Review: ‘Archenemy’
A fresh, unique and stylish take on the superhero movie anchored by a charismatic and surprisingly emotional performance from Joe Manganiello.
Between steady outpourings from both Marvel and DC, superhero films have become a dime a dozen these days, the genre filled to the brim with different takes on the concept of the “caped crusader” to sate people’s thirsts for several years to come. Writer and director Adam Egypt Mortimer attempts to put his own spin on the genre with his latest film Archenemy, a fresh, unique and stylish take on the superhero movie that, despite its many strengths, never manages to truly come together.
Archenemy centers on ambitious teenager Hamster (Skylan Brooks) who, in his attempts to save himself and his sister Indigo (Zolee Griggs) from the life of the crime they have unwittingly found themselves in, comes across homeless alcoholic Max Fist (Joe Manganiello) while trying to find a subject for the original content he is putting together for a Buzzfeed-esque digital media company. Max Fist claims to be a superhero from another dimension who lost his superpowers after he was mistakenly transported to this dimension following his attempts at saving his own universe from mysterious villain Cleo Ventrik (Amy Seimetz). Skeptical at first, a recent and unexpected turn of events forces Hamster to rely on Max to save himself and his sister from the clutches of druglord The Manager (Glenn Howerton) and he soon comes to believe that there might be some truth to Max’s claims.
Much like his own take on the psychological horror genre, the fantastic Daniel Isn’t Real, which managed to turn existing and tired tropes straight onto their head, Mortimer has managed to put a fresh and original spin on the superhero genre with Archenemy, a film that is his completely his own in every aspect. From its exhilarating animated opening sequence to its synth-heavy score to Manganiello’s charismatic on-screen presence, Archenemy is practically dripping with style.
Thanks to its fresh social commentary and a duo of layered, heartwarming performances from Brooks and Griggs, who manage to establish a palpable sense of familial bond throughout the course of the film, Archenemy also has plenty of substance to match. Mortimer has a lot to say about the treatment of homeless people in the country, as well as the cycle of crime that people are forced into against their will, and he says it all with plenty of nuance, never beating viewers on the head with his messages and fully trusting them to read between the lines and narrative when it comes to any social commentary. Mortimer also manages to successfully deconstruct the tired “white savior” narrative with a final act reveal that perfectly sets up a sequel to the film.
Despite the film’s many strengths, Mortimer never manages to connect the different threads he goes to painstaking lengths to distribute throughout the film. Archenemy sometimes feels like two different films that never successfully converge. The superhero elements of the film never truly mesh well with the crime drama elements, creating a sometimes jarring experience that might prove to be a bit grating to some audience members.
Overall, Archenemy is still worth watching for its admirable ambition, great performances and unique, stylish visual flare that will undoubtedly set it apart from other films within both genres.
Rating: 3/5
Archenemy is now playing in select theaters and is also available on VOD.