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Defendor

  • 2009
  • R
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
38K
YOUR RATING
Woody Harrelson in Defendor (2009)
A comedy centered around three characters: an everyday guy who comes to believe he's a superhero, his psychiatrist, and the teenager he befriends.
35
 
Play trailer2:03
35
3 Videos
66 Photos
ComedyCrimeDrama

Arthur Poppington, a regular man who adopts a superhero persona, known as "Defendor", combs the city streets at night, in search of his archenemy, Captain Industry.Arthur Poppington, a regular man who adopts a superhero persona, known as "Defendor", combs the city streets at night, in search of his archenemy, Captain Industry.Arthur Poppington, a regular man who adopts a superhero persona, known as "Defendor", combs the city streets at night, in search of his archenemy, Captain Industry.

  • Director
    • Peter Stebbings
  • Writer
    • Peter Stebbings
  • Stars
    • Woody Harrelson
    • Kat Dennings
    • Sandra Oh
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    38K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Peter Stebbings
    • Writer
      • Peter Stebbings
    • Stars
      • Woody Harrelson
      • Kat Dennings
      • Sandra Oh
    STREAMING
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    • 121User reviews
    • 60Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 7 nominations total

    Videos3

    Defendor: U.S. Trailer
    Trailer 2:03
    Defendor: U.S. Trailer
    35
    Defendor
    Trailer 2:04
    Defendor
    Defendor
    Trailer 2:04
    Defendor
    Defendor
    Trailer 2:04
    Defendor

    Photos66

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    Top cast27

    Edit
    Woody Harrelson
    Woody Harrelson
    • Arthur Poppington aka Defendor
    Kat Dennings
    Kat Dennings
    • Kat Debrofkowitz
    Sandra Oh
    Sandra Oh
    • Dr. Ellen Park
    Elias Koteas
    Elias Koteas
    • Chuck Dooney
    Michael Kelly
    Michael Kelly
    • Paul Carter
    Clark Johnson
    Clark Johnson
    • Captain Roger Fairbanks
    Lisa Ray
    Lisa Ray
    • Dominique Ball
    A.C. Peterson
    A.C. Peterson
    • Radovan Kristic
    Kristin Booth
    Kristin Booth
    • Wendy Carter
    • (as Kristen Booth)
    Charlotte Sullivan
    Charlotte Sullivan
    • Fay
    Tony Nappo
    Tony Nappo
    • Biker Cliff
    Ron White
    Ron White
    • Judge Wilson
    David Gardner
    • Grandpa Henry
    Bryan Renfro
    Bryan Renfro
    • Mr. Debrofkowitz
    Max Dreesen
    • Young Arthur
    Matt Gordon
    Matt Gordon
    • Jerry
    James Preston Rogers
    James Preston Rogers
    • Biker Bob
    Graham Abbey
    Graham Abbey
    • Constable Mike
    • Director
      • Peter Stebbings
    • Writer
      • Peter Stebbings
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews121

    6.737.9K
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    Featured reviews

    8dennispublic

    Surprise! This is a great movie!

    Wow, that was surprising.

    I stumbled across this film by accident, I saw that Woody was in it so decided to give it a try. I wasn't expecting much because I had never heard of it. But I was very pleasantly surprised.

    This movie is great! "Defendor" is very funny, yet has a real story, and will get you emotionally involved when your not laughing your butt off. You pretty much can't go wrong here. Most importantly it was all thrown together beautifully, hats off to the writers and director. Every actor did a great job as well, but Woody stole the show, he deserves an award for this - he nailed the roll and then some. 110%. Well done.

    This movie is underrated!
    8paul_m_haakonsen

    Fantastic

    Wow, this movie was awesome.

    I sat down to watch this movie with no high expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised. Finally a "superhero" movie you can relate to, instead of everything being all high and mighty on morals and super powers.

    "Defendor" had it all, comedy, action, drama and romance. What made this movie unique was the blend of genres which works really well. Initially I thought it was just a spoof of superhero movies, but "Defendor" is so much more than that.

    The characters in the movie are real and believable. Hats off to Woody Harrelson for his marvelous performance as Arthur / Defendor. This role really showed off Woody's acting talents. I think we can all see parts of ourselves in the Defendor character, and that is what makes this movie so powerful, so gripping and so entertaining.

    And also to Elias Koteas for his role as the corrupt policeman and Kat Denings as her role of a young woman in drug abuse and harsh life situation. And the supporting roles were nicely portrayed as well.

    The story told in "Defendor" easily picks you up and keeps you tight. It is really good and you can place yourself in that story. It is very believable and leaves you very entertained.

    I was thoroughly entertained from start till end. Lots of good action, really good and solid story, and spectacular acting. This is definitely a keeper, a movie with enough value to be watched more than once.
    8pyrocitor

    Clever parody juxtaposed with intriguing self-reflexive darkness - an inspired revision of the superhero myth

    Given the recent onslaught of superhero films hitting theatres, it would seem only natural to anticipate parodic responses to the genre, sending up its excesses and sillier elements. On the surface, it would appear that debut director Peter Stebbings' Defendor is exactly such a film, casting Woody Harrelson's oddball everyman as a surrogate crimefighter and exploiting his antics for humour in the vein of 1999's Mystery Men. And initially this is the approach the film itself appears gearing up to take, opening with a hysterical spoofing of overblown superhero film clichés, including rooftop billowing fog, high contrast city lights against nighttime darkness, and larger than life acrobatic feats ("always check the garbage days" moans a wounded Defendor after leaping off a rooftop into a dumpster recently emptied of garbage to cushion his fall). Such astute genre awareness combined with the wonderfully imaginative collection of Defendor's makeshift crimefighting weapons (including the most inspired use of marbles seen in ages) could easily have assured for an hour and a half of lighthearted, enjoyable cinematic fun.

