The Super (2017) User Reviews

Incoherent mess

[rupert-ian · 5/10 · 19 October 2018]

This movie tried, but it failed.

It seems like they wanted to re-write part of the ending so they just re-dubbed different dialogue over the old lines, it's glaringly obvious.

The "twist" ending is so ridiculous, you'll be rolling your eyes for the last 15 minutes and it's just been done so many times, and much better elsewhere.

Don't bother. The movie starts out good, then is a boring hour with a ridiculous ending.

I'm easily entertained, but this movie is a mess.

The Super: Passable horror/thriller

[Platypuschow · 6/10 · 12 January 2019]

Val Kilmer, Patrick "The 4400" John Fleuger and the excellent Louisa "Jane Wants A Boyfriend" Krause lead in this novel little thriller that is worth 90 minutes of your attention.

It tells the story of a former police officer who takes a job as maintenance worker within an apartment building. He moves in with his two daughters but quickly begins to have suspicions about the mysterious janitor.

The Super's plot is pretty standard stuff with two twists, one of which you'll see coming within the first few minutes of the film. The cast are great, do a brilliant job and the whole thing looks polished.

Arguably more a thriller than a horror it didn't blow me away in any regard but I can't deny that I did walk away relatively entertained. It's one of those passable movies throughout with a payoff that is satisfactory but just barely.

Likeable Louisa Krause really helped the movie for me and alongside Val Kilmer (Who is back on form) it's the cast that really lift the movie to an above average level.

A harmless 90 minutes of viewing.

The Good:

Some great cinematography

Solid cast

Kilmer is better than he has been in years

The Bad:

Doesn't flow very well

Finale is somewhat eyebrow raising

IS IT GREAT? nope, but is it awful, not at all

[andre-filipe-santos · 6/10 · 20 October 2018]

With this movie i have been seeing a lot of, you either love it or hate it kind of ratings...

But i will try to stay objective and analyse it for what it is. A thriller, as far as the suspense goes, it has its moments, but nothing ever too fancy or unexpected, the acting is fairly ok, and the story does grip you into it, in the beginning, however as the movie progresses it just starts getting a bit predictable, and even slightly boring as you already know what will happen next.

The plot twist, well, i have to be honest did i see it coming? not a chance, was it all that great? not really, i would say average, doesnt take or add anything to the movie, it is just another twist like so any others you have seen before.

Having said that, is it an awful mess like some have been implying? not at all, it is enjoyable for what it is, and if you dont go into it expecting something magnificient like Se7en (deadly sins).

I can say i enjoyed it, went in with absolutely no expectations, knowing beforehand, that starring Val Kilmer could go either way, and it turned out it was not bad at all.

Will i be recommending it to all my friends and thinking of this "masterpiece" on the coming days? not really...It makes for a nice sunday flick, and that is all it is, and i dont think it even aspires at anything more than that.

How did that ending make any sense to a test audience?

[jackdeth_2006 · 1/10 · 2 March 2019]

So the film isn't great by any stretch of the imagination; but it's not the worst horror film out there.

But the ending...

In full knowledge of the facts after having them explained by the surviving daughter AND being pursued by an evil child spirit...a seemingly rational person attacks the man trying to save her from that spirit and then stands idly by to watch while he is murdered.

And then shacks up with serial killer dad and evil spirit child, dragging along terrified surviving daughter who wants nothing to do with their new body butchering Brady Bunch; to live happily ever after...

How on earth does any director watch the final cut and think "Yep, makes sense to me".

There isn't enough facepalm in the world!

Val Kilmer's Great, the Movie is Pretty Good

[kevinallanactor · 7/10 · 22 October 2017]

With Val Kilmer you never know what to expect any more. He often just mails it in or coasts (and apparently can be a nightmare to work with) but when he decides to turn it on he can still be a great actor. It's nice to see him at his acting best again. The Super is a mystery/thriller with him just in a supporting role but he steals the show.

The movie is about Phil Lodge who moves with his two daughters into an apartment building in New York City where he has the job of superintendent. Kilmer plays Walter, a resident who is very weird. Pretty soon the residents start disappearing...

The movie takes a simple concept but gives it a nice twist that actually for a change wasn't expected by everyone watching. It's got a lot of gore for a non-horror movie but as a thriller it has some great scares. I'd recommend it.

