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Defendor

Play trailer Poster for Defendor R 2009 1h 35m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
An everyday guy (Woody Harrelson) believes he is a superhero and befriends a teenager while seeing a psychiatrist.
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Defendor

Defendor

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Critics Consensus

Defendor's reach occasionally exceeds its grasp, but this unique take on the superhero genre is held together by Woody Harrelson's solid performance.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael Rechtshaffen The Hollywood Reporter 03/10/2010
Saving the day is Harrelson's low-key, rooted performance, adding an unexpected layer of poignancy when things take a decidedly darker turn. Go to Full Review Amy Nicholson I.E. Weekly 02/26/2010
C+
The conviction in Harrelson's performance sells the movie -- he and his character are both unsung heroes who give their roles everything they've got. Go to Full Review Glenn Whipp Los Angeles Times 02/26/2010
2.5/5
Stebbings is more interested in deconstructing heroism than creating a concrete world, sapping the movie of the immediacy it needs to come alive. For all its aspirations, the film never meshes into something cohesive or substantial. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 08/22/2023
2/4
A pitch-black comedy that falls flat regardless of its potential Go to Full Review Robert Bell Exclaim! 01/30/2023
[It] challenged the psychology behind what makes someone retreat into the delusion of unique greatness to begin with... Go to Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens 11/07/2019
Smartly written, extremely well acted, you'll be in your own happy place on seeing DEFENDOR. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Antonio B. @AntonioBatt May 1 I enjoyed how woody portrayed the character and it gave me a laugh while also keeping me entertained. Reminded me of “kickass” just in a more real world scenario. See more Guillermo A @Guillermo.Almeida Feb 11 Of the best movies about a realistic superhero, Woody is too good at this one, the story is basic but substantial and strong. Don't just wait for it. "See you on the moon" See more Sarah F. @beefstew Oct 25 16 years later I decided to revisit this movie since I found it on Tubi. I still love this movie because it's not your usual flashy, worn out superhero movie. It took risks and won. I have seen a lot of people comparing this movie to Kick-A..., but Defendor came out a year before and it's dark, dramatic home-made look really sells the movie for me. Woody is obviously the star here and he's just a phenomenal Arthur Poppington. Kat Dennings (love her still) does a great job playing a call girl. She's believable and I think it was Peter Stebbings that said Dennings can flip the character and make it hers and that is wonderfully shown here. So, my point is, after all this time, Defendor stands its ground and maybe we need a vigilante hero nowadays. See more john b @RT57721896 03/31/2025 Woody Harrelson plays a mentally challenged man who thinks he is a super hero at night. What sells this is Woody and Kat Dennings is great too. A kooky, quirky story. Woody's charactor is so innocent and funny. If you like off beat, you'll love this. See more Emilliano Jr S @emill_santos 07/25/2023 Like a low budget superhero movie with a heart See more Kyle M @RT77296778 04/13/2023 The compelling trope of dramatically grounded action mimicking the superhero genre may seem dated, and comparably insignificant within its own genes, immediately preceding the genre's full rejuvenation burst but at its rational center is the psychology angle that unfolds nicely with decent performances in an uninteresting storyline. (B-) See more Read all reviews
Defendor

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Stebbings

Director

Woody Harrelson

Arthur Poppington

Kat Dennings

Kat

Sandra Oh

Dr. Park

Elias Koteas

Chuck Dooney

Lisa Ray

Dominique Ball

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Defendor

Defendor (2009) Defendor (2009) Defendor (2009) Defendor (2009) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis An everyday guy (Woody Harrelson) believes he is a superhero and befriends a teenager while seeing a psychiatrist.
Director
Peter Stebbings
Producer
Nicholas Tabarrok
Screenwriter
Peter Stebbings
Production Co
Darius Films, Insight Film Studios, Alliance
Rating
R (Language Throughout|Drug Use|Sexual Content|Violence)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 28, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$37.6K
Runtime
1h 35m