    But Stebbings' film has grander ambitions than a mere surface level parody, which subtly unfold as the film progresses. As the laughs slowly become fewer and fewer, Defendor's narrative becomes steadily more engrossing, settling on a tone pitched halfway between exhilarating crime/mystery thriller and poignant character study, as the viewer is led increasingly to question Defendor's mental stability, and even the ethics of his imbalanced war against injustice. While such transitioning between tones could prove a dangerous stumbling ground, Stebbings is careful to distinguish between his darker themes and moments of levity, utilizing dashes of all too real violence to savagely undercut the fantasy or parodic elements. For all Defendor's silliness, it certainly packs a brutal punch when necessary.

    Of course, being the work of a first time director, one would expect the occasional fumble, and Stebbings' film does lose its way for a period nearing the climax, meandering somewhat and losing its rhythm. Nonetheless, an emerging subplot musing on the roots and importance of heroism (clearly borrowing amply from Christopher Nolan's recent two Batman reboots among other sources) which could have been the clumsiest addition to the movie actually emerges as surprisingly tasteful and functional, adding more nuance and complexity to the unfolding film without coming across as excessively pretentious. Completing the package is the wonderfully grandiose musical score by John Rowley, managing to perfectly encompass each tonal shift, whether gleefully riffing on superhero musical motifs or offering something more profound and honest, either way adding welcome depth and volume to a film already far from lacking in either.

    The casting of Woody Harrelson as the titular hapless crimefighter also proves a stroke of genius, as Harrelson's naturally wacky yet powerful charisma exemplifies the essence of the film, beautifully blending child-like emotional simplicity, tenacious determination and enough flat out weirdness to make it all ring true, as well as an inspired ripoff of Christian Bale's now iconic Batman voice. Kat Dennings is equally delightful to watch as a young prostitute who may be either befriending or manipulating Defendor, warping her naturally quirky and spunky energy into something darker, yet just as resonant. Elias Koteas essays antagonistic clichés with the utmost grotesque skill as a crooked cop, and Michael Kelly reconciles a weakly written role with a gruff credibility as Defendor's employer and solitary friend. Finally, Sandra Oh is superb in her few scenes as Defendor's psychological examiner, infusing impressive dramatic tension with moments of deadpan humour, and bringing welcome life to the film.

    It would be easy to compare Defendor as a film to its protagonist: slightly cumbersome and prone to stumbling at times, yet cleverly self-aware, comical yet with layers of unexpected darkness, and overall encompassed by such an infectious sense of classic, cheesy charm that it is near impossible not to love in the end. Whether taken as a superhero parody, straight out superhero film or character study (or ultimately all three), Defendor proves a highly enjoyable success, and one easily worth a watch.

    -7.5/10
    9nightcity

    Brilliant

    One of the best movies I have seen this decade, funny, touching and clever. It would have totally passed me by if someone hadn't recommended it, which is a shame as it's an excellent film.

    Acting, music score, writing all come together really well. Thank you Woody for another great movie.

    I would really recommend this film to anyone even if the "superhero genre" is not your thing, since that is only tertiary to the theme anyway.

    I look forward to seeing more from Peter Stebbings.

    I can only hope that "Kick Ass" is half as good as Defendor.
    6lewiskendell

    A different kind of superhero.

    Defendor is the story of a simple, deluded, child-like man, who thinks he's a super-hero. In all likelihood, he should have died a swift and brutal death no later than ten minutes in, but it seems that God watches out for the simple-minded, even in movies. Somehow, Defendor even ends up bumbling his way into doing some good.

    Woody Harrelson portrayed Arthur in a way that completely avoided mocking him. Imagine Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. Arthur has definite reasons for his quest and his actions, and as those reasons are revealed during the movie, you become more and more attached to his character. Kat Dennings plays a young prostitute who befriends Arthur and is instrumental in helping him to his final destiny, and Sandra Oh stars as a psychiatrist who learns about Arthur along with the audience.  No one is responsible for the acting burden that Harrelson has, but their performances are still solid. 

    I liked this movie a good bit. It was funny in some parts, and sad in others. We really don't get to spend enough time with Arthur/Defendor and his world, but what's here is pretty satisfying.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Peter Stebbings' screenwriting and directorial debut.
    • Goofs
      Arthur makes a big deal about being called "DefenDOR", yet when he's talking with Kat, he calls himself "Defender".
    • Quotes

      Defendor: If you break the law, you're a punk. If you break the law with a badge, you're a punk with a badge.

    • Connections
      Featured in Starfilm (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      One Track Mind
      Written by Classified (as Luke Boyd) and Joel Plaskett

      Performed by Classified ft. Joel Plaskett

      Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc.

      Published by Classified (as Luke Boyd) (SOCAN), Songs For The Gang Inc. (SOCAN)

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    FAQ20

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 13, 2010 (Brazil)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Người Bảo Vệ
    • Filming locations
      • Dundas, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Insight Film Releasing
      • Alliance
      • Darius Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $3,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $44,462
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,265
      • Feb 21, 2010
    • Gross worldwide
      • $44,462
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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