Low-power supers movies

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pathfinderq1
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Low-power supers movies

Post by pathfinderq1 »

I keep getting promos for 'Project Power' coming up on Netflix- it looks like it could be an interesting 'street-level heroes' bit of inspiration (using the trope of 'a drug that gives you superpowers for a short time' like Zoom and Max in the Freedom-verse).

It also looks like a good double feature candidate with 'Code 8' (with the lead from Arrow, I think) which was also some fine street-level supers inspiration (though certainly not "heroes").

Anybody else here looked at these? Or have any other street-level heroes inspiration (beyond the Netflix MCU stuff)?
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Arkrite
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by Arkrite »

Well there's always Mystery Men, though it's more of a comedy than a superhero movie.

I did really enjoy the first season of The Tick series that's on Amazon Prime.
Second season was okay, but sadly they aren't making a third.
CaptainChaos
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by CaptainChaos »

What about Kick Ass? That qualifies as a low power movie.
FuzzyBoots
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by FuzzyBoots »

There is also Super, although that's a major decontruction of superheroes as well.
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Ares
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by Ares »

The 1960's Green Hornet series is all about a masked detective/gadgeteer and his martial arts master/driver partner dealing with crime bosses, martial arts masters, hunters who murder for sport, assassins, and similar non-powered crime.

The 90's Flash TV series also tended to deal with more low-powered criminals or just guys with gadgets. It helped that Barry's speed in the series was limited to the speed of sound, and there were lots of limiting factors to his speed such as the distance he could consistently travel and how much food he had recently eaten. But mostly he dealt with crime bosses, crooks with high-tech gadgets, assassins with high-tech gadgets, and low-powered enemies of his own.

There was also a 90's TV series called M.A.N.T.I.S. (available on Amazon Prime) that dealt with a crippled scientist using an armored exo-suit that let him walk and to fight crime. The first half of the series was pretty straightforward crime-fighting with the occasional bit of high-technology to counter the MANTIS' suit, but overall it's a solid low-powered series. The second half got . . . weird as the series tried to compete with shows like the X-Files and more out there sci-fi stuff.

There was a show from around the same era called The Invisible Man about a crook who gained invisibility powers with some limits and worked for a government agency that dealt with weird phenomena.

There was a more recent series called "The Cape" that was about a masked crimefighter using a hooded cloak to fight crime, but I haven't seen it and can't comment on its quality.

The Netflix Daredevil is an excellent series for street supers, and while the other Marvel Netflix shows are different qualities of good and bad, Defenders included, it is still fun seeing four street level heroes fighting ninja together.

There's the 1940's Film Serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel that has a very low-powered, pulp adventure feel to it as Captain Marvel and Billy deal largely with normal crooks. And while Cap is still bulletproof, superstrong and can fly, there's several times where he gets KOed and is in danger of simply being killed by a force more powerful than himself.

The original Crow film has some elements of superheroes as a character with a distinct identity goes around killing criminals.

There's the Dark Man film trilogy about a guy with limited superstrength and the ability to create perfect "fake flesh" masks to disguise himself as anyone.

I realize a lot of these are fairly old TV shows, but I hope they help!
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CaptainChaos
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by CaptainChaos »

I remember these shows. I only saw a few episodes of The Cape and don't remember much about it. The Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman are fairly low power. Some super strength and could run about 60mph.
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Ares
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by Ares »

While I love general superheroes, every now and then I find myself fascinated with the idea of street level stuff, and break out all of my Dark Champions books.

A campaign where non-powered and low-powered heroes deal with street crime, gangsters, assassins and actual high powered supervillains is a cool one to me. Where the most powerful person you might have on the team is someone like Spider-Man, Luke Cage or 90's TV Flash, and most of them are people like Batman, the Question, Green Arrow/Hawkeye, Mockingbird, The Question, Harry Dresden, Iron Fist/Shang Chi, Daredevil, Nightwing, Cole MacGrath (inFAMOUS), etc.
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M4C8
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by M4C8 »

The British TV show 'Misfits' was quite low level. I haven't seen it since it first aired but I remember preferring the earlier seasons with the original group.
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mrdent12
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by mrdent12 »

The earlier series of Misfits had the best cast, but the duplicator(can't recall his name) was a nice addition to the group near the end.
pathfinderq1
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by pathfinderq1 »

All kinds of good stuff here- thanks everybody!

-I've been thinking about tracking down the Misfits series- especially since it has some appearances by some of the cast of Preacher.

-I kind of think of Kick-Ass as 'no powers, just costumes' rather than 'low power'- still some good bits.

-I was reminded elsewhere of another source, though it is on the high end of the low power scale- the first two Hellboy movies.
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Ken
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by Ken »

'Misfits of Science' A 7' tall scientist who could shrink to 11" tall once a day. A lightning-blasting speedster rock star who could only go a short time before recharging. And a low-end jailbait telekinetic who would become a chef in NYC and hang-out with 5 of her f.r.i.e.n.d.s. and their one normal guy, a "nerdy" scientist who led the team. 13 episodes, circa 1985.
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Shock
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by Shock »

I loved Misfits of Science when I was a kid. hated that it came and went so fast
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Avorez
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by Avorez »

If you're interested in low-power hero stuff, I'd definitely recommend The Venture Brothers. There's a lot of variance in power levels going on, but the stakes are usually pretty low.
Neo-Paladin
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by Neo-Paladin »

Project Power is a new Netflix movie about a drug that gives people superpowers for 5 minutes (or kills them). Decent film starring Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Some nice effects, too and nothing too over-the-top ( you won't see people fly or obliterate buildings but some regeneration, some bone weaponry, some super-strength, pyrokinesis, that sort of thing).
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Re: Low-power supers movies

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Neo-Paladin wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 7:30 am Project Power is a new Netflix movie about a drug that gives people superpowers for 5 minutes (or kills them). Decent film starring Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Some nice effects, too and nothing too over-the-top ( you won't see people fly or obliterate buildings but some regeneration, some bone weaponry, some super-strength, pyrokinesis, that sort of thing).
^_^ That was mentioned in the first post, but yeah, I enjoyed that one.
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