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Woody Harrelson, Elias Koteas, Kat Dennings, Michael Kelly, Sandra Oh ... see more see more... , Clark Johnson , A.C. Peterson , Tatiana Maslany , Kristin Booth , Dakota Goyo , Lisa Ray

Woody Harrelson is construction worker by day, self-made superhero by night in Defendor, a comedy that takes aim at society's infatuation with comic-book mythologies. While the city is awake, Arthur P... read more read more...oppington (Harrelson) holds traffic signs, and is nearly invisible to all who pass; after hours, he assumes his secret identity (complete with homemade costume) and prowls the streets in search of his arch nemesis, "Captain Industry." Along the way, he saves a young prostitute (Kat Dennings) from an abusive undercover cop (Elias Koteas), a move that proves his commitment to fighting for the weak, but also turns him into a real live fugitive from the law. ~ Kimber Myers, Rovi

Flixster Users

57% liked it

13,321 ratings

Critics

65% liked it

17 critics

R, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Peter Stebbings

Release Date: September 1, 2009

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DVD Release Date: April 13, 2010

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Stats: 1,271 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,271)

  • moonrivers
    December 27, 2011
    moonrivers
    The local police force in Hammertown? They're simply too overwhelmed to care about the recent wave of crime sweeping the city, those that aren't corrupt. And the bad guys, immigrant drug runners, hardly even care themselves, bored beyond tears with the good life, and killing an... read mored murdering. The only soul who does seem to care is a homeless guy (Harrelson, very sympathetic) who's got an I.Q. of maybe 80, tops, and may be a "retard", if not an idiot altogether. His only help is a crack ho, shining him for money for drugs ... can anything good emerge from this veritable shitstorm of filth? Yes, and that's the serio-comic message of hope that this work delivers.
  • SirPant
    November 23, 2011
    SirPant
    First thing is first, Defendor is not a copy of Kiss-ass because it was made first. Also, apart from one obvious similarity, they are actually completely different films with very little in common. Thirdly, if you view Defendor as a 'superhero' film you will obviously be disappoi... read morented because it's not, it's about a man with learning difficulties. I think this film has been totally overlooked for something it isn't which is a terrible shame because what it is is actually something quite special. The whole superhero philosophy is that these characters become who they are, whether they are heroes or villains, due to mental issues - Childhood traumas/schizophrenia/psychosis etc. so having the lead with a very ordinary mental illness is quite a clever idea. Woody Harrelson is brilliant as Arthur Poppington aka Defendor, playing it subtle when necessary but always convincingly. The message is heartfelt but is never preachy, the subject of mental illness is handled respectfully and it is genuinely funny. For me Arthur Poppington/Defendor has to be one of my favourite film characters I've seen for a long time, this is a misunderstood gem of a film.
  • fb732260458
    May 12, 2011
    fb732260458
    A strangely compelling film - it carries a dark yet somewhat optimistic tone, and the unhinged performance from Woody Harrelson is a treat to watch.
  • kiriyamakazou
    April 2, 2011
    kiriyamakazou
    Mixing a current love for super-hero movies, with a drama about mental health is a hard sell. Probably why this film has been skirting under the radar for sometime. People always talk about Batman being mentally ill. Well, Harrelson's character truly is. He is misguided into a wo... read morerld of crime fighting, searching for his mother's killer. He gets way in over his head, and his antics have serious consequences. He jeopardizes police investigations, and really gets hurt. At the same time, his actions are celebrated by the media and the public. The film looks at these points from a distance. Are Harrelson's methods justified? Is he just a gimmick? Is there a better way to fight crime? Whilst, all the time, reminding us that Harrelson is not well. He is dangerous, even if his heart is in the right place. Perhaps a bit too much darkness to truly take off, it has some great performances, and the action scenes always let you feel that something bad could happen to the hero. Not something you can say about many superhero films.
  • deano
    January 30, 2011
    deano
    Defendor is a firmly odd endeavour, casting Woody Harrelson's oddball everyman as a surrogate crimefighter and exploiting his antics for humour in the vein of 1999's Mystery Men.
    And initially this is the approach the film itself appears gearing up to take, opening... read more with a hysterical spoofing of overblown superhero film clichés, including rooftop billowing fog, high contrast city lights against nighttime darkness, and larger than life acrobatic feats ("always check the garbage days" moans a wounded Defendor after leaping off a rooftop into a dumpster recently emptied of garbage to cushion his fall). Such astute genre awareness combined with the wonderfully imaginative collection of Defendor's makeshift crimefighting weapons (including the most inspired use of marbles seen in ages) could easily have assured for an hour and a half of lighthearted, enjoyable cinematic fun.
    Kat Dennings is equally delightful to watch as a young prostitute who may be either befriending or manipulating Defendor, warping her naturally quirky and spunky energy into something darker, yet just as resonant.
  • bbcfloridabound
    December 18, 2010
    bbcfloridabound
    This is an adult Super Hero Spoof Movie thats so stupid its funny, Woody is at the bottom of the barrel, it can only get better from her. Still its funny enough to watch. But again not for children. 3 Stars
  • itsjustme2004
    October 14, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    This was sooooo much better than I thought it was going to be. The commercial ads sure did not do it justice. It was very funny, and very moving at the same time. Well written, and very nice cast. The only reason I even watched it was because of some of the nice reviews here. I a... read morem so glad that listened.
  • fb733768972
    September 16, 2010
    fb733768972
    Defendor waits too long into the film to be a great movie, but for that reason, I can just say that it was very good. I loved Defendor, because of it's kid like heart that was only able to be shown to adults due to the R rating. I love the style and the emotion put into the film.... read more The end warms your heart and I wish there were people in the real world just like this, except for the murdering parts. I emotionally loved this film and besides the dull start, it's terrific!
  • CloudStrife84
    September 12, 2010
    CloudStrife84
    Great in parts, but pretty average on the whole. It's kind of like a marriage between Kick-Ass and Forrest Gump, only far less good than the both of them. Woody Harrelson, who here plays a mentally challenged man with an ambition to be a superhero, has a fairly fun ... read moreand sympathetic character. But as often as he amuses, there were also a lot of scenes when I found myself irritated by his slow-mindedness and stupidity. I think the script is mostly to blame for that though, as opposed to Harrelson's acting. It's one of those films with a really interesting premise, but that let's it go to waste due to the lack of qualitative writing. It also tends to drag on a lot, which made me a little sleepy while watching it. Like I said in the beginning though, it does have some moments when it's really good. It's just a shame those instances are in the minority.
  • skactopus
    September 8, 2010
    skactopus
    Defendor, from Peter Stebbings, has it moments, and then it doesn't.

