Archenemy Review
In a world of blockbuster hero franchises, Archenemy smartly creates a different kind of superhero film. It’s no secret that I adore Daniel Isn’t Real, so when I heard that Adam Egypt Mortimer and Spectrevision were teaming up again I was ecstatic. Using its budget to its advantage, Archenemy showcases a superhero... without superpowers. Max Fist, a Superman-type, gets trapped on another planet where he can’t use his powers. A local teen, Hamster, dreams of being a journalist and wants to tell Max’s story. Hamster’s sister, Indigo, gets caught up with a drug dealer named “The Manager” and Max must save her and Hamster from The Manager’s thugs. I could definitely see Archenemy in the DCEU.
Archenemy uses gorgeous animation to tell Max’s backstory, it resembles 2-D Into the Spider-Verse art. The film feels exactly like reading a comic book. The characters are incredibly developed, each having their own iconic style. The fashion in Archenemy is truly fabulous and works perfectly within the world. This is a film for people that appreciate good cinematography. Halyna Hutchins, the Director of Photography, brilliantly captures the vivid colors in this world. Everything from the production design to the editing was carefully crafted and gorgeous. With an almost all-female led art team, there’s a lot to love about the visuals. Archenemy is also expertly directed.
While pretty fast-paced, Max’s character arc from pessimistic brute to hero is a heartfelt one. Hamster is one of the only people that believes in Max, and we get to watch their friendship grow on screen. Joe Manganiello is the gritty anti-hero we deserve. He’s somehow able to perfectly walk the line between Superman and Jessica Jones. Skylan Brooks’ portrayal of an ambitious teen writer (hits very close to home) was excellent. Zolee Griggs’ range from terrified kid to protective sister stole the show. Glenn Howerton rocks as a ruthless yet fun drug lord, and Amy Seimetz is a powerhouse.
I originally thought this was going to be a Superman on Krypton type of film, where Max Fist doesn’t have powers due to the planet’s gravity. Instead, we get a confusing “it’s a parallel universe planet but actually the same universe just different” explanation for Max’s lack of powers.
My biggest critique of this film was that it didn’t feel like the stakes were very high. The Manager didn’t feel super intimidating or powerful, so I didn’t believe Hamster and Indigo were really in that much danger. I felt like they could’ve easily ran away from the drug dealers. Instead, Hamster and Indigo actively went after the drug dealers and then got upset when Max killed them. I’m not sure what they thought was going to happen.
Like most superhero films, the first hour is really strong but once it gets into the explanation of what was actually happening it gets pretty murky. That being said, for a superhero film that wasn’t based on a comic book Mortimer does a great job at creating his characters. On that note, I really hope Spectrevision turns this story into a comic. There’s a lot of sequel potential, and I’m excited to see where Mortimer takes this story next.
