Defendor (2009)

“Who writes your dialogue? Superman?”

“No. I write it myself.”

“You know what? You need a good ghost writer. Somebody with talent.”

“No. You need a ghost writer. 'Cause that's what you're going to be after I pulverize you.”

            There is not one person in this world who would not love to be a super hero. I am making this assumption because I am sure it is true and what kid or, hell, even an adult for that matter, does not want to be a super hero. I would love to kick ass like Wonder Woman or Black Widow. I also would love to fly like Superman and have his awesome strength. Then there is Kick Ass where the characters actually do become superheroes but they do not really have superpowers they are just kids with a lot of cool gadgets. There is one superhero movie I am sure (there I go again making assumptions but trust me I am most likely correct on this point) not many people have ever heard of called Defendor. This is a normal guy whose only “superpower” is a load of courage.

            Arthur Poppington (Woody Harrelson) has severe psychological issues. He dresses up as a superhero of his own creation called Defendor. He does not fear what might happen to him he just wanders the streets at night looking for someone he calls Captain Industry. One night Defendor comes across a man and a young woman in a car. It appears to Defendor that the girl is in trouble. He fights the guy and somehow manages to chase him away with nothing more than a jar of wasps. The guy happens to be a cop named Chuck Dooney who is extremely corrupt. The young woman is named Kat (Kat Dennings) who is a hooker and a drug addict.

            Arthur was beat up pretty bad and his friend notices the next day at work and takes him to a hospital. Arthur has quite a few deep cuts, a missing tooth, and bruised ribs.

            Kat manages to find where Arthur lives and makes herself comfortable. She uses Arthur’s naivety to get money out of him by saying she knows where to find his Captain Industry. Kat gives him the name of her former drug dealer and pimp. She tells him where he can possibly locate the drug dealer in a secret location in the mountains. Arthur finds the place and goes up there a few times and video records certain events but nothing incriminating.

            While out on the streets again Defendor comes face to face with Dooney and other bad guys. Dooney is running with the drug dealer  and his crew for money and drugs. He and some men chase Defendor down an alley. One of the guys shoots Defendor. Luckily Defendor was only shot with a pellet gun that only bruised his ribs. He winds up in the hospital again. Defendor seems to be unconscious. Kat comes to visit him to tell him she will leave him alone now and also something about how her dad sexually abused her when she was little. When Kat leaves Defendor wakes up. The next thing he is at the mall where Kat’s father has a store and throws him all over the place.

            This action almost puts Arthur in jail and lands him in a psychiatrist’s office. He is not sent to prison but is placed in the custody of his friend from work. He is ordered not to dress up as Defendor. But of course Defendor is who Arthur is and he has a mission to take down his Captain Industry.

            I liked Defendor because it was different. Only the bad guy, Dooney, really treated Arthur like crap everyone else was sympathetic towards him. They knew he could not help doing what he was doing. In the end Defednor is the city hero everyone loves him because he did something while the cops stood by. Woody Harrelson was very good as Defendor. You really believed him as the character. Kat Dennings kind of plays the same sleazy characters over and over but I have to say I like the girl I like her take-no-shit attitude she always has. It almost seems like she does not take her roles seriously yet she is awesome. I watched the movie basically because I found out Tatiana Maslany was in it. The girl is literally in the movie for a minute and that is it. The movies I watch just for actors I like! I always love getting into actors and actresses and finding their filmography because you never know if you will wind up liking them. I am glad I found out about Defendor because it was an interesting story and it was different. It was cool to see a person actually being a superhero, even if he was mentally unstable. If you can find to watch Defendor definitely give it a try.