Superheroes

This HBO-aired documentary turns the spotlight on crime-and-comics-concerned individuals who patrol cities in superhero mode wearing homemade costumes. Only one, Master Legend, claims to possess actual superpowers (evidently faith-based); others are mere mortals who practice gymnastics, parkour, archery, gadget-building, or martial arts to enhance their crime-fighting abilities. Featured are Brooklyn's New York Initiative, Salt Lake City's Black Monday Society, San Diego's Xtreme Justice League, Florida's Team Justice, and people such as Portland's Zetaman and Seattle's Dark Wolf. Despite risky criminal-baiting by Zimmer, TSAF, Dark Guardian, and others in the New York Initiative, most of the heroics shown here could be classified as charity work or concerned-citizen assistance. Along the way, director Michael Barnett overlays CGI comic-art panels and interviews a bemused Stan Lee, author Robin S. Rosenberg (Superhero Origins), and a San Diego police officer who worries that homegrown vigilantes ignore constitutional law and due process. While much of this comes across as ragtag role-playing and grandstanding for the cameras, this real-life complement to Kick-Ass is nevertheless quite entertaining and sure to be popular. DVD extras include deleted scenes. Recommended. Aud: P. (C. Cassady)