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Super (2010 US film)

Super
Super Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by James Gunn
Produced by Ted Hope
Miranda Bailey
Written by James Gunn
Starring Rainn Wilson
Ellen Page
Liv Tyler
Kevin Bacon
Nathan Fillion
Gregg Henry
Michael Rooker
Andre Royo
Sean Gunn
Stephen Blackehart
Linda Cardellini
Music by Tyler Bates
Cinematography Steve Gainer ASC ASK
Edited by Cara Silverman
Production
company
This is that
HanWay Films
Ambush Entertainment
Distributed by IFC Films
Release date
  • September 12, 2010 (2010-09-12) (TIFF)
  • April 1, 2011 (2011-04-01) (United States)
Running time
96 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2.5 million
Box office $422,618

Super is a 2010 American superhero black comedy-drama film written and directed by James Gunn, starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon and Nathan Fillion. The film is based on a story by Gunn, telling the story of Frank Darbo, a young short-order cook who becomes a superhero without even having any superhuman ability, calling himself the "Crimson Bolt". He sets out to rescue his wife Sarah from the hands of a drug dealer.

The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in theaters in the United States on April 1, 2011 and on video on demand on April 13, 2011. The film was released unrated in U.S. theaters, and later received an R rating for its DVD/Blu-ray release. Upon release, Super received generally mixed reviews from critics and audiences, although the humor, acting, direction and action scenes were praised. Alongside mixed critical reception, the film was a massive box office bomb, grossing a little over $422,000 against a budget of $2.5 million, making it James Gunn's lowest grossing film.

Short-order cook Frank Darbo recalls his only two good memories from a disappointing life: marrying his wife, Sarah, and an incident in which he directed a police officer to catch a purse snatcher. Frank immortalizes these two events in a pair of crayon drawings that he hangs on his wall for inspiration. Sarah, a recovering addict, leaves Frank for Jacques, a charismatic strip club owner who gets her hooked on drugs. Frank sinks into depression, where he has a vision in which he is touched by the finger of God and meets the Holy Avenger, a superhero from a public-access television show (based on the actual Christian superhero series, Bibleman), who tells Frank that God has chosen him for a very special purpose. Frank believes that God has chosen him to become a superhero and goes to a local comic book store for inspiration. His claim that he is designing a new superhero is met with enthusiastic appreciation from the store clerk, Libby. Frank creates a superhero costume and assumes the identity of "The Crimson Bolt."


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