Follow TV Tropes

Following

YMMV / Super

Go To


  • Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • Broken Base: The movie’s dark sense of humor and the main reason the film is so polarizing. Some think it crosses the line just enough to be hilarious while others think it crosses lines tastelessly and borders on disturbing, with such examples including Frank cracking a bystander’s head open with a monkey wrench for butting the line and pretty much everything involving Boltie, especially when she rapes Frank.
  • Cult Classic: Not to the extent of his previous film, Slither (which got a cult following prior to Guardians), but became a minor one thanks to James Gunn's involvement with Guardians of the Galaxy.
  • Designated Hero: While Frank may have had reasons to become a superhero, Libby's motivation was fueled because she likes the thrill of it and isn't morally restrained. She also rapes Frank.
  • Heartwarming Moments: The film, for all its crass violence and dark humor, has a surprisingly sentimental ending in which Frank comes to terms with the many problems in his life and ends up looking approvingly at his wall memories with his new pet bunny.
  • Hilarious in Hindsight:
  • Moment of Awesome: Take your pick.
    • Libby's Car Fu.
    • Frank's Roaring Rampage of Revenge at the end.
    • Frank's last line before stabbing Jacques to death is chillingly awesome:
      Jacques: Do you really think that killing me, stabbing me to death, is going to change the world?
      Frank: I can't know that... for sure... unless I try.
  • Moral Event Horizon:
    • If you needed any more convincing that Jacques is a horrible person, giving Sarah to a fellow drug dealer so he can rape her as part of sweetening a business deal cements it. Even his fellow cronies look disgusted.
    • Libby arguably crosses it by raping Frank.
  • Older Than They Think: A lot of people have accused Super of ripping off Kick-Ass because it uses the idea of a normal guy trying to be a superhero (even though the film was in the works since 2001) when the "real-life superhero" genre dates as far back to the 1980 John Ritter comedy Hero at Large and had later been used in Defendor, Special, Boy Wonder, and All Superheroes Must Die.
  • Retroactive Recognition: Steve Agee has a bit part as "the Comic Book Store Jerk." He was already on The Sarah Silverman Program but became a lot more widely noticed in the years after the film.
  • Squick:
    • Libby and Frank's sexual encounter, beginning with "It's all gooshy" and ending with a talking vomit face.
    • Frank's visions have a tendency toward this.
  • Tear Jerker: Libby's death and Frank's subsequent devastated reaction is heartbreaking.
  • They Copied It, So It Sucks!: Often seen as a rip-off of Kick-Ass which came out the year before. Mark Millar was aware of this and has defended Super since its approach was different from his comic, having screened Super at his Comic Convention, KaPow!
  • Why Would Anyone Take Her Back?: Frank clearly loves Sarah and she is the one who drives his actions throughout the film. But judging from how she was only using him as a stepping stone to get back on her feet as a recovering addict and later on, leaves Frank for Jacques without hesitation, it becomes clear that she never loved Frank to begin with. Even after Frank rescues her from Jacques, she pretty much leaves him for another man anyways, leaving Frank all alone once more; but at least he's fine with the choice this time.


Top