Superheroes

"For real."

2011 1h 21m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 42

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A journey inside the world of real life caped crusaders. From all over America, these self-proclaimed crime fighters, don masks, homemade costumes and elaborate utility belts in an attempt to bring justice to evildoers everywhere.

“For real.”

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Where to watch · US

DocuramaFilms Amazon ChannelSubscription

Cast

Stan Lee
Stan Lee

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Michael Barnett
Languages: English

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

RUNTIME

Did you know

81 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "For real.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1792621 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

Only 42 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Michael Barnett directs. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

181 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 15 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Marketing tagline: "For real.".
5IMDB entry: tt1792621 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
6Only 42 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Runtime: 81 min · 1h 21m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Superheroes (2011)

Also by

Michael Barnett

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

LastCaress19722013-08-11
I picked this up in my local supermarket for a fiver, and really glad I did. A ninety-minute HBO documentary, it's a light yet loving look at a whole bunch of people across America who have chosen to spend their spare time patrolling the streets as "real-life superheroes". Try to think Defendor, Super or Kick-Ass, if they were real. Gently piss-taking - it's hard not to in fairness when some of these heroes are running into traffic or conducting interviews on random people's gardens ("Get the off of my property!") - but generally with a caring eye for these strange social outcasts who nevertheless undoubtedly mean well, the documentary mostly follows the fortunes of Mr. Xtreme in California (whilst watching Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers in his absolute tip of an apartment - the XtremeCave, he calls it - he proclaims: "Yeah! They're gonna MORPH now!" with the enthusiasm of a five year-old) as he tries to recruit new members into the XJL (the Xtreme Justice League, of course), and Master Legend in Florida, the leader of Team Justice (himself, Symbiote, Super Hero and a female who's name escapes me now; there are loads of these oddballs in this film) with a eye for the ladies and a stomach for a cold beer or three whilst on patrol ("I always keep beer for the night ahead in my van...Never drink to drunkenness though (gulp, gulp)... Now, if you don't mind, I need to quench my thirst in this bar..."). It intersperses the fun and games with numerous police/legal experts' concerns about what use if any these vigilantes are, and what probable dangers they're either walking into or inadvertantly causing themselves. The whole thing seems ripe for a Louis Theroux-style cautionary, told-you-so tragedy to occur, and indeed a quartet of Supers (The New York Initiative, featuring an openly gay hero) take to the street openly committing the act of entrapment (trying to entice potential gay-bashers). Fortunately it doesn't come to that ("Well, it's started to rain, so we're going home now") and the documentary retains its light heart throughout. 9.5/10, thoroughly recommended. It's a fiver well spent, I promise.