Superhero Movie

Stars: Drake Bell, Leslie Nielsen, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald. Marion Ross, Keith David, Brent Spiner, Robert Hays, Jeffrey Tambor

Director: Craig Mazin

Another crude satire from across the Pond, not as bad as Meet the Spartans, but good only for a couple of chuckles, and with an interminable fart scene that sent some critics at the preview fleeing from the cinema.

Nerdy Rick (Bell) is bitten by a dragonfly and turns into Dragonfly Man - yes, it's a take-off of Spider-Man complete with upside-down kissing scene. Drake faintly pursues the girl of his dreams (Paxton, last seen as the mermaid in Aquamarine) while trying to thwart the schemes of Hour Glass (McDonald) to kill thousands of people to ensure his own immortality.

Genre vet Nielsen has a couple of fair lines as the hero's Uncle Albert, enthusing over his nephew's new identity as an access to 'Fame! Money! And don't forget the bitches!', but that's about it. Otherwise, the script crams in as many breast-groping, toilet-incontinence and otherwise distasteful gags as a 12A certificate will allow, together with endless (and useless) post-credit scenes.

Most demeaning role goes to CSI NY's's Robert Joy as Dr Stephen Hawking. Bob: stick to the day job.

David Quinlan

Canada/USA 2008. UK Distributor: Momentum. Technicolor.
88 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 1, Swearing 1.

Review date: 02 Jun 2008