Thrilling, but the end spoiled everything

[edlc1970 · 1/10 · 28 November 2018]

When Val Kilmers character tries to stop the little girl which is clearly pure evil, then a resident lady hits him and thereby stops Vals character from performing some sort of excorcism, and the evil is saved??? But when the little girl is clearly and obviously evil, why stop Vals character??? It doesnt make any sense? The whole ending by the way doesnt make sense.

A strange one...

[rocknrelics · 7/10 · 28 August 2021]

Caught this on TV, and it kept my interest throughout, but I have to admit, I didn't really fully understand the conclusion, but that just makes me want to see it again!

A cut above your average horror in terms of acting and production values for sure, and I don't understand the negativity towards this one.

I'll be buying it on disc to watch again for sure.

Good until the end

[Sammiejones1990 · 3/10 · 20 January 2019]

I was enjoying the movie until the last 10 minutes where it just all fell apart. After being told something is bad and will kill you and then you go out of your way to save it, it just doesn't make any sense.

Worst edited movie I've ever seen

[SevenT6 · 16 May 2019]

Worst movie ever for adding Voice Overs that were nowhere near what the actor or actress actually said. You can tell so easily that it makes the producers look stupid!

On the verge of something super

[Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews · 6/10 · 18 April 2023]

This was a good movie, but it really was on the precipice of being something so solid.

The production as a whole was creepy and atmospheric. It started off with a bang and kept you engaged throughout. The acting was passable for sustaining the action and the story, no one stood out negatively. The story was intriguing, genuinely spooky and it had a good pace to it. You understood exactly as much as they wanted you to understand while keeping you almost entirely in the dark until they wanted to let you in.

Unfortunately, this is where it started to fall apart. While the twist was certainly unoriginal and most definitely something you've seen before, on paper, said twist had a slight extra twist to it that could have made it passable... but the execution made it feel so silly and cliche. With almost no tact or finesses they were just like "guess what, here is the twist" and it really felt rushed and underdeveloped. Also, I don't know if they decided to change the script after filming or someone screwed up or what, but there is a scene towards the end with some GNARLY ADR... idk what they were trying to cover up but woof... Not to mention the very last scene is a tad unfulfilling as well.

Now, personally, I would not let that deter you as I still really enjoyed this for what it was. Im a little surprised by all the scathing reviews. While it wasn't perfect and the ending was eye-roll worthy, it was still quite entertaining and creepy. I'm giving this a 6.5 rounding down to a 6. If you are going to get caught up on any of the negatives listed, maybe it's not for you... but I would recommend.

where the scenario went?

[ir-82222 · 1/10 · 28 December 2018]

A very disapointing ending! really bad script. you are a woman seeing the evil ghost of a little girl, you know that you re gonna be murdered and in the end you screaming that she is just a little girl and you save her???really?? horror movies need a very solid scenario and this movie just doesnt have it

Interesting movie with a great Val Kilmer

[C-Man25 · 8/10 · 14 October 2017]

The Super is a mystery thriller that features Val Kilmer in a great supporting role that I just saw at a film festival. The movie is about Phil Lodge and his two daughters that move into an apartment building in New York. Phil also works there as a superintendent with several colleagues. Among them is Walter, played by Val Kilmer, who seems a bit off and the the residents start disappearing...

The movie takes a simple concept but gives it a nice and welcome twist that caught me by surprise. I don't want to spoil anything here but I really enjoyed it. The movie is quite dark and also has a couple of scares but it is not really a horror film I would say. More of a mystery thriller with some gore. There is some great camera-work and directing there and I wouldn't be surprised if we see more of John Patrick Flueger in the future.

Not that bad as some reviewers wrote.

[deloudelouvain · 6/10 · 13 January 2019]

I don't know why so many people thought this was a horrible movie. I agree it's not a masterpiece, far from that, but I didn't expect it to be a hidden gem. All I wanted is a bit of entertainment, a bit of thrilling and mystery, and that's exactly what I got. It's one of those movies you keep guessing who the vilain is, one of those movies where you have different theories in your head but it's still guessing. Some reviewers wrote about the editing of Val Kilmers lines. I didn't pay attention to it as I watch all movies subtitled so it didn't bother me, but I can get that it must be annoying once you spotted it. I thought the cast wasn't bad, I saw much worse, but it wasn't mindblowing either. To me The Super was good enough because there were some twists, some mystery, a decent story, and a bit of blood spilling, all ingredients that made it worth watching once.

