Superhero Movie on DVD
Drake Bell and Sara Paxton Star in Superhero Spoof
From the creators of Naked Gun and Scary Movie comes Superhero Movie, a spoof of the Spider-Man films with a little Batman, X-Men, and The Fantastic Four. Produced by Robert K. Weiss, David Zucker, and Craig Mazin (who also wrote and directed), this movie pokes fun at superhero weaknesses (not being able to fly, sticky insect fingers, tight superhero costumes) and regular human foibles (flatulence, feces, disease, death). Even famed scientist Stephen Hawking becomes the butt of several tasteless jokes.
In the same way that spoofs such as Airplane! and Date Movie work (and sometimes don’t work), Superhero Movie attempts to grab a laugh in any way possible. While much of the humor ventures into someone-gets-hit-in-the-crotch territory, some of the gags work well and many of the performances cleverly skewer the original actors and characters.
Drake Bell Stars as Dragonfly
In this spoof, Rick Riker (played with boyish charm by Drake Bell of Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh) gets bitten by a genetically altered dragonfly that turns him into a sticky-fingered muscle-bound superhero. As Dragonfly, he tries to stop crime, protect those who need it, take care of his elderly aunt (Marion Ross) and uncle (Leslie Nielson), and romance his lovely neighbor (Sara Paxton). Unfortunately for Rick/Dragonfly, after a scientific experiment goes awry, an evil (and genetically altered, of course) CEO of a pharmaceutical company (Christopher McDonald) seeks immortality by draining the life force from others.
Although Bell carries the movie, Paxton, Ross, Nielson, and McDonald pull their comedic weight throughout the silliness. Appearances by Kevin Hart, Brent Spiner, Pamela Anderson, Jeffrey Tambor, Robert Hays, Tracy Morgan, Regina Hall, Craig Bierko, Robert Joy, Lil’ Kim, and others help keep the surprises coming fast, if not always the laughs.
Superhero Movie DVD Bonus Features
The Blockbuster Exclusive edition released on July 8 contains an alternate ending, which seems just as funny (if not funnier) than the version used in the theatrical version. The DVD also contains 20 deleted and extended scenes, many of which are highly entertaining and explain the story a little better. One scene in particular, where Rick talks to a loan officer about buying a car, makes much more sense and gets a few additional laughs when the deleted material is added to the mix. For those who enjoyed the theatrical version and want to see it again or for people who didn’t get the chance to catch the film at the theater, these bonus features make the movie even more enjoyable.
- Superhero Movie (Blockbuster Exclusive Edition)
- Director: Craig Mazin
- Run Time: 76 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 (crude and sexual content, comic violence, drug references, and language)
- Bonus Features: Alternate Ending; Deleted Scenes; Theatrical Trailer
For more information about superheroes, read Behind Spider-Man’s Mask.
