Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Archenemy’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Archenemy’.
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It is definitely safe to say that the superhero movie, rules the roost in Hollywood. For Marvel and DC have taken the cinematic world by storm with their big budget and quality realizations of stories that ignited our imaginations as children and well… it simply isn’t a summer movie season without a superhero saving the world on the silver screen. But while people flock to these movies en masse and understandably so, since they are about as entertaining as it gets and offer stunning visuals and A-list performances… there is a backlash starting to form around these films. For some filmmakers would like to see some of that studio cash be invested in more intimate stories and the legendary Martin Scorsese, has outright stated that he doesn’t think that superhero films are cinema.
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Oddly enough, his bold and brave words, ignited quite the debate about the superhero film, prompting others to question their merit and their depth and their sustainability since the norm for film is that big movies and big franchises can only captivate people for so long. But while we can debate the finer points of whether or not superhero movies are good for cinema or not, they are at the moment… here to stay and as popular as ever and really, the questions that filmmakers should be asking with this kind of debate raging, are how do we improve upon them, and how do we take them to the next level and make them cinematic in nature? Because every genre out there is ripe for improvement and tweaking and superhero stories are no exception to that rule, and it just so happens that AMC+ is now host to a movie that is hoping to serve as the blueprint for the future of the genre from a cinematic standpoint, in Archenemy.

Now in this particular film, we are transported to a part of Los Angeles where a unique urban legend resides. For word on the street, is that this part of town is host to a fallen superhero. One that came from another dimension and is now trying to find a way forward here and well, most folks in this neck of the woods are growing tired of this urban legend. Because the only person telling it over and over is a homeless man named Max Fist who seems pretty unremarkable, outside of his drinking skills and well… just when it seems Max is going to be written off as a mentally ill vagrant, the curiosity of a young writer named Hamster… brings his story into the limelight. In fact, it goes viral, and Max is so grateful for this opportunity to be heard, that he takes it upon himself to watch over Hamster and that’s a good thing. Because dark forces in this city have descended upon Hamster’s home after his sister Indigo makes a grave mistake, and that motivates Max to keep them safe by way his surprisingly incredible strength and it is also a decision that is going to change the lives of those surrounding Max, in ways they never thought possible. 

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Which at first glance is a plot that seems more grounded in drama than anything else. Since it is hard to comprehend that a homeless man with a wicked cool jacket is anything more than a mentally ill creative man who likely fell upon hard times thanks to substance abuse. But thanks to some surprises along the way that we won’t spoil here, it quickly becomes apparent that this is in fact, a fresh take on superhero stories and well… it is what this movie has to say about the genre and what superheroes and heroes in general mean to us, that make this a refreshing motion picture. Since it works hard to hammer home that we crave these stories because they offer us not only a sense of inspiration, but great hope. For these stories feature genuinely good beings that believe in all the right things we are taught growing up, and seeing someone enforce a moral code and fight for the unjust really does send our spirts soaring and that’s reflected here by way of Max’s decision to defend the innocent and stand tall in the face of adversity.
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But where this movie truly shines, is in its commentary on how anyone can be a hero and what it takes to become one. Because what we often forget when it comes to this type of story, is that most of the heroes we follow in comics and film and television, don’t have to worry about physical harm since they are host to great powers and just have to show up and kick some butt. But in the real world, heroism is a choice. For brave people choose to put themselves in harm’s way and since Max doesn’t have powers here, he represents the everyman that wants to be more, that wants to do good. And if by chance we all dig deep and really fight for a great cause and push ourselves to be more and to do more to save innocent lives… we too can be heroes and that is a lovely message to take away from a gritty superhero film, one that genuinely satisfies.

Because this really is a superhero flick unlike any other and that’s thanks in large part to the unique story and setting it presents us with. Something that is further enhanced by the stunning visuals present in this film and the quality performances present here as well. Since Joe Manganiello is simply wonderful as Max Fist and he is complimented nicely on screen by Skylan Brooks’ performance as Hamster. Plus, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for a pair of appearances from two normally comedic actors by way of Paul Scheer and Glenn Howerton,  the latter of which outright steals every scene he’s in as 'The Manager'. In the end however, this really is quite the compelling superhero story, one that does a fine job of demonstrating that these types of films can indeed be cinematic and beautiful and deep in ways we never thought possible. So, if you’re looking for a different kind of superhero story to enjoy, log into your AMC+ account and give this one a look.

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