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Movies / On DVD / Superhero Movie!
Superhero Movie!

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Superhero Movie! (2008)

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Reviews Counted:48

Fresh:7

Rotten:41

Average Rating:3.7/10

Consensus: Superhero Movie is not the worst of the spoof genre, but relies on tired gags and lame pop culture references all the same.

Rated: 12A [See Full Rating] for crude and sexual content, comic violence, drug references and language.

Runtime: 85 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:06-06-2008

Synopsis: In this spoof of Hollywood blockbusters, director and screenwriter Craig Mazin (THE SPECIALS) tackles the age-old story of a regular guy who suddenly finds that he possesses super powers. Ricky... In this spoof of Hollywood blockbusters, director and screenwriter Craig Mazin (THE SPECIALS) tackles the age-old story of a regular guy who suddenly finds that he possesses super powers. Ricky Riker (Drake Bell) is a typical teenager, except that his luck is worse then most. Basically, he's a loser. He's been in love with beautiful Jill (Sara Paxton) for years, but is sure she doesn't know he exists. Even his techie best friend, Trey (Kevin Hart), is willing to throw him over for another clique. But Rick's life changes dramatically when a genetically enhanced dragonfly bites him during a school field trip. In a flash, he becomes the Dragonfly. He can scale buildings, and has immense strength--though he's still a klutz. Rick isn't sure he has what it takes to be a superhero, but it's up to him to save the city from the villainous Hourglass (Christopher McDonald), who literally sucks the life out of people, and threatens to harm those dearest to Rick. Mazin, who was one of the screenwriters for both SCARY MOVIE 3 and SCARY MOVIE 4, spoofs a gamut of superheroes, including Batman, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. Marion Ross and Leslie Nielsen appear as Rick's Aunt Lucille and Uncle Albert, and a multitude of stars appear onscreen, albeit briefly, including Tracy Morgan, Regina Hall, Simon Rex, Craig Bierko, Pamela Anderson, Robert Hays, and Nicole Sullivan. Miles Fisher is particularly amusing as Tom Cruise, and Brent Spiner plays Hourglass's sidekick. Stick around after the credits start rolling for some additional footage. [More]

Starring: Drake Bell, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald, Kevin Hart

Starring: Drake Bell, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald, Kevin Hart, Brent Spiner, Jeffrey Tambor, Robert Joy, Regina Hall, Pamela Anderson, Leslie Nielsen, Marion Ross

Director: Craig Mazin

Director: Craig Mazin
Screenwriter: Craig Mazin
Producer: Robert K. Weiss, David Zucker, Craig Mazin
Composer: James L. Venable
Studio: Weinstein Company

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Superhero Movie!

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
splat
2/5

Ken McIntyre

The stench is still thick on the corpse of Meet The Spartans, but apparently filmgoers can’t get enough of lame-duck lampoons from Scary Movie alumni.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 06 2008 03:07 AM

Total Film

splat
1/5

Holly Grigg-Spall

A slap in the face with a smirk. This isn't the fun it ought to be.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 06 2008 02:54 AM

Channel 4 Film

splat
2/5

Tony Horkins

This super-powered spoof just doesn't fly.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 05 2008 04:46 AM

Empire Magazine

splat
2/5

Pablo Villaca

Não tão desastroso quanto outras imitações baratas das produções do ZAZ, mas ainda assim apelativo e irregular.

comment Comment | Feb., 26 2009 04:02 PM

Cinema em Cena

splat
1.5/4

Peter Canavese

Nothing in Superhero Movie could be described as magical, but for comic-book fans in a forgiving mood, this lowbrow outing has its moments. [Blu-ray]

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 28 2008 10:40 AM

ON Magazine

tomato
2.5/4

David Nusair

...boasts an actual storyline and a few genuinely hilarious jokes and gags.

Full Review Source: | comment 1 Comment | Dec., 23 2008 06:08 AM

Reel Film Reviews

splat

Steve Biodrowski

Unfortunately, the film has nothing remotely interesting or satirical to say about the genre it is spoofing, so there is little to hold your attention between the gags, which do not arrive at the rapid-fire clip necessary to sustain the laughter ...

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 04 2008 04:26 PM

ESplatter

splat
2.5/4

Austin Kennedy

Even though the movie made me laugh hard during some scenes, it's wildly uneven!

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 18 2008 09:58 AM

Sin Magazine

splat
0.5/5

Todd Gilchrist

This parody film plagiarizes Spider-Man to virtually laughless effect.

Full Review Source: | comment 1 Comment | Jun., 12 2008 02:46 PM

IGN Movies

splat

Urban Cinefile Critics

....plays like a MAD Magazine spoof that was written on the toilet

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 08 2008 04:30 PM

Urban Cinefile

splat
1/5

Jim Lane

...the gags just lie there and die...

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 04 2008 09:40 AM

Sacramento News & Review

splat
2/4

John Wirt

This year's Superhero Movie isn't as epically bad as last year's Epic Movie, but it does provide more evidence that the spoof genre is tapped out.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 03 2008 10:40 PM

Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)

splat
2/5

Bill Gibron

Superhero Movie should be taken as a well-meaning but ultimately uneven lesson in how to handle future parodies.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 02 2008 04:24 PM

Filmcritic.com

splat
C-

Owen Gleiberman

There are a few lively bits, and one joke with an edge: a slap at Stephen Hawking and his computer-drone voice. Mostly, though, this is super-lame.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 02 2008 11:23 AM

Entertainment Weekly

splat
2.5/4

Mike McGranaghan

Superhero Movie is the living definition of "hit or miss." Parts of it admittedly made me laugh out loud, but for every joke that scored, there were two that didn't.

Full Review Source: | comment 1 Comment | Apr., 01 2008 05:33 PM

Aisle Seat

splat
1.5/4

Rob Humanick

Essentially a retread of every bad grade-school joke you're happy to have forgotten.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 31 2008 09:26 PM

Slant Magazine

tomato
A-

Amy Nicholson

With jokes packed as tightly together as sliced cheese, the flick's comedy axiom seems to be: Never give the audience a pause to second-guess their laughter

Full Review Source: | comment 3 Comments | Mar., 31 2008 04:57 PM

Boxoffice Magazine

splat
2/5

Felix Vasquez Jr.

While by no means a masterpiece, when Craig Mazin riffs on the "Spider-Man" trilogy, "Superhero Movie" is cause for some occasional chuckles...

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 31 2008 02:30 PM

Film Threat

splat

John Anderson

It's a bit late in the game for Superhero Movie, which was never going to fly, and barely crawls.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 31 2008 10:18 AM

Washington Post

splat

Ethan Alter

Despite a few amusing moments, this underwhelming spoof is strictly direct-to-video material.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 31 2008 10:17 AM

Film Journal International

 
 
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