Typical
superheroes have great looks, a tragic past, incredible strength, and
flamboyant weapons. However, not all superheroes are the stereotypical crime
fighters that are pictured. The film Super
(2010), directed by James Gunn, illustrates this notion in various ways
exemplifying how an atypical man can find the power within and become the
enticing, crime fighting hero that saves humanity.
Rainn
Wilson is known for acting abnormal characters and is highly identifiable by his
awkward personalities. Like previous characters: Dwight Schrute from The Office or more recently Det. Lt.
Everett Backstrom from Backstrom,
Wilson portrays the nervous quality in his character Frank Darbo who later
becomes The Crimson Bolt. After his wife Sarah, a recovering drug addict, is victimized
by a drug dealer, Darbo takes it upon himself to become her savior after
researching non-super powered heroes. Despite his discoveries on common heroes,
Frank lacks many usual superhero qualities that add to the unconventional, yet
unique, hero he becomes.
I think it is safe to say that almost everyone has seen a superhero movie at some point in their life, especially with Marvel releasing movies yearly since 2008 and DC Comics almost yearly since 2005. Personally, I love superhero movies and one of my favorites from the genre is Zack Snyder’s Watchmen (2009).
There are several aspects of Watchmen that pay homage to your typical superhero movie, the first being the stellar and dynamic band of characters similar to the Avengers. There’s also the gravelly, low-voiced vigilante, Rorschach, who sounds like eerily similar to Batman, the technological genius and animal-based hero, Night Owl II, who reminds me of Iron Man and Batman, and the science experiment gone wrong, Dr. Manhattan, who resembles a mix of Captain America, the Hulk and Thor with his patriotic, monstrous and God-like reputation. Not to mention, Watchmen’s throwback soundtrack had me immediately thinking of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) during my last viewing.
Disclaimer: There will be some spoilers, so it’s best to have seen Avengers, Man of Steel, and Dredd in order to avoid them
One thing most superhero films seem to have in common is that, by their conclusion, there is going to be a lot property damage and wreckage. In The Avengers (2012), most of New York is greatly bruised, with smashed buildings, broken streets, and more – but you never really pay attention to or much care for how badly the city is devastated by the battle between the Chitauri and the Avengers. You see both the heroes and villains smash into offices and possible residential areas, but you’re more focused on the action than the destruction and possible loss of human life. A previous scene shows Captain America organizing a citywide evacuation with the aid of the NYPD, informing viewers that innocent bystanders will be removed from harm’s way. This gives audiences the opportunity to watch the Hulk smash flying alien Leviathans into skyscrapers without worrying if a family was crushed in the process.
