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TORONTO 2010

Toronto Review & Video: James Gunn's Newest Comedy 'Super'

by Alex Billington
September 11, 2010

My first Midnight Madness film of the Toronto Film Festival this year was Slither director James Gunn's new "superhero" comedy Super, starring Rainn Wilson as The Crimson Bolt (as pictured above). It's one of those wacky regular-citizen-decides-to-become-a-crime-fighter comedies in the same vein as Kick-Ass or Defendor, but with Gunn's own badass, unique comedic and stylistic touch. It's a helluva lot of fun and it's one of those hilarious indie comedies that you have to watch with a group of people (because everyone will be cheering) but unfortunately I didn't love it. I had a great time watching it, but I still love Kick-Ass more.

Wilson stars as Frank D'Arbo, a simple religious man whose wife, played by Liv Tyler, leaves him for a drug dealing kingpin, played effortlessly by Kevin Bacon. He has a vision one night and is "touched by the finger of God" (literally) and decide to become The Crimson Bolt, a masked crime fighter beating up drug dealers and line-butters with a pipe wrench. Along the way he meets comic book fanatic Libby, played amazingly by Ellen Page, who becomes his sidekick Boltie. It's a fun story, it's a great cast, it's a bit better than Defendor, it's crazy violent and overly realistic (so that's what happens when you beat someone with a pipe wrench!), but it didn't really take the comedic vigilante concept to the next level like I was really hoping this would.

That said, if you're a fan of James Gunn or Rainn Wilson or you really like this concept, Super is a must see, just because it is so fun and it is very well done for an extremely low budget film. After the screening, Peter from SlashFilm and Frosty from Collider and I met up to record a video blog of our reactions to Super, which you can check out below. So for a more varied and well-rounded review of the film, watch the video.

Filed under Review, TIFF 10

From around the web:

beavis

i'm a big fan of rainn wilson and ellen page...........so, i was in regardless of who likes or dislikes this.
Jimmy Love

I'll watch this but he still looks like he pissed himself while on stage in front of a sell out crowd
LINKFX

Kick-Ass was a terrible movie...not good cinema.
CLAW

Wait nobody in their right mind is going to believe Rainn Wilson could land Liv Tyler not even in a piece of fiction that alone may ruin this movie because its impossible. But as luck would have it the supporting cast will save this film mostly Ellen Page and Nathan Fillion.
Xerxex

what beavis said.
Cracky

In like Flynn. I don't like when the "same-vein" movies are compared to Kick-Ass, because--instantly--I start to believe that the movie will be far better than Kick-Ass. Because Kick-Ass wasn't that great. Bing bang.
beavis

#3 - kick-ass was a fun movie to watch............and the scene where hitgirl has the conversation with her dad as he's dying?............very emotional. i think you're way off base on this one. #4 - why is it impossible? hey! i LOVE the name of ellen pages sidekick persona - "Boltie"................Boltie and hitgirl should hook up (in crime-fighting only - nothing sexual, you pervs!!) in crossover movie.
McWilly

Hmmm, Ill see it thru download. Kick-Ass was a very entertaining movie....great movie cinema.
CLAW

Hey beavis your kidding right?
David

Were those other two guys (not Alex) the founders of their respective sites?
beavis

hey, if anyone is interested - i just stumbled across this trailer for "super" i had never seen it before and i LOVED it!! here's the link (just copy and paste!): http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=69728
beavis

claw - yea, i was kidding - until i saw the trailer i put up on #10. watch it - man, boltie and hitgirl together?...........that'd be one bloodsoaked movie! LOL
CLAW

You're right on target beavis, Hitgirl and Boltie in the same movie would be beyond amazing. No I changed my mind I think the awesomeness of a movie like that would cause my brain to explode.
beavis

thanks, claw - man, after watching that trailer - i'm soooooo stoked for "super"!
Xerxex

yeah that was awesome, and to think I was getting tired of Page...shame on me! thanks for posting that beavis!
beavis

it was luck i found it.......just net surfing and found a "link to a link" - you know how it goes. yea, man - i LOVE boltie! this looks like it's going to be a fun watch!!
The Man With No Name

Yo A.B., if you're gonna do some video reviews, go solo and script that sh*t up!
Rayn

I just caught the 9:30am showing yesterday. It was a great movie. Everyone in the audience was laughing. The casting was perfect. For me, Ellen Page stole the movie. Her character was hilariously entertaining. Definitely a must see for all Rainn and Ellen fans.