Poster by http://www.ryanmaceachern.com
With the behemoth that is the Marvel franchise, it’s refreshing when you stumble upon the independent superhero films. From the criminally underrated Defendor to Super with Rainn Wilson, there are films out there following in the footsteps of Kick-Ass, trying to make something a little more alternative.
Enter, Superbob! A British indie film adapted from Jon Drever’s short film of the same name, stars your regular postman who through some damn luck has managed to be hit my a meteor and not die. The opposite has happened, and he has become superhuman. Bob Kenner, played by the always enjoyable Brett Goldstein, bounces around the familiar streets of Peckham trying to wind down after a hard day of saving the world, occasionally checking in with Catherine Tate at the MoD to see if he’s needed.
It sounds mundane, but that’s part of the appeal. The notion of having the superpowers but not shouting about them and destroying entire cities is something unheard of for most movie-goers. Instead, Bob is trying to look for love, torn between the two ladies in his life; the one he wants and the one he doesn’t know he wants.
You may find a problem with not going for all out action, to some it may frustrate when it doesn’t really know what genre it wants to be. I don’t see it as an issue, because you get the best of both worlds; combining romantic comedy and super-hero fantasy with all the charm of an understated British indie film. It’s a smart film that plays to its strengths, and provided a nice break from the explosions and yelling.
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