caught up in the excitement.
Transforming herself into "Boltie", she teams up with Frank to take Jacques
down.
Will Frank get his wife out of his system or win her back? And where does that
leave Libby? A case of mistaken identity saves Frank's life and a twist in the
story results in a surprise ending. Occasionally crude, Super contains
scenes of a sexual nature, drug-taking, bad language and is at times violent,
gruesome and gory. Nevertheless, Super is an off-the-wall, amusing and
thought-provoking journey with great music and excellent visuals.
Super also features: Gregg Henry as Detective John Falkner; Michael Rooker
as Abe; Andre Royo as Hamilton; Sean Gunn as Toby; Stephen Blackheart as Quill;
Don Mac as Mr Range; Linda Cardellini as Pet Store Employee; Nathan Fillion
as The Holy Avenger; Gerardo Davilla as Cop; Grant Goodman as Young Frank.
Stunt Co-ordinator is Greg Brazzel; Visual Effects are by Modus X; Music is
by Tyler Bates; Director of Photography is Steve Gainer ASC; Co-Producer is
Amanda Marshall; Executive Producers are: Rainn Wilson, Lampton Enochs and Matt
Leutwyler; Produced by Miranda Bailey and Ted Hope; Written and Directed by
James Gunn.
•
From the astonishing [definitely astonishing — Ed] imagination of
writer-director James Gunn (Slither) comes Bolt and Boltie, a crazed
crime fighting duo here to save the day
— or at least to beat you up! Out on DVD and Blu-ray on 1 August 2011.
Running Time: 96 Minutes | Certificate: 18 | RRP: £15.99 (DVD); £19.99 (Blu-ray)
| Catalogue Number: G2P060 (DVD); G2PB060 (Blu-ray) | Extras: Behind The Scenes;
Trailer.
"Super is an off-the-wall, amusing and thought-provoking journey with
great music and excellent visuals" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
"This is a film that stands very clear of others and will grip you to the very
end" — Screenjabber
"It's a bird; it's a plane; it's a nut job with a wrench!" — Square
"Far better than Kick-Ass" — Reelingreviews.Com
"Seriously twisted, ridiculously amusing" — Hollywood Reporter
“Sometimes
all it takes for an average