Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel is a 2017 light-hearted superhero movie where our hero pursues his arch enemy to Las Vegas who is looking to find mysterious crystals key to the diabolical plan of an even greater super villain.
Back in 2004, and for a few years after while showing at festivals, a little known sci-fi superhero spoof called Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes hit the Independent film scene, earning some praise mostly for it being the first film in the genre with an openly gay hero. While it was hardly a commercial hit and didn’t fair well with audiences – most not able to get past the limited budget and campiness – it gained some traction in the years that followed where now, ten years on, a sequel has finally arrived, and it’s bigger than ever. Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel is a return to form, sticking pretty closely to its origins while delivering plenty more campy fun and a message at its heart.
The story, such as it is, sees Surge’s (Vincent J. Roth) longtime nemesis Hector Harris a.k.a Metal Master (John Venturini) out of prison and back on the streets. Unsure of what to do with his second chance, he tries to connect with his parents (Gil Gerard and Linda Blair) who aren’t so much opposed to his super villainy but you know, his other ‘lifestyle’. Discouraged by his parents unwillingness to accept that he’s gay, Hector becomes tempted by a new threat, that of Augur (Eric Roberts), who is in turn the archenemies of Omen (Nichelle Nichols and Robert Picardo), the all-powerful and wise. He sends Metal Master to Las Vegas in search of mysterious crystals to help his cause, alerting Surge to the diabolical scheme. Now Surge must fight to save Big City as a league of heroes and villains come together in an epic battle.
Taking light-hearted jabs at the genre and a nod to 80s pop culture, writers Vincent J. Roth and Antonio Lexerot, who also share directing duties, are clearly fans of comic books and mainstream superheroes. It makes reference to all the big titles and a few of the clichés within, all in a low-key kind of abstract way, purposefully campy and just a tad over the top. Like the first, it’s told as if the pages of the latest issue have come to life, where a comic book fan is considering buying. Along the way, occasionally breaking the fourth wall and layering in plenty of overtones about the gay culture, puns, and parodies, it casts a wide net with admittedly some sharp dialogue that earns a few well placed chuckles as Surge deals with being the hero and a human … love interest, a talking car, and more along for the ride.
It’s a little hard to be critical of a film like this, a movie that isn’t concerned with larger appeal, more interested in delivering a sort of in-joke for its target audience. That’s not to say Indie fans and sci-fi campers won’t find plenty to get behind. The biggest draw might be the almost unheard of cast of cameos, a veritable conveyor belt of 70s and 80s television and movie stars who show up for a line or two, making for a bit of extra fun in a game of spot the celebrity. Seriously, the cast is impressive and all are up for some fun. While the movie is very low budget and as such, suffers from some editing and audio imbalances, the film isn’t about production value but rather its story, and it’s here where it probably succeeds best, poking silly at the traditional superhero plot. Despite it limitations, this is an ambitious effort with a huge cast all putting their strengths in support of a positive message. Can’t fault it for that. Not one bit.