SUPERHEROES
Directed by: Michael Barnett
Documentary
At an event like San Diego Comic Con, you’re bound to see and experience a whole host of things; seeing a group of ladies in Slave Leia costumes, tasting the bitter agony of waiting in a line for two hours to get cut off to make your favorite panel, and smelling things that I can not accurately describe in mere English. One of the most common sights, however, is the superhero. From young kids in baggy Batman get ups, to grown men testing the tensile strength of spandex in order to pay homage to Superman, superheroes are everywhere.
Michael Barnett’s documentary SUPERHEROES looks at people who go beyond just donning costumes, but who go out at night and patrol the streets of their cities, often putting themselves at risk in order to defend their neighborhoods. The film examines what drives these people and what common thread drives them to go above and beyond the call of a regular citizen, even if they have to operate outside of the law.
In the film, we are introduced to a whole host of heroes from all around the country. Mr. Xtreme in San Diego is on the hunt for a serial groper while at the same tme trying to earn a complete martial arts training. There’s Master Legend in Orlando, who flirts with the ladies, has homemade weapons, and always has a good reason to stop and have a beer. Perhaps the most impressive of them all are the New York Initivative, a group of four heroes (Zimmer, T.S.A.F., Z and Lucid) who put themselves in harm’s way to make sure that others are out of it.
Barnett is able to string all of these heroes together but looking at their pasts and how it influenced the people they became. Many of the heroes often had incredibly difficulty upbringings, which often included abuse and drug and alcohol addiction. These extraordinary individuals are able to rise above what things might have held them down in their lives and truly be selfless in a way that is difficult for most people to comprehend.
What I found remarkable about the film is the way it was able to bring dignity to many of these people – many of whom are often gawked and laughed at during their patrols. I will admit that during the film, there were moments that I was laughing at these people and not with them, because some of them really do not seem cut out for helping anyone, but ultimately I was able to see how noble these people were, even if at time they came off a bit silly.
SUPERHEROES lives up to its name – it’s inspiring, captivating, and has a great heart.
SUPERHEROES plays at San Diego Comic Con as part of the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival on Saturday, July 23rd at 6:10 in Hall 2 at the Mariott Marquis and airs on HBO August 8th
