I liken “Super guy: Behind the Cape” the 2000 movie starring Mark Teague, as Superman meets Spinal Tap, but not as funny. This is a mockumentary, long on irony, great characterization, and dry absurdities, but short on traditional laughs. Indeed, while listed on the Internet Movie Database as a comedy, the movie actually comes off more as a serious thought experiment on what a superhero’s real life would be like in our corporate-backed world of excessive laws and regulations. You soon realize that the power fantasy of super heroic freedom is simply impossible to maintain in our super-litigious world.
If all this sounds a little negative, I don’t mean it to. This was a small budget movie that was beautifully written. If you expect dull-minded diversion and entertainment for entertainment’s sake alone, you won’t like this movie. If you are thoughtful, aware of subtext, and don’t want your entertainment spoon fed to you, then chances are you will really enjoy this production. I don’t want to make it seem that like this is a movie for elitist thinkers, but it’s certainly not geared for the low-brow/funny pratfall crowd.
As a low budget movie, don’t expect too much from the special effects or action. I have no doubt they produced the best they could afford. There is some basic green screen and wire-work action in this, but it’s somewhat obvious and clearly not big budget stuff. I’m completely cool with that, and I liked this movie for many of the same reasons I enjoyed the Specials.
I give “Superguy: Behind the Cape” a solid B.
