|
|
SUPERCON
Director: Zak Knutson Cast: Russell Peters, Ryan Kwanten, Maggie Grace, Brooks Braselman, Clancy Brown, John Malkovich, Mike Epps MPAA
Rating: Running Time: 1:40 Release Date: 4/27/18 (limited) |
|
Capsule review by Mark Dujsik | April 26, 2018 Supercon is a heist comedy about a group of underdogs who scheme to steal a bunch of cash from a pop-culture convention. The movie only forgets some actual comedy and to make the assorted heroes likeable. Other than that, it's still pretty bad. Co-written and directed by Zak Knutson, the movie teams together some down-on-their-luck actors and comic-book artists at an annual convention, where they all realize that their lives are pretty miserable. As a kid, Keith Mahar (Russell Peters) was an actor on a popular TV show, but now he's divorced, unemployed, and only occasionally recognized as the guy who played a stereotypical Indian character who had testicular cancer. Of all the possible jokes here, it says a lot about the movie as a whole that Knutson, Andy Sipes, and Dana Snyder's screenplay decides to make the cancer a running gag. The other soon-to-be thieves include Ryan Kwanten's former actor Matt Wheeler, Maggie Grace's comic artist Allison McNeeley, and Brooks Braselman's '80s-cop-show star Brock Hutchinson. Apparently owing someone a big favor, John Malkovich eventually appears as Sid Newberry, another comic artist who's admired but still raw about losing the rights to one of his most popular creations. The target of the misfit group's ire is Adam King (Clancy Brown), a Shatner-esque actor who starred in a space show and a cop drama but now fills his ego with regular appearances at conventions like this—and his wallet with outrageous fees for autographs and pictures. They don't like King, primarily because of his attitude, but also because he makes racist and homophobic statements often. Keith and Matt don't recognize King's sexist attitudes, but that's probably because Matt has them, too. The duo, part of the allegedly likeable protagonists, are prone to racist jokes, as well, but one guesses we're supposed to overlook the hypocrisy because they're the movie's so-called heroes. The attempted jokes range from pop-culture references, to jibes at convention attendees' hygiene, to barbs that sound the same regardless of which character is saying them, to an extended scatological gag involving an overweight man on a toilet and a weak air vent above said commode. It's difficult to tell if everyone involved with Supercon is trying too hard or not trying at all. Either way, it's a barely functional movie that makes for a wholly dispiriting experience. Copyright © 2018 by Mark Dujsik. All rights reserved. |
Buy Related Products
|
(for
strong crude sexual content throughout, pervasive language, and drug use)