Could have been so much better.

[giddykitty-45240 · 3/10 · 19 February 2019]

Horrible dub over in some parts. I guess they couldn't afford to reshoot? Changed story? Horrible ending. Is there an alternate ending please?

One hundred percent misleading title

[TheLittleSongbird · 2/10 · 10 January 2019]

Have a soft spot for mystery. Also have a soft spot for thrillers. Combining both is always a good combination and idea, and it has been done very well more than once. 'The Super' did sound interesting, plus who can't help being drawn in by the title, and do quite like Val Kilmer although he has been in his fair share of not so good films that don't do much for or with him.

Should have read the reviews before watching, deliberately didn't due to wanting to watch 'The Super' without anybody spoiling it or giving anything away. Something that has been the case numerous times with mysteries/thrillers (and action films) when the "plot hole" excuse is thrown around and it has started to get on my nerves. A big part of me regrets not doing so because 'The Super' is an absolute mess in almost every regard, can't help feeling angry and annoyed at how something that should really have worked and been entertaining but botched so badly. Always try to see the good in weak or less films, and usually do, but very nearly couldn't. Super 'The Super' a hundred percent isn't, as far as complete anti-thesis that one can go.

If it wasn't for the promising start, as it was intriguing and did have some tension, and Kilmer trying hard with what he had, the only person in the cast who actually tries, despite being woefully misused, 'The Super' would have been irredeemable.

Everything else misfires badly. Particularly the script and story. The script is awkward, cheesy and rambling, as well as being unfocused tonally and very jumpy. Some of it sounded like it had been dubbed and then re-dubbed, that's how little sense it made in its worst moments. The story quickly becomes erratically paced, sometimes rushed through and at other points deadly dull, and is at its worst incoherent with such a lot being hard to follow, hard to swallow due to being so illogical and difficult to take seriously. So much is confused and vague as a consequence of trying to do too much with little results, nothing is surprising with obvious and convoluted attempts at twists and there is no tension or suspense. The ending is one of the most slap in the face, insult to the intelligence endings for any film seen in a while, can't believe how the writers could come up with something so far-fetched and lacking in any kind of sense and my head and eyes are still throbbing from the eye-rolling.

'The Super's' production values look so hastily made and minimally budgeted. Particularly felt nauseous with some of the editing and the blue filter in the photography was overused and distracting. The characters are cliche ridden and not very interesting, a few pointless and too many given short shrift with little attempts at depth. The actors really struggle with what to make of their lines and characters and nearly as poorly used as Kilmer, evoking not so fond memories of some of the problematically dubbed late 60s-early 70s spaghetti westerns. The sound is equally cheap.

Concluding, a complete and utter mess despite a promising start and Kilmer trying his best. 2/10 Bethany Cox

Great Movie Spoiled

[dncorp · 7/10 · 19 October 2018]

Plot 8, watched so many other Horror, Suspense, Thrillers, to be fooled by any Plot Twists.

Cinematography 2, ruined by constant use of dark blue filter making scenes unwatchable, spoiled what would have been great Movie as a 9 or 10 rating.

Entertainment Value 8, would recommend others watch this Movie.

Acting 9 or 10, Good Job Val Kilmer, even though as they say when you have children, and or a dog in the same Movie makes things really difficult for the audience to focus on your acting. Everybody did a great job acting 9 or 10. The Cinematography (Dark Filter over camera lens) screwed that up.

WTF did I just watch?

[scottfeustel · 1/10 · 27 October 2018]

To say that this movie was awful does not begin to explain how truly bad it really was. Any review praising this most horrible of horrible films was written by a schill. The writer and director should both be blacklisted from Hollywood, and have to personally reimburse everyone who watched it for the price of the rental, and the 1.5 hrs they will never get back. Luckily I was smart enough to not pay to watch this trash; however, I would like reimbursement for loss of time and pain & suffering.

Everything was well until the last ending.