    Despite being bucketed in as part comedy, there isn't exactly a whole lot of laughs in the 90+ minutes of "super hero" crime fighting. The pacing is moderate as the dramatic and emotional portion of th

    ... read moree story carries the film over anything else, while the dark humor makes occasional appearances. Just because this picture isn't funny, that doesn't mean it is a horrendous film because it does find a way to entertain from time to time.

    The crime fighting, as well as the action, is nothing to make time for. The Defendor character has no super powers or training of any kind, yet this isn't a problem because it fits in with the tone of the film and it produces the most amusement.

    Woody Harrelson is quite the character and he definitely outshines everyone else in the movie. Kat Dennings and Elias Koteas produce likable performances; however their characters are more on the unlikable side.

    Defendor lacks the excitement to be anything spectacular, but it isn't a complete waste of time. "Look out, termites. It's squishing time."

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Critic Reviews

Michael Rechtshaffen
March 10, 2010
Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter

Saving the day is Harrelson's low-key, rooted performance, adding an unexpected layer of poignancy when things take a decidedly darker turn. Full Review

Glenn Whipp
February 26, 2010
Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times

Stebbings is more interested in deconstructing heroism than creating a concrete world, sapping the movie of the immediacy it needs to come alive. For all its aspirations, the film never meshes into so... Full Review

David Germain
February 24, 2010
David Germain, Associated Press

The low-budget movie continually shifts from comic-book spoof to gritty crime story to mental-health drama, the inconsistent tone preventing it from ever fully working as one or another.

Dennis Harvey
February 23, 2010
Dennis Harvey, Variety

Modest but likable effort is packaged in a straightforward style. Full Review

James Adams
February 19, 2010
James Adams, Globe and Mail

Defendor is more a refreshment of a genre than a transcendence of it. But thanks to Harrelson, you'll be a believer. Full Review

Linda Barnard
February 19, 2010
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

Stebbings fills Defendor with humorous bits, comic treats dropped in quickly and without fanfare. It gives the movie a proper pace, well punctuated with laughs at the right time, and outrage and sympa... Full Review

Rob Gonsalves
May 8, 2010
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

A small, decent triumph with real shades of feeling. Full Review

Sean Axmaker
April 18, 2010
Sean Axmaker, MSN.com

... for all the poignancy of this broken vigilante, it's a mess of awkward black comedy, tangled themes and screwed-up characters looking for a story. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
April 14, 2010
Scott Weinberg, Cinematical

The "everyman" superhero strikes again, this time with strangely compelling results. Full Review

Brian Orndorf
April 2, 2010
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com

A weird picture and not always successful selling its ideas, but it definitely retains a determined personality, making the picture convincing on a fundamental level of cinematic ambition, not execution. Full Review

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