Review of Comic Book Villains (2002) by Jason D — 11 Mar 2009

Comic Book Villains tries very hard to be a unique film by trying to tread lines between a Kevin Smith film and a Coen Brothers film. Amidst the sometimes funny and abundant moments of pop culture/comic book references, there is an underlying story of two comic book rivals (pathetic aficionado Donal Logue and money hungry couple Michael Rappaport and Natasha Lyonne) fighting towards getting the motherload of comic collections from a widow whose son has just passed away.

Both sides fight to try and obtain the collection and slowly take themselves to darker and darker means, which include hiring robber and all around bad guy Cary Elwes, whose trying to start a new life but finds himself going back to that path of bad.

All of the characters these actors play are good, but the story never reaches that pinnacle of comedy that Kevin Smith's films do, or that darkened drama that the Coen Brothers do. DJ Qualls also stars as the narrator of the story, whom I think may be the person hurting this film most.

Not a bad film, but could have been so much better! One thing I DID enjoy was Kane Hodder showing up briefly in blink-and-you'll-miss-him role as a thug.