A crooked cop, a mob boss and the young girl they abuse are the denizens of a city's criminal underworld. It's a world that ordinary Arthur Poppington doesn't understand and doesn't belong in, but is committed to fighting when he changes into a vigilante super-hero of his own making, Defendor. With no power other than courage Defendor takes to the streets to protect the city's innocents.
Acting
Woody Harrelson commits fully to Arthur's heartbreaking fragility.
Writing
Balances absurdity and tragedy without cheapening either.
Production
Grimy authenticity makes Defendor's homemade costume genuinely devastating.
Director
Peter Stebbings
Woody Harrelson
Arthur Poppington / Defendor
Kat Dennings
Katrina Debrofkowitz
Elias Koteas
Chuck Dooney
Kristin Booth
Wendy Carter
Clark Johnson
Roger Fairbanks
Michael Kelly
Paul Carter
Lisa Ray
Dominique Ball
Sandra Oh
Dr. Park
A.C. Peterson
Radovan Kristic
Tony Nappo
Biker Cliff
Bryan Renfro
Mr. Debrofkowitz
Charlotte Sullivan
Poppington
Tatiana Maslany
Olga
Ron White
Judge Wilson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Peter Stebbings wrote the script in 2005 and refused to soften Arthur's mental illness for studio notes; Woody Harrelson joined specifically because the script never winked at the audience.
Released the same year as 'Watchmen' and 'Kick-Ass,' Defendor got buried—yet it's the most honest deconstruction of superhero mythology from that era. Harrelson reportedly still considers it his most overlooked performance.
CA
US
