horizoninsight I remember seeing this back when it first came out. About 8 years later I was reminded of the movie.I love it. It sucks you in with sharp dialogue and relatable characters who you definitely root for until the end. Not only all of that, but the story/message is beautifully done. "Defendor" isn't like other super hero movies, though. It doesn't follow the same bland pattern we all know and love (or hate). Arthur doesn't fly or have "super powers". He is simply a guy in a make-up mask who protects people with homemade weapons (he uses a jar of wasps among other things) - whose purpose in life is to capture Captain Industry. Kat Debrofkowitz isn't your regular "damsel in distress" either. She is a young prostitute who first meets Arthur when he beats up Chuck Dooney for being a "punk with a badge". The whole first half of the movie is being told through Arthur/Defendor giving his deposition to Dr. Park explaining why he assaulted Mr. Debrofkowitz (Kat's dad). There, Kat knowingly lies to Arthur telling him Radovan Kristic (played by A.C Peterson) is Captain Industry - when he is in fact not - because she figures they both want revenge so it'd be a win-win. The second half is happening in real time.At the end when Defendor/Arthur gets shot I cry every single time. I can't help it and I rarely cry watching movies. Woody Harrelson and Kat Dennings make a great team. Elias Koteas plays the prefect bad-cop-douche-bag. Sandra Oh is very believable in her role too. The whole cast did a stellar job, but major props to Peter Stebbings for taking a washed up premise and making it fresh, beautiful, inspiring, and for the ages.

TheFilmGuy1 This film was certainly a disappointment. I like Woody Harrelson as an actor, and I liked the idea of him playing some kind of weird vigilante character. I also was please to hear it was Canadian. But sadly, it was a total let down for me.It should be said that Harrelson gives a pretty good performance. The only thing is, his character is seriously mentally unstable, but in a way that isn't really likable or interesting. He just seems like an idiot. Harrelson plays it well, but I wish he had been a more likable character. Kat Dennings plays a hooker who Harrelson gets involved with. While I actually kind of liked her when it came to the banter between characters, I don't think shes able to deliver when it comes to the more emotionally demanding scenes.This movie is a black comedy, and while I think that genre can be done really well (i.e. American Psycho), it can also often be a mess. It's really hard to blend two very differing tones in a film, and that's what dark comedy is all about. Blending serious drama and comedy. But I just don't think it works in this case. It can be occasionally funny, but for the majority of the time it comes across jumbled. I also found something stale about the way it was shot and the directing. The fight scenes have zero spice to them, and there's never really anything visually appealing. It's a real shame.I couldn't really recommend this film. Nothing really stand out, and I guess that's its biggest crime. Not that it's terrible, but its just really average. Nothing bores me more than a film that is super average.

thedudeabides-2 It seems like barely a day goes by without Hollywood releasing a comic book movie of some kind. The popularity of Batman and Co. has never been higher and it's perfectly understandable that Tinseltown wants to cash in. But what if you're becoming bored of the same old stories told every year, with only a change in costume to differentiate between them? Fear not, for those of you that are feeling comic book fatigue, there is a new hero on the streets; and his name is Defendor. Defendor follows the story of Arthur Poppington, played by Woody Harrelson. Arthur is an average Joe by day, but at night he transforms into the costumed vigilante, Defendor. In fact, he doesn't so much transform, as pull on a black t-shirt with a makeshift 'D' made out of duct tape; with black eye makeup and a bicycle helmet finishing the look. It's a far cry from Batman, but it works perfectly.The story is actually pretty standard comic book fare, as Defendor decides to take on a notorious kingpin in an effort to clean up the streets. It isn't groundbreaking by any stretch, but it doesn't need to be because the character of Arthur/Defendor is so enthralling that you find yourself overlooking the slightly clichéd nature of the plot. The fact that Defendor is an extremely low budget crime fighter also allows for some great little touches- just watch how he uses lime juice in his quest against crime.At the heart of all this is Woody Harrelson's fantastic portrayal of Arthur; a man who clearly has some form of learning disability, even though it is never alluded to directly. Harrelson makes the viewer immediately sympathetic and, as the movie shifts from comedy to drama in the final third, he finds a depth to the character which isn't apparent from the beginning. Kat Dennings and Micheal Kelly provide ample support as a friendly prostitute and Arthur's best friend but this is clearly Harrelson's show; and he is having a ball.A sadly overlooked gem. Defendor is a welcome respite from the recent glut of super serious superheroes. A shift in tone towards the end provides the movie with a little more substance than originally thought and it is all the better for it.

billcr12 Woody Harrelson is hilarious as Defendor, a dim witted, crime fighting super hero. After showing a serious side in The Messenger, the actor proves his amazing versatility in this one. A psychiatrist, Dr. Park(sexy Sandra Oh), interviews Arthur(Harrelson) who explains the reason for his arrest for assault began with a corrupt cop named Dooney, who smokes crack and patronizing hookers. Art believes that the officer works for his enemy, Captain Industry. He lives alone, and one day he meets Angel, the hooker who was previously with Dooney. He is badly beaten by friends of the cop and Angel plays Florence Nightingale. She stays with him for a while at a building depot. Defendor gets shot by Dooney's men, and survives after surgery. He learns that Angel was abused by her father and when he tracks him down, he beats him up, which explains his arrest. Dr. Park sympathizes with him. He makes the news and tries to rehabilitate Angel, while fighting corruption. Defendor is worth it for Woody Harrelson's presence alone.