SUPER is a 2010 film starring Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page, written as well as directed by James Gunn. The film looks in on the life of Everyman, Frank Darbo (Rainn Wilson) attempting to save his wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) from the influence of drug lord Jacques (Kevin Bacon) by crafting his own superhero known only as The Crimson Bolt.
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The definition of a flawed gem, Super is a profoundly intriguing mash-up of comedy, drama, satire and countless other genres and is highly refreshing as it dares to take a realistic yet oddly whimsical and also highly emotional look at superheroes, that anyone can be their own.
Rainn Wilson is the aforementioned Frank Darbo, the lonely and socially awkward average Joe working as a fry cook at the local diner. Rainn Wilson is perfectly cast in this role, nailing the little nuances and quirks with his character and standing out; being delusional enough to create his own superhero, but strangely relatable at the same time as he recalls the "perfect moments" from his often disappointing life. He is a train wreck that you cannot peel your eyes from and is truly endearing because of that, as he steps into his wonderfully shoddy costume for the first time and you also then see him in "action" for the first time you can't help but just keep watching and hopefully as I did, laughing profusely. You relate to Frank in some (some I emphasise) of his socially disturbed tendencies but laugh at his extremities, as while his alter ego has good intentions and he has the passion for said ego, he lacks any form of capability to deliver his heroic skills with only one exception in the film towards the end. Rainn Wilson is great in this movie, his whole character is genuinely well performed and you feel bad for him as his character is delivered so sincerely with little odd quirks in his dialogue that delivers the laughs.
Ellen Page is Libby, a typical girl not too far from Frank who works in the comic book store that he stumbles upon whilst crafting his hero and eventual sidekick. Her character can be seen as one of the many potential breaking points for some audiences with this film, as she gives an incredibly unpredictable and erratic performance as her somewhat unhinged character which could translate to some as annoying. I personally found her ability to snap back and forth between a more down-to-earth Libby to the mentally deranged Boltie astounding, hearing her maniacal laugh drone over the nasty fates of some of the characters within the film. Whilst you may attribute this to borderline psychosis, similar to Frank, her heart is in the right place, only having the best of intentions whilst as Boltie attempting to stop crime with some almost innocent mannerisms, looking to Frank as a mentor and only wants to do good, but for entirely different reasons to Frank. I found Ellen Page to also have been cast very well - she does her character a great service and pieces in quite nicely next to Rainn Wilson portraying the initially innocent comic book girl effectively.
All of the casts performances be it Liv Tyler or Kevin Bacon to Michael Rooker or Nathan Fillion are simply great. Of all of the cast members I do think that Liv Tyler is given the least to do within the film, but she still pulls it off convincingly, similar to Michael Rooker, albeit its good to see the assembly of James Gunn regulars coming together again for another film. Nathan Fillion specifically deserves a mention for his ludicrous parody as The Holy Avenger which is Frank's inspiration for his superhero as he sees his show on TV, delivering cheesy production values and ham fisted morals not too far from a He-Man cartoon, therein lying a cameo from James Gunn himself also. You can just sense the fun they were having when they were shooting those scenes, not saying that doesn't apply to the whole film, but those scenes especially it shows and it adds to it.
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| "All it takes to be a superhero is the choice to fight evil." |
The writing and directing by James Gunn is sadly where most of the film's flaws show, but it is also because of this that this film has an unshakable charm - a personality or an edge to it that is beyond perverse. The film has the same elements that has made past James Gunn films enjoyable like Slither, lots of violence and bizarre humour, but what Super has over Slither is an emotional core to it which takes it past trashy and merely entertaining to something that sticks with you long after the film is finished and it for me at least demands repeat viewings. The movie really does subvert your expectations, making it either a delightful surprise or deceitful trickery to a viewer, it is also because of this that it struggles to find a consistent tone, taking a somewhat realistic tone going to an absurd dream sequence then going to a full-blown explosion of violence by the end. A particular thing that I liked the most about Gunn's writing in Super is that it's not about the costume that Frank wears. He's on his own spiritual journey that only happens to have a costume attached, it's about him. Not the costume, one of the only things established near the beginning of the film and kept consistent. It is because of this inconsistency that I believe the film provides charm however, as how often does a film like this emerge; taking a simple idea and running with it in one of the most intriguing and hilarious ways possible. Direction is well done, siphoning the best possible performances out of each of the cast members, regardless of their role. I particularly liked the use of handheld cam throughout the movie, giving it a slight shake and a natural feel to the film, not overdoing it and crossing over into the realms known only as shaky cam. The film has to be immensely applauded for its looks, looking better than some films with four or even five times the budget, it just looks great. The animated intro and comic book elements inserted into reality are very well done and only add to the entertainment value.
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| "Maybe I couldn't shoot beams out of my eyes or fly..." |
The score by Tyler Bates is great, it fits in perfectly to the more light-hearted segments of the film. The track in particular "Two Perfect Moments" is my favourite, sticking in my head for several days after hearing it. The score is mostly composed of clean sounding instruments to create this ideal feeling of whimsy, as heard on the aforementioned track and the rest of the score. It also makes use of some licensed music, adding to the montage sequence where Frank utters some of the movie's best lines, also fitting near perfectly.
Overall, Super is a flawed film most definitely, but it is undeniably one of the most unique films I've seen in a long time and is not just highly entertaining - it sticks with you because of its charm. The emotional core that the film has as mentioned prior is where that charm lies, you care for Frank so much through his disappointments and sadness and really want to see him with a satisfying conclusion. Whilst it may not be the one that he wanted, it definitely leaves him in a better stance on life than in the one where he started. It's not about the "superhero", it's about the man beneath the costume. I would highly recommend Super to those who are looking for something different, a weird combo of twisted humour, violence and surprisingly a heartfelt tale of self-discovery that so many people have sadly overlooked.
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