Robert Rodriguez's superhero comedy "We Can Be Heroes" really is fun for the whole family.
It centers on an all-new generation of Earth's mightiest heroes, who must step up to save
the day after their parents, the world famous Heroics, are kidnapped by invading aliens.
And even though "We Can Be Heroes" focuses on the kids, there are quite a few details
that only adults will notice.
Here are just a few.
One thing that’s clear from the very beginning is how, as a team, the Heroics are completely
dysfunctional.
Miracle Guy is more interested in taking the perfect selfie than fighting alien invaders.
The mother-father duo Crimson Legend and Red Lightning Fury can't stop bickering.
Sharkboy and Lavagirl spend so much time apart that their boss, Ms. Granada, doesn't even
know if they're still married.
The Heroics' histrionics also have a noticeable impact on their children.
Just like the Heroics fail to unite in times of crisis, the kids also indulge in petty
squabbles until they finally start to learn from their parents failings.
Kids watching might see a lot of funny banter, but the adults in the audience know that the
Heroics' kids are acting like mirrors of their dysfunctional parents -- at least until they
learn to work together.
Another element of "We Can Be Heroes" that's bound to resonate with grownups is how the
business of Earth-saving is treated as a spectator sport.
"Earlier today, Sharkboy appeared from the ocean depths, landing on the beach of South
Padre Island."
Before everything goes bad, the broadcasters seem eager to watch a superhero smash-up,
despite the fact that the Heroics are up against an extraterrestrial force that could destroy
life on Earth as we know it.
For the anchors, this is more of a show than a catastrophe -- until the Heroics fail, of course.
Even then, they ham it up, like they're commenting on a particularly rousing game of football.
"These battles are insanely expensive for taxpayers, but so entertaining."
This is clearly a play on the real-life criticism that the news has become too entertainment-oriented.
The good news?
"We Can Be Heroes" also uses that coverage to deliver some great shots of the fight for
those of us in the audience.
Hey, it may not be cool to treat a national tragedy like a popcorn moment, but those angles
are perfect for moviegoers.
Another element of "We Can Be Heroes" that grown ups should appreciate is how many clever
digs the film takes at, well, grown ups.
When the kids plan their big escape from the Heroics' HQ, for example, they bank on the
adults being utterly predictable and oblivious.
They also manipulate the aliens by pretending to be at odds with one another in order to
lure Ms. Granada's goons away from the control room.
Most importantly, they know that their warnings about aliens invading HQ will be roundly ignored
by the adults, and realize it's up to the next generation to do something about it.
Political figures are also directly called out in the film.
The mayor is literally named Doolittle, which seems quite fitting after he wastes a mountain
of money on a new town hall, only for Crushing Low to smash it to bits during the ribbon-cutting.
The children also openly mock the president for his uninspiring response to the Heroics' downfall.
"It's bad.
It's hopelessly bad."
"How did this guy ever get to be President?
He can't even put two sentences together."
These kids aren't apathetic.
They're just seriously unimpressed.
"We Can Be Heroes" is brimming with inventively talented superheroes, but the film also seizes
on several opportunities to poke a little fun at some of the genre's more groan-worthy
traditions.
In fact, there's an entire exchange devoted to making light of tropes.
For starters, Missy notes that it would make sense to have their big battles in more remote
locations.
"We lure the aliens out of the cities so that we don't destroy more buildings."
"She's right.
Our parents are always having huge brawls in the middle of the most populated cities."
Then, the kids start digging into the wackier aspects of superhero costumes, calling out
the pads, the fake abs, and the inexplicable over-the-pants underwear trend.
Not only does all that look ridiculous, but it makes the Heroics pretty easy for enemies
to pick out in a crowd.
"That's why they were able to pick out our parents so easily.
Because they were easy to spot."
Parents know they aren't just talking about the Heroics -- they're taking a jab at superheroes
in general.
In the end, the overarching message of "We Can Be Heroes" should resonate with audiences
of all ages.
Kids are the future, and they're smarter and more capable than their parents sometimes
give them credit for.
From the adults' perspective, the notion that children should have more of a say in the
future because it'll be their world soon is quite powerful.
"I don't understand.
What's the takeover?"
"The takeover of power from your parents.
You see, the next generation is always an improvement from the last."
"Things are not heading in the right direction on your planet, and you children are inheriting
earth's problems and need to be able to fix them sooner rather than later."
In the real world, kids who are about the same age as the heroes in this film are facing
an ever-changing planet that's going to become even more complex and difficult over time.
From climate change to rapidly advancing technology, they're the ones who'll have to face the long-term
consequences of all these changes, for better and for worse.
We find out in "We Can Be Heroes" that the alien invaders were actually just showing
the kids their own power to make change.
And in doing so, "We Can Be Heroes" lets the adults watching know that they might need
to give a bit more credence to what their kids have to say about their own futures,
as well as the world at large.
Thanks for watching.
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