The movie Super, starring Rainn Wilson (who, for those living under a rock, is Dwight from The Office) and Ellen Page (Juno) is...something else. It is outrageous. It is disturbing. It takes the superhero movie tropes and subverts them in ways that make the audience cringe and laugh--sometimes simultaneously.
Wilson plays Frank D'Arbo, a mild-mannered man whose drug addict wife, Sarah, (Liv Tyler) leaves him for a flashy drug dealer, Jacques (Kevin Bacon, who is EXCELLENT in this funny, supporting role). A man who is used to being humiliated and kicked around his whole life, Frank can't take the thought of losing his love. He prays to God to find a way to win back Sarah, and has a bizarre vision/dream in which God splits open his skull and touches his brain. In this vision/dream, Frank sees The Holy Avenger (Nathan Fillion, in another AWESOME supporting role), a sort of "Bibleman" TV character who fights the devil with the power of God. The Holly Avenger cryptically Frank that some of God's children are "chosen".
Frank doesn't quite understand the meaning of this vision until he visits a comic book store and meets Libby (Ellen Page), who wonders out loud why no regular people step up and start fighting crime, superhero-style. Frank then realizes his calling. He makes himself a costume, renames himself The Crimson Bolt, and uses a wrench to bash bad guys on the head. That is his superpower--the ability to brain people with a wrench.Soon, Libby catches on to Frank and declares herself his kid sidekick, Boltie. It becomes clear that Libby is a violent sociopath who is all too eager to hurt, maim, and even kill the mildest of wrongdoers (such as the jerk who keyed her friend's car). This is all part of the overarching joke of the film--the punishment Frank and Libby deal out doesn't always fit the crime. It's all fun, games, and justice when Frank bashes a child molester on the head, but when he does the same thing to a guy who cuts in line at the movies, we realize that this is more a movie about psychosis than crime fighting.
The fact that Frank and Libby have no sense of proportion and every sense of entitlement gives the film its uncomfortable edge. We have to wonder: is Frank really just an average guy looking to do good, or is he delusional and psychotic? There is a scene where Frank prays to God, asking if he should keep being the Crimson Bolt (and possibly get caught by the police) or if he should throw it all away. He pauses then prays "Did you tell me to throw it all away, or did I just think that in my head?" They should show this clip in churches everywhere. Frank *thinks* he is ordained by God to fight crime...but really, isn't he just justifying what he wants to do by supposedly seeing signs from God wherever he looks? And doesn't that make his over eager crime fighting all the more dangerous--because he believes God is giving him a mission to do so?
Super is a disturbing movie because it screws with your expectations. You see the marquee saying "Rainn Wilson" and "Ellen Page" and you think, "Ok, nerdy guy fights crime in a cute, precocious indie film!"...but you get a couple of scarily violent wackos, disturbing sex scenes (there is a scene where Ellen Page rapes* Rainn Wilson...it is hands down the weirdest sex scene I have ever encountered), and humor so dark and black...there's not much you can do except gasp and laugh. I've seen very few movies like this.
And that's why I loved it. But, I think it can easily be said that this movie is NOT for everyone.
4.5 out of 5 stars
* Ok, so in this scene, Libby attempts to seduce Frank, who is adamant that he doesn't want to have sex with her (he still considers himself married and faithful to his wife, Sarah). But Libby basically just mounts him and, uh, has her way with him despite his repeated exhortations of "No!" and attempts to buck her off. He eventually gives in. I really don't think this scene is played for laughs because it's just too bizarre and disturbing. I think the director wanted to show how insane and scary Libby actually is. Some people will argue that men can't be raped by women because they have to be..ahem...aroused for the act to be consummated. But since when does sexual arousal equal consent? Anyway, I just had to discuss it because I've never seen a sex scene like this one.
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