5. Super (2010)
What a strange little movie
Super is. On the one hand, it's an astute commentary on the role of the "vigilante" in a society of wrong-doers who need to be punished - a primal exercise in realising our inner most desires to purge humanity of its bad eggs. And, then, on the other hand, it just seems to be an excuse to have Rainn Wilson going around, whacking people with a wrench until their brains spill out over the sidewalk. Though
Super was released around the same time as the very similar
Kick-Ass, both projects were conceived at the same time. Written and directed by James Gunn (who's currently at the helm of Marvel's
Guardians of the Galaxy),
Super tells the story of short-order cook Frank Darbo, a downtrodden loser whose wife leaves him for a drug dealer. In the wake of this event, Frank decides that God has chosen him to become a superhero, and he decides to comply. What results is a surprisingly dark and violent movie, one which refuses to play nice with its subject matter. Reviews were mixed upon release, but here's a "realistic" take on the super story that will get better with time.