Super, starring Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page

I've long since held the belief that any person who decides to put on a costume and proclaim themselves a superhero is either delusional or arrogant on a superhuman level.  It's an idea that isn't necessarily my own. Alan Moore's classic superhero novel, Watchmen, deals with that as well. We got to see that brought to the big screen just last year thanks to Zack Snyder.  James Gunn doesn't just touch on that theme in his wacky hero flick, Super, he dives head first into it. For awhile he seems happy enough to explore some of the darker recesses of the superhero brain through crazy, ultra-violent imagery. But his script never fully commits to a tone or overall message, leading to an utterly confused and unsatisfying conclusion.

Rainn Wilson spins his Dwight character from The Office into much darker territory as Frank, a loser fry cook who somehow managed to marry a hottie, Sarah(Liv Tyler). Their marriage is a disaster. She's a recovering drug addict; Frank is obsessed over the only two "perfect moments" of his life, which should tell you right away that their union won't last long. Sarah soon ditches Frank for Jock(Kevin Bacon), a Eddie Haskell-type scumbag who deals drugs and leads a crew of thuggish morons. Entering into an emotional tailspin, Frank is inspired by PSA superhero, the hilarious Holy Avenger(Nathan Fillion), to become a costumed hero and fight for truth and justice. 

That sounds good, but that's only marginally his intent. All Frank really wants is to beat up the guy who stole his wife. To get learning how to fight crime without super powers, he enlists the aid of equally geeky comic shop clerk, Libby(Ellen Page). Frank dons a ridiculous costume that looks like one the Flash's hand-me-downs, arms himself with a plumber's wrench, and transforms himself into the Crimson Bolt. Libby becomes his overly eager, super violent sidekick, Boltie. 

Their "crime fighting" endeavors are shockingly violent and woefully misguided. Dare to cut in line at the movies and you might find yourself on the receiving end of a wrench to the head. The graphic nature of the attacks will probably urk some folks(one person in the show I attended left), but I don't think it's any worse than what we saw in Kick-Ass. In fact, these scenes are very reminiscent of that film, and I think the intention is the same. We're supposed to be shocked by the "real" effect of having your head beaten in, the result when comic book violence is given real gravity. 

Unfortunately, if you're going to go that route you have to show that the characters perpetrating this violence suffer some sort of consequence. That their actions have an impact on them emotionally. I'm not sure Gunn is interested in any of that. What we see out of Frank is no reaction at all. No realization of how dark a road his actions have taken him. He'd much rather chastise Libby for cussing than for nearly killing a guy for scratching a car. I have no problem rooting for a bad guy who's trying to defeat other bad guys, but you have to show why we should care. Gunn never goes deep enough into Frank's mind to make the distinction. 

Another big problem is the film's tone. Is it aiming to be darkly comedic like Kick-Ass? Or is this a look into the mind of a delusional madman, like in Defendor? Gunn is trying to have it both ways, and neither wins out. I think that's supported by the tacked on conclusion, a brazen attempt to forgive Frank for the dozens of crimes and murders he commits. It doesn't feel earned in the least.

Kevin Bacon trumps two fine performances by Wilson and Page by turning himself into an over-the-top comic book bad guy. All he needs is a mustache to twist or some train tracks to tie a damsel to. Nathan Fillion, who worked with Gunn on his nostalgia filled horror, Slither, is the steal of the show and makes me want him to play more superheroes in the future. Ant-Man, maybe? Page is perfectly cast as the crazed, slightly demented Libby. Part of it is her youthful appearance, which makes her enthusiastically brutal acts far more disturbing.

Those looking for a poor man's Kick-Ass will find a few laughs, but Super fails to figure out what kind of movie it wants to be and ultimately what point it's trying to make.