[hirensaikia-86902 · 6/10 · 2 November 2018]

The director came up with a terrible way to end the movie.

it is so bad you will not believe it

[ddrddr · 1/10 · 23 October 2018]

This mess of a film is a new bench mark low. Poor val Kilmer where did it all go wrong? this movie feels like a cheap 70s badly dubbed Italian horror. and not in a good way it is also hilarious the amount of fake reviews praising this guff always sort your search by "prolific reviewers" that helps to filter out the fake studio reviews.

Your 90 Minutes Won't Be Wasted!

[spookyrat1 · 7/10 · 9 July 2022]

Can't believe the number of contributors on this site who insist that the plot was incoherent and the ending was unbelievable.

They simply can't have been paying attention to the story as it played out.

Initially, I was guilty of writing this clever little film off too ... up till the very unexpected third act twist, which is extremely well executed (pardon the pun) down to the smallest detail. The beauty of The Super is that this twist, which I admit to not seeing coming (although there were earlier clues given upon reflection) succeeds in turning a run of the mill slasher mystery, into a neat thriller with supernatural overtones.

All the usual slasher/horror tropes are completely turned on their head. These include: 1 An unseen, rampant serial-killer in a large apartment building. 2 The building serviced by a cross - section of rather suspect staff 3 An incoming family affected by tragedy 4 The old naughty kids getting themselves into troublesome set-ups by doing the opposite of what they are instructed. 5 A very liberal sprinkling of red herrings.

To say much more would be to spoil. However just let me make a couple of pertinent points, in reply to some of the whiney critics on these pages.

Those complaining about Beverly's actions as being bizarre, haven't paid attention to her earlier back story detailed in conversations with Violet and Phil. She is clearly not the strongest, most self - directed person going around. Knowing this does make her later scenes relatively believable.

Val Kilmer! Give me a break. Most tuned in movie - goers will understand this is a guy, making a semi - acting comeback from the ravages of throat cancer. Given that, I think his filling of the role of Walter and delivery of that character's dialogue was more than adequate; especially so, when you understand the full extent of the above stated twist. Kilmer may not grace Shakespearen productions again due to his physical limitations, but I thought he was particularly well cast as the head super in this feature.

Yes, there are a number of familiar horror tropes in The Super, but they ultimately intersect in ways you might not expect; it's a rare genre film that successfully surprises its audience, but this one successfully ticks off positively against that bench mark.

Script written by a kid

[sonybacker-21493 · 2/10 · 4 January 2019]

This movie is cliche, cliche, cliche. I give this movie 2 stars for Val Kilmer (even though he is not that much in this crap movie). This movie is only good if you want to fall asleep quick. Little girl saying daddy hundred of times and if you are trying to run away from a girl, then she is on other end as well (seen this somewhere else - cliche). And the ending is for braindead people who can not think logically. I am glad I did not pay for this crap. Avoid at all costs.

Watch outl with some spoiler reviews

[telgocom · 8/10 · 20 October 2018]

The movie is about a man who moves into an apartment building in New York to live and work as superintent. It´s all you need to know to enjoy the movie without spoilers. Many people trying to make a sinópsis, finally make a resume of the movie and is not good for some viewers like me. I´ll always prefer to discover the movie when I´m watching, including the plot. When somebody says: "X movie is about a girl who loose his boyfriend and bla, bla, bla.", it´s ruining 15/20 minutes of the movie. Anyway, the movie is an 8 for me, for many reasons, but I think that specially coz I saw the movie without expectations and I was really surprised. The movie could have been better, much better, but still being a good movie. I definitely recommend it for everyone who enjoy a good thriller.

Decent

[luc_m · 6/10 · 12 May 2019]

I was entertained, this movie reminded me of old school horror movies I watched back Im high school. A decent spooky movie to watch in a dark room at night before you go to bed.

Could have been

[mark-charleson · 1/10 · 21 October 2018]

It started well and even up until the last 20 mins then the plot twist happens the ending left me saying omg what a disappointment ending it could have been a decent ending . Not great at all and I give films a chance . On the up side decent acting val Kilmer was ace as the janitor.

What a mess!

[deltagilbert · 1/10 · 20 October 2018]

What the hell did I just watch? The plot is nonsensical. I'm finding it difficult to describe just how poorly written this film is. Everything happens for no reason at all. The movie starts as a thriller then descends into an absurd ghost story with no explanation as to whats going on.

By the end I wondered if any of the actors had read the script before signing on. They must all have needed the pay day because this film is an embarrassment to everyone who took part in its production.