Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
After his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills.
Super is a dark, lo-fi superhero deconstruction that sits in the same subgenre space as Kick-Ass but with a grittier, more disturbing edge. The plot is functional but messy, leaning on tonal whiplash between absurdist comedy and genuine violence. Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page deliver committed, interesting performances that elevate the material, though the supporting cast is uneven. Cinematography is rough and unremarkable, fitting the low-budget aesthetic but not transcending it. Novelty is decent — it carves out a genuinely uncomfortable and morally murky corner of the vigilante genre that distinguishes it from shinier competitors. The ending is tonally brave, undercutting genre expectations with a melancholic coda that feels earned if not entirely satisfying.