SUPER

Super is a grim satire on the superhero genre and its uncomfortable subtextual ideas. It deconstructs the nostalgic fantasy through black comedy and violence. It's telling that this film's protagonist, Frank (Rainn Wilson), bases his alter ego on a Golden Age protagonist espousing conservative American ideals.

It's a brutal subversion of the chosen one narrative and the justification of violence in the superhero narrative. The bittersweet ending reinforces that the protagonist's maturity and rounds his arc. Themes of bodily exploitation, violence, and sexual objectification are confronted and taken to their bitter end.

In Super, James Gunn masks his black humor with a grim and cynical narrative that confronts the nostalgia and the uncomfortable ideas that underpin the superhero and comic book genres. Overall Super marks a key point in Gunn's filmography setting up his future work in the CBM genre. However Super remains an underrated and a cult classic.

Technically Super is distinct. The direction fuels the energy and manic drive of the film. The surreal and inventive cinematography highlights and plays with the comic book imagery of Super. The editing consists of black and white flashbacks, smash cuts, and cutaways that bolster the film's pacing.

The cast consists of genre actors and household names(namely Rainn Wilson and Kevin Bacon). The score consists of genre elements alongside soft rock songs. The lived-in production design contributes to the griminess and lived-in world. The effects mostly come from stunts, blood, and gore that are servicable. Overall Super is mildly ambitious and endures.

Writing: 9/10

Direction: 8/10

Cinematography: 8/10

Acting: 9/10

Editing: 7/10

Sound: 7/10

Score: 8/10

Prod Design: 8/10

Casting: 8/10

Effects: 8/10

Overall Score:8.0/10