Les Franken (Michael
Rapaport) is a soft spoken parking enforcement officer who lets people push him. He
is a comic book fan. He decides to take part in a drug trial for a drug called
Special. After taking the drug, he believes he has developed super powers
and he decides to become a superhero. No one believes Les and the drug company
is out to stop Les. Is the drug making him a superhero or is a thing that is
just in his mind? Is the company trying to stop him because of what the side
effects are giving him powers or just trying to protect their bottom line?
SPECIAL is a unique,
dark, and sometimes funny look at the superhero genre. The film brings
into question whether Les has powers because no one sees or believes in his powers.
A couple of moments do make you wonder if he has actual powers no one can see except Les. SPECIAL is a smart film that touches on the emotional and physical effects of what would happen to a guy
who thinks he is a superhero. When he makes his costume (a silver jump suit),
it gives him confidence. When he isn’t wearing the costume, he is the guy
who has the same insecurities before taking the drug. He awkwardly tries
to communicate with a grocery store clerk he has a crush on. His two friends
who work at the comic book store think he’s nuts. SPECIAL takes the darkness
of other recent comic book films and injects humor into it to make it a special kind of film that sets itself apart from other
films.
SPECIAL FETAURES:
Sadly, the extras are
nothings special. The outtakes amount to line flubs and swearing while HDNET:
A LOOK AT SPECIAL is a promo featurette you can skip too.
FINAL ANALYSIS: SPECIAL is a treat. Too bad the extras
aren’t special at all on this DVD.
This DVD review is (c)4-22-2009 David Blackwell and cannot be
reprinted without permission. Send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
