#PeterStebbings

[adamwatchesmovies]

Defendor (2009)

Defendor isn't a bad film; it's just missing something to make it stand out. There are moments where its individuality shows but when it comes to the comedic bits, it's too often “been there, done that”.

Arthur Poppington (Woody Harrelson) is a mentally challenged man who dresses up as the vigilante “Defendor” at night. Determined to defeat his nemesis “Captain Industry”, Arthur repeatedly gets in trouble with the law as he attempts to fight crime using a costume and gadgets. When he befriends a young prostitute, Angel (Kat Dennings), she reveals to him that she knows where his archenemy lives. Actually, she’s just using him to get drug money and a place to stay.

The basic premise of this film has been done before. Kick-Ass, Super, Mystery Men, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, even Watchmen - to a certain extent - deal with regular people who are noticeably disturbed and decide to put on a superhero costume. I’m not saying you couldn’t do a movie along these lines. It's just that at this point, this gimmick isn't enough.

Defendor is a comedic drama. Some of it works well. Harrelson is perfectly suited for his role. He’s got that look of a person that is kind of schlubby but not completely out of shape and he’s got the mannerisms of someone desperate to exorcise their demons down to a science. When the picture focuses on Arthur and his past tragedies, it’s completely believable. Writer/director Peter Stebbing isn't afraid to show how lonely and out of place he feels. That's real. So are the interactions between the various characters. In a lesser film, Angel would start by taking advantage of Arthur, only to fall in love with him by the end. When Defendor attempts to fight crime, the thugs he confronts are not the least bit intimidated by his rag-tag costume and violently assault him. Particularly good and genuine are the scenes with Paul (Michael Kelly). He helps bring some weight to the drama of the film. You can see why the talented actors were attracted to Defendor. Everyone delivers strong performances.

What isn’t as successful is the comedy and the ending, which are a mixed bag. The movie isn’t really funny, even when it’s attempting to be funny in a twisted way. Dark comedy could have helped make the drama that much more impactful. Instead, it's distracting. Then, the conclusion is just too neat and tidy. The place some of the characters ultimately go to is somewhat of a betrayal of everything we were shown earlier on top of feeling manufactured.

Defendor is ok. You can’t help compare it to other, similar, more successful films and in that entourage, it falls short too often to be worth more than a rental. That's how I'd recommend it; at home on your big TV. Who knows? You might even call it a pleasant surprise, particularly if you like the cast. (On DVD, September 20, 2015)