Writer: Jordan Galland
Starring: Kris Lemche, Brook Nevin, Joey Kern, Danny Masterson, John Ventimiglia, Christine Evangelista
Release Date: November 20, 2012
Genre: Comedy
Plot: At a time when superheroes have lost government funding and public support, a superhero meets a girl who can help him overcome his emotional crisis.
3/5 Tonies
“I'm a superhero, you gotta help me.”
Before watching this film I was going through a superhero binge. Watching all superhero films that my mind could think of. After finishing all the major ones I finally got to Alter Egos. Knowing nothing about it my thoughts were neutral and uncaring. When I was done I was glad that I came across this film.
Alter Egos follows an under-appreciated superhero by the name of Fridge who lives during a time when superheroes have lost government funding and all public support. The film inhabits a fantasy world where superheroes are a dime a dozen. If you have the powers, as lead supers Fridge and C-Thru, do, then you can practice them for good, as long as you follow the guidelines of the Super Corps, a society of Superheroes whose jobs are to defend the wold.
This is a parody of parodies and flips the superhero genre on its head. Like Superman, Fridge is dorky in his human clothes. Unlike Superman, it's not because he has to do so to keep his identity under wraps, more like he uses his superhero garb to explore different facets of his personality. Somewhere along the storyline, he must tackle the fact that his girlfriend loves his superhero identity more than his unmasked self, and, naturally, face his nemesis, the man who killed his mom and dad—although he really doesn't want to.
This film is a fresh new take on the superhero genre. It takes the whole facade of all our favorite comic heroes and adds its own spin. It is as if they take our heroes and throws them in reality. A dull, unappreciative reality.
And I emphasize the word dull. Alter Egos is one the most dull and blunt films I have ever watched. Our characters are so blunt, they constantly speak in pessimistic terms and show no sense of sympathy or worry for anything around them. In fact our protagonists are completely egotisical and worry more about their problems than the problems of others. Which was odd since these characters are supposed to be “superheroes.” As odd as it was it did add to the film. It created a brand new universe that makes you believe these “superheroes” are all around you. Making them seem more human than superhuman. This began to make me think, “Is this something the heroes in comics go through?” I highly doubt it, but it expands your mind into thinking beyond the book.
The film actually carries no apparent plot. Instead it holds a lot of themes and works as a great character study. It allows you to step into the mind of these so-called superheroes. It shows us that they aren't just superheroes, but humans as well. This is the biggest draw of the film. It creates a brand new atmosphere for you to breath in. These “heroes” face everyday problems like lacking self-confidence and financial struggles. They struggle the way you and I do showing that sometimes even the greatest of heroes need help. Because of it's writing Alter Egos can speak to all people of all demographics. The only problem is that this film may only appeal to the comic book audience. Not because it's bad, but because it mocks and laughs at the comics we enjoy reading, throughout the whole film and some people may not understand this. This does implant the idea that not all superheroe stories have to violent and gritty.
The writing in this film is fantastic. It is actually a lot more intelligent than you'd think. It holds certain themes both philosophical and universal. The dialogue is witty and filled with dry humor. Throughout the film I could not help but to laugh at the smallest of things. One thing that really brought this piece together was the pacing. The writing is paced in such a way that you never begin to feel bored or underwhelmed. In fact the script is entertaining throughout the whole film. The seriousness delivered by the actors when they're speaking these obvious jokes is perfection. Writing does go a long way in Alter Egos.
I rarely comment on sound production of film, but Alter Egos did it right. It was subtle but added to the quirkiness that the film had to offer. Each sound and song that was used helped move the film forward while at the same time giving the audience an idea of the emotion at hand. Like the film the music was rather dull. There was nothing too big. In fact most of the music was recycled throughout the film, but again it worked. It added to the whole “indie” feel that the film was obviously trying to offer.
Yes, I said that Alter Egos is dull and completely bland, but that is what adds to this. This fact alone is the selling point. Back to the atmosphere of the film – This movie is filled with a certain atmosphere which is the dullness of reality and everything that was added into the film helped create this. It was like watching a symphony. A very dull, symphony, but impressive nonetheless.
One of the only problems I found in this film is the lack of character development. There is none. We get thrown into this film with no knowledge of our characters. We do see their emotions and the current situation they are facing, but you never really feel a connection with them. Making you not care for what will happen to them. Not only was there no character development there was no real relationship in this film. Yes, Fridge meets a girl, but their whole relationship is filled with cheap jokes and cheesy one liners. By the end of the film they get their "happily ever after" but you as the audience, don't share the same feelings. Even as a character study this film lacks in development. By the end of the film our characters are practically the same. There is no change in much of their thought or behavior.
Alter Egos is one of those rare films that seems bad at first glance, but is a lot better than perceived. It's quality heightens the more you watch. So, watch it a few times and bask in it's greatness. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I'm glad to see that people out there are taking our classic tales and creating their own spin on it.
Alter Egos is currently on Netflix. I definitely recommend it.
Pros: New look on superheroes, Relatable themes, Subtle Comedy, Overall Fun Movie,
Cons: A bit dull, bland, but stay with it until the end.
Rating: 3/5
Written by Anthony Centeno
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