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THE Screened Review by Matt Rorie
Super has a reach that exceeds its grasp, but deserves credit for at least reaching towards unpredictability. |
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James Gunn Director | previously directed Slither |
Milquetoast Frank has never had much luck in life, but when his beautiful wife returns to her abusive, drug-dealing ex, it's the last straw. After inspiration from on high, Frank dons a homemade costume to become The Crimson Bolt and shut crime up once and for all.
As Frank wakes up, tentacles suddenly comes in his room, remove his head to inject "Super-powers" inside his brain. The tentacle design are from Slither.
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James Gunn | written by |
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Rainn Wilson | The Crimson Bolt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ellen Page | Boltie | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Liv Tyler | Sarah Helgeland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kevin Bacon | Jacques | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gregg Henry | Detective John Felkner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Michael Rooker | Abe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Andre Royo | Hamilton | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sean Gunn | Toby | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stephen Blackehart | Quill | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Linda Cardellini | Pet Store Employee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Released in 2010, this deconstructionist superhero movie stars Rainn Wilson as Frank, a mentally unbalanced but harmless schlub who can only remember two positive experiences in his life: a police officer thanking him for pointing the way to a fleeing criminal and marrying Sarah Helgeland, (Liv Tyler) a beautiful woman whom he met in the diner he works in. But everything is not happily ever after for the couple, as it turns out Sarah is backsliding into a life of drug abuse fueled by her ex-boyfriend Jacques (Kevin Bacon). When she finally goes missing, only to be discovered by Frank back in Jacques' company, Frank breaks under the inability of the police to do anything since technically Sarah left of her own free will.
A night alternately watching the bizarre, Christian-themed show The Holy Avenger (which stars Nathan Fillion as the titular Avenger and director James Gunn as Satan) and a brief clip of tentacle anime porn is followed by Frank hallucinating (or IS he?!) the Avenger stalking about his backyard before God Itself (voiced by Rob Zombie), appearing as a writhing mass of tentacles, opens the roof before opening Frank's skull and dribbling divine juice onto his brain. Frank awakens from this apparent dream, but is filled with the inspiration he needs to get his wife back: he will become a superhero.
Before he can shut crime up, however, he visits a local comic book store where an incredibly enthusiastic (and equally unbalanced) Ellen Page is employed. After doing his due dilligence on non-powered superheroes, Frank dons a (very) makeshift superhero costume and takes the name The Crimson Bolt. Wielding a large wrench, Frank bludgeons his way through numerous crimes from minor drug deals to attempted pedophilia. But when he sees someone butt-in line at a movie theater, Frank dons his costume and nearly kills the man with his wrench.
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Super Trailer
After his wife leaves him for a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt. |
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SXSW 2011: Super
Rorie chats it up with SXSW attendees about the premiere of Super. |
| Domestic | $327,716 |
| Foreign | +$0 |
| 5/5 | |
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| 0/0 |
| Domestic | $327,716 |