8) Defendor
Like Super, Defendor tells the story of a broken man who adopts the persona of a real-life superhero. Directed by Peter Stebbings, the 2009 film stars Woody Harrelson as Arthur Poppington, a mentally ill man who dresses up as a vigilante named Defendor on a quest to find his arch enemy, Captain Industry, who he believes is responsible for the death of his mother.
The film isn’t one of the best alternative superhero pics ever made, but is worth watching for Harrelson’s performance alone. He’s also joined by a cast that includes Kat Dennings (Thor: The Dark World), Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy), Elias Koteas (The Killing) and Michael Kelly (Man of Steel, House of Cards).
If the darkly comedic, bizarre stylings of Gunn’s Super aren’t your style, and if more mainstream “real-life” superhero films like Kick-Ass are weighing you down, Defendor is definitely worth a look and offers enough comedic bits and comic sensibilities to satisfy your superhero craving.
Published: Sep 10, 2014 10:15 pm