Super (2010)

What is less well-known is the second "average guy becomes a costumed hero, with plenty of graphic violence, swearing, and an adorable, if psychotic, female sidekick" movie that came out in 2010 - one with less than a tenth of the budget of Kick-Ass and around half of the restraint. There's a slight difference, in that our underdog hero this time is Rainn Wilson's boring and put-upon middle-aged failure, and his motivation is less about being a superhero, and more about saving his disinterested girlfriend from drug dealers. However, it's very unfair to call this a cash-in on Kick-Ass, as this film takes a more realistic approach, glorifying absolutely nothing about our two main characters and, in fact, showing that both of them are really damaged beyond repair. As over-the-top as Kick-Ass seems, Super is actually far more brutal and realistic in terms of violence, eliciting disgust and wincing rather than any kind of admiration, including the heroes' own actions in assaulting criminals with tools. There were multiple points in this film where the violence wasn't just graphic, but actually oddly upsetting, not least in the bittersweet finale. All in all, this is an enjoyable film for those who like very black comedy, and can appreciate the fact that this goes even further with the message that being a superhero is a good way to get hospitalised. Admittedly, the religious subtext is very strange, and all but forgotten after the first half of the movie, but is understated enough to not be intrusive, and offers the bonus of Nathan Fillion as Jesus-themed hero Holy Avenger.

It's only terrorism if you don't wear a brightly-coloured costume.