Superhero Me (2010)
Film Reviews — By Kevin Matthews on June 18, 2010 at 8:25 pmThis zero-budget documentary (okay, we can assume that director/star Steve Sale had some of his own money but barely enough to buy Spielberg a bagel) aims to provide us with a look at what it takes to be a superhero and the hypothesis that it is, in fact, a very real dream. Even if you don’t have any super-abilities or come from an alien planet.
These little documentary films win or lose depending on the person guiding us on the journey so it’s lucky for us that Steve Sale is a nice, likeable lad with a great sense of humour and, apparently, no sense of shame. You will laugh as you watch him dash off to fight crime in his bright yellow spandex costume, you will enjoy the problems faced by someone trying to rid the streets of crime in an area not exactly riddled with lawbreakers and you will surely root for the hero if/when he has to face any criminal element. What you won’t do, however, is really learn anything.
It’s not long into the movie that we find out about real people acting as real superheroes so, as Steve sets about meeting them and getting advice where he can, that’s really the only surprise the film has in store for us. There is certainly fun to be had watching our plucky Brit meeting the likes of Entomo, The Justice Force 5 and Master Legend but once the novelty wears off you have to accept the fact that these are just people either helping others or having fun in whacky clothing.
I’d definitely like to praise the film’s central message though (that, essentially, a mask and costume and super-abilities aren’t needed as heroes are all around us). It may be an obvious one but it’s also one that gives a very different perspective on the eccentric likes of Entomo and Master Legend, who both do a lot to help the homeless and hard done by in their respective areas.
It doesn’t play out, as I suspected it might, as the Kick-Ass of documentary movies but it does open your eyes to just how many heroes there are out there. Whether they’re wearing tights or not.
DIRECTOR: STEVE SALE
CAST: STEVE SALE, “MASTER LEGEND”, “ENTOMO”
RUNTIME: APPROX 80 MINS
COUNTRY: UK
Film Rating: 
Popularity: 1%
Tags: documentary, EIFF, festival, superhero
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3 Comments
A little something worth mentioning, I was able to politely accost director Steve Sale while he was keeping to himself in Edinburgh today, after a spot of promotional work for his movie, and he was a very approachable, genuinely nice guy to chat to so a big thank you is due (especially as he had already read the review) for the time he gave me.
I’ll be sure to check this one out. And kudos to Mr. Sale for being a good sport! I’ve found that in the long run people prefer honesty over praise, even if the honesty is less then pleasant. Honesty guides others in the right direction, while empty praise leads them astray. By the way, Master Legend is the best. name. ever.
Absolutely agree and I certainly support the man in his quest to get his movie out there and making a bit of an impact, he deserves any success he gets just for getting the entire thing made. Fair play.