10 Superhero Movies That Broke All The Rules

2010 saw the release of two films with the neat notion of ordinary people becoming costumed heroes in something close to the “real” world, with wild, violent results. Kick-Ass had some good gags and a big budget, but after the early stages is essentially a conventional superhero movie.

The Rainn Wilson starring Super, on the other hand, is the far more daring and weird picture. It similarly focuses on an ordinary man, Frank Darbo, who decides to kick back against the crime in his city. Here, though, the lead character is explicitly unstable, eschewing covert tactics and hand to hand training in favour of whacking thugs with a wrench.

He eventually finds a sidekick played by Ellen Page, and from there things get even worse. Super explores the line between heroic vigilantism and plain psychopathy, as Darbo and his new companion Bolie utilise their willingness to dole out brutal beatings to become just-about-tolerated crusaders.

There was to be no franchise for Super, no fun sequel. It took a path far darker than that which Kick-Ass dared to tread, and is the bolder and better film for it.