Superhero movies are not easy to make. Even if your hero does not possess superhuman powers, does not hail from a far-off alien world, and does not wear an elaborate costume, there are still many things to take into account for making a proper superhero film. Ranging from things like stunt people, to fight choreography and pyrotechnics. Above all, however, you need a story worth telling and a character, or set of characters, who are worthy of our time. Because Hollywood companies like Marvel Studios possess the funding and resources necessary to make these films, it becomes easy to forget that not all the countries in the world can make superhero movies, let alone movies at all. Most places outside of the United States who have film industries, or at least excellent independent film companies, typically don't have the sufficient funding and resources to make superhero movies. Which is why this movie, Rendel, the first superhero film from the beautiful country of Finland, is a fantastic accomplishment that I wish was a little bit better.
The story follows the exploits of a mysterious masked figure known as Rendel, who is continually sabotaging a big pharmaceutical corporation called VALA. The company is trying to bring an untested and dangerous vaccine into the market by violently strongarming, or outright killing, anyone who opposes them. Rendel is the only one standing in their way, and he will not stop until he destroys all of the companies poison and exposes their crimes to the world. Along the way, we discover the identity of Rendel and the motivations for his actions. Although, just from the film's subtitle, it's not hard to guess what they are.
Rendel is not a perfect movie, but it is an acceptable one. What it lacks in narrative, it mostly makes up for in coolness. I say "mostly" because even the most remarkable parts of the film can get lost in the shadows. The script is repetitive and has little in the way of variety or cohesion (the same is accurate with the fight scenes), some of the more comic relief characters come off as a bit too goofy, and all of the characters are painfully two dimensional. On top of that, the narrative structure is so jumbled that it can be easy to lose track of what's going on and when the story is taking place at any given moment.
On the other hand, this was a very low budget film. Therefore, not only is it easy to forgive the movie for its shortcomings, but it manages to compensate for it by offering some pretty bad-ass stuff mostly. The fight scenes, despite their repetitive nature, are still pretty well choreographed and entertaining in their own right. The cinematography is stark and surprisingly colorful, creating a beautiful recreation of comic book panels. The costume design for the hero is simple yet elegant with its dark and terrifying design. By the filmmaker's admission, and by the look of the costume, it's relatively apparent Batman inspired this character.
While this movie is not for everyone, I do honestly recommend it as a curiosity. As a superhero fan, a movie buff, and as someone who appreciates people who take risks with movies, I am happy to have purchased and watched this film...but I don't think I need to watch it again. Honestly, the story of what it took to make this movie is far more interesting than the film itself. Still, maybe this will lead to more and better-made superhero movies from Finland and other countries. We can only hope.
Is this movie worth seeing?
Maybe.
Why?
It gets a lot of bonus points for being the first of its kind but doesn't have enough texture to warrant more than two or maybe three viewings. I do recommend purchasing this movie, if for no other reason than to offer support for superhero movies outside of the United States. I wouldn't mind seeing more of these.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you for reading.
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