Super (2010): Is James Gunn's TWISTED Superhero Movie Really That Awful? | Ft. Josh Axelrod

This is a spoiler-filled review and discussion of Super (2010), directed by James Gunn and starring Rainn Wilson and Elliot Page, covering the film's violence, its most divisive scene, and what it means that its director now runs DC Studios. Before James Gunn was directing Superman, he wrote and directed Super (2010) — and it's way darker than you remember. Brian and John are joined by Josh Axelrod, Director of Media & Press Relations at the Lindsay Theater, to break down Super (2010) — and this time, our guest actually came in ready to fight us on it.   Super (2010) Quick Facts: Director/Writer: James Gunn — before Guardians of the Galaxy and his current role as co-CEO of DC Studios Starring: Rainn Wilson, Elliot Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon Budget: $2.5 million | Box Office: ~$593,000 Genre: Dark Comedy / Superhero | Runtime: 96 min | Rating: R In this Super (2010) review, we cover James Gunn's unfiltered Troma origins and how they bleed into this movie, whether Frank Darbo is a hero or just a fundamentally broken person the film never makes answer for, the uncomfortable racial coding in who Frank targets, the sexual assault scene that still divides horror and superhero fans alike, and how this $2.5 million flop somehow became the blueprint for the guy now running DC Studios. Plus: our listener and critic reviews segment. No spoiler-free zone here — full spoilers ahead, so watch the movie first if you're avoiding them. Super (2010) | Director: James Gunn | Starring: Rainn Wilson, Elliot Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon | Genre: Dark Comedy / Superhero | Runtime: 96 min | Rating: R   CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Cold Open: "The Movie You're Defending, Brian" 0:15 – Welcome + Super (2010) Episode Setup 6:55 – Super Synopsis (Spoiler-Free) 5:32 – James Gunn's Unfiltered Troma Origins 14:51 – The Budget vs. The Box Office Flop 19:07 – What Is Super Actually Saying About Vigilantism? 25:35 – The Racial Coding Debate 39:43 – Trigger Warning: The Sexual Assault Scene, Examined 56:50 – Is Frank a Hero or a Fundamentally Broken Person? 1:05:13 – From Troma to DC Studios: Gunn's Full Trajectory 1:08:38 – Listener & Critic Reviews 1:18:34 – Does the Movie Let Frank Off the Hook? 1:23:12 – Josh Talks the Lindsay Theater & Pittsburgh's Film Scene 1:31:39 – Follow the Show + Sign Off   FAQ Is Super (2010) based on a true story? No — it's an original story written and directed by James Gunn about an amateur vigilante. Who plays Frank in Super (2010)? Rainn Wilson. Who plays Boltie in Super (2010)? Elliot Page. Is Super (2010) hard to watch? Yes — we break down its most divisive scene, including a trigger warning, starting at 39:43. What is James Gunn's connection to DC Studios? He's currently co-CEO of DC Studios and directed Superman (2025) — we trace how Super (2010) fits into that path starting at 1:05:13.   FOLLOW THE SHOW: 🎧 Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://cinemapsychoshow.com/follow   GUEST: Josh Axelrod — Director of Media & Press Relations, Lindsay Theater (Sewickley, PA) | https://www.instagram.com/jaxel22/   CO-HOST: John's Channel- https://www.youtube.com/@JDUBSVIDEONASTIES   Rainn Wilson's performance walks a wild line in this movie — and we still can't agree on whether Frank is a hero or just a guy who got lucky. Drop your reaction below — hero, menace, or both? 😳