YMMV / The Pumaman

• Applicability: Some viewers have suggested that the movie is in fact a clever parody of the superhero genre, claiming that there's no way it could be this bad by accident. There is some evidence for this, in that director Alberto De Martino claims that he hated the script and tried reworking it into a comedy while filming, though whether this is true or merely a Parody Retcon is for viewers to judge. MST3K writer Paul Chaplin is in the "they were trying to be funny" camp, but says that "everyone else believes they were dead serious from the get-go."
• Awesome Music: No, really. In spite of having one of the most hysterically unfitting superhero themes ever (if not the most), the opening theme is actually pretty epic. And whether or not the rest of Renato Serio's score fits the film, it's pretty undeniably said movie's most competent and engaging technical aspect.
• Base-Breaking Character: Tony, the titular hero. Half the viewers dislike him for being a Designated Hero so bad he actually turns into The Load. The other half see some merit in him being something of a deconstruction of a normal man becoming a superhero against his will, and note that much of his hatred is overblown.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: Vadinho for being much more competent and badass than the title character. Kobras and Martin to a lesser extent.
• Fashion-Victim Villain: Poor Donald Pleasence.
  Crow: My name is Pleasence and I am funky.
• Ho Yay: Tony and Vadinho make a more believable couple than Tony and Jane. Not that this says very much.
• Narm
  • "I get this way when I sense danger." To the actor's credit, he managed to say it with a straight face in a ridiculous setting. Kobras isn't much better:
    Kobras: Because you are made of earth... ...and to earth you shall return!
  • Puma Man in flight. AKA: How to make flying look completely undignified. Will almost always cause you to chuckle.
• Older Than They Think: Believe it or not, this film was released BEFORE The Greatest American Hero. It does have many things in common with that show: Both are about a dorky everyman in an academic profession who reluctantly becomes a superhero. Both involve donning a goofy-looking costume bestowed by deity-like aliens. Both have an incredibly stupid style of flying with limbs flailing about in comical fashion. Both productions have a theme song that's as "epic" and "heroic" as an old jingle for a local convenience store (although, as a stand-alone early 1980s pop tune, the theme to 'TGAH' has 'Pumaman' beat by a mile).
• Romantic Plot Tumor: With some of the worst innuendo ever, like Tony's line about his "primitive instincts."
• The Scrappy: Jane, for being a whiny ditz and a shoehorned Love Interest.
• Signature Scene: The infamous flight scene with the cheesy happy music is usually the first thing that comes to mind when Puma Man is mentioned.
• So Bad, It's Good: You think?
• Special Effect Failure: Puma Man in flight. Then again, pumas aren't really known for their flying.
  Crow: The Gods are dragging him around by the elastic waistband in his BVDs.
  • There's also the scene where he captures a villain to get him to speak about his boss. When he refuses, Pumaman drops him and the guy falls normally while the camera is angled!
    Mike: Help! I'm falling at a sixty degree angle breaking all laws of physiiiiiiics!
  • The flying scenes were originally to be shot using a specially-made effects camera which the producer purchased from a German film studio...only for the special effects crew to find that the camera was defective and they didn't have time to replace or repair it. Instead, De Martino and the crew were forced to make use of extremely obvious and cheap green-screen-type effects.
    Mike: He has the power to rear-project major cities!
    • Moreover, on the Gizmoplex interview with the actor who played Tony, he said that the director didn't want him to do a Superman-type "flying" pose, Puma Man was supposed to look like he was "swimming" through the air. He didn't really succeed at that, either.
• Suspiciously Similar Song: Puma Man Theme shamelessly rip-offs Su di noi (Upon us) by the Italian singer Pupo.
• Take That, Scrappy!: When Vadinho punches Tony hard enough to knock him out.
  Tom: Yes! The Aztec speaks for all of us!
• Took the Bad Film Seriously:
  • Say what you will about the rest of the movie, but Donald Pleasence really brought his A-game as Kobras.
  • To some extent, Miguel Angel Fuentes' role as Vadinho as well, he does give his weird role a certain dignity (and, again, is a lot more heroic than the dorky superhero-in-training, Tony).
• Wangst: As Mike mutters, "Are pumas also known for their whining?"
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: Vadinho is far more competent and dedicated than Tony and accomplishes much greater feats, leading to several commentators (including Mike and the Bots) to point out that he should have been the protagonist.
• WTH, Costuming Department?: Seriously, one of the worst superhero costumes ever. According to the actor who played Tony, the original costume design was even worse!
  "HAHAHAHA... No, I mean you look great. Really..."
  "Dah, I gave him the Captain Dork costume by mistake."
  "Pumaman: Liberace in Dockers."

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