Product Details

• Actors: Woody Harrelson, Kat Dennings, Sandra Oh, Elias Koteas, Michael Kelly
• Directors: Peter Stebbings
• Writers: Peter Stebbings
• Producers: Joel Burch, John N. Kozman, Leah Jaunzems, Mark Slone, Nicholas Tabarrok
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Cantonese, Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: April 13, 2010
• Run Time: 101 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003626TNG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,855 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Defendor" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Arthur Poppington (2009 Golden Globe® Nominee Woody Harrelson) doesn’t need superpowers or fancy toys to fight crime. Armed only with a childlike sense of wonder and his quirky arsenal of cheap, homemade gadgets, he becomes DEFENDOR! He finds an unexpected partner when he rescues and falls for a local prostitute (Kat Dennings, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist). Can the two of them take down the city’s most fearsome crime boss without getting killed in the process?

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie - But Improperly Marketed as a Comedy, April 3, 2010

By 

Compay (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Defendor (DVD)

While marketed as a comedy, Defendor is actually a dark and touching crime drama. But while you can't expect Woody's comedy antics a la Zombieland, expect one of the best performances of his career.

By day, Arthur Poppington is a construction worker with a below-average IQ. By night, he's Defendor, dishing out justice with makeshift weapons (reminding us in his gruff Batman voice that "guns are for cowards"). But while the movie starts out light and funny, it evolves into something both dark and sad. With the flood of recent superhero movies, Defendor reminds us that reality isn't always so super.

The real story here is the unlikely friendship between Defendor and a drug-addicted prostitute, in his ongoing mission to take down Captain Industry. Woody is terrific in the role, bouncing between his wacky self and a vulnerable man-child who still believes in justice.

For this being his first directing gig, Peter Stebbings hits a bullseye. There's great cinematography and lighting, and Stebbings playfully throws out a few superhero flick cliches. John Rowley serves up one of the best movie scores I've heard in a while, with a powerful and dark superhero soundtrack. The supporting cast is also top-notch, from Elias Koteas and Sandra Oh to Clark Johnson (The Wire/Homicide).

You will enjoy this movie if you go into it with the understanding that it's not a comedy. It's a dark drama with splashes of humor and violence, and a very powerful ending.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DEFENDOR Has Heart - Better Than KICK-ASS, April 17, 2010

By 

Movie Gal With a Brain (A galaxy far, far away) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Defendor [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

While KICK-ASS (Opening April 16, 2010) got all the press, DEFENDOR has all the heart. A sweet but dark combination of TAXI DRIVER and BATMAN, DEFENDOR answers the question of 'what if super-heroes' existed in a very sentimental yet mature manner. Woody Harrelson's portrayal of Arthur Poppington is just as worthy of an Oscar nomination as his role in THE MESSENGER. Harrelson's Poppington is a mentally challenged adult dealing with a very dark and tragic childhood by taking on the persona of 'The Defendor,' a comic book inspired super-hero. Writer-Director Peter Stebbings captures the true magic and meaning comic book heroes have in our modern society. Placing the innocence of Harrelson's Poppington/Defendor in the midst of a very real city suffering from corrupt cops, drug dealers, child sex trafficers and abused prostitutes makes for a very unique and adult viewing experience. The film is a sometimes lyrical poem, a sad reminder of how it is and how it would be for a real super-hero. Yet, unlike KICK-ASS, DEFENDOR is a reminder that there is value and valor in morality, courage and doing the right thing in the face powerful evil. DEFENDOR, like KICK-ASS, does goes for the laughs. There are moments of brilliant and hilarious humor to be found here, both dark and sweet. Unlike KICK-ASS, there are also moments of genuine sentiment and inspiration. The two films tell the same story in very different ways. It's a shame that KICK-ASS will make millions and become a pop-culture hit while DEFENDOR will have to tough it out on home video. Hopefully, DEFENDOR will develop a cult following and in time get the true praise and audience it deserves.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly Surprised, March 21, 2010

By 

Dan Mcgarry (Ft Huachuca, az USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Defendor (DVD)

When I saw the previews of this I thought it would be a formulaic comedy, with Woody Harrelson playing a jerk.
I was surprised to find the previews misleading, and Woody's character is actually mildly retarded, and somewhat delusional. It has its moments of humor, but none of it is cruel. Arthur is slow and believes he's a super hero, but no one makes fun of him. In fact they're all somewhat in awe of him and his misguided beliefs in absolute good and evil. It is poignant and actually has some tear jerk moments, along with its moments of almost slapstick humor.
Bottom line - see it.