The superhero genre has reached new heights, thanks to the efforts of American media titans, Marvel and DC. However, the genre has a universal influence, and it is emulated through several superhero films from non-English-speaking markets.
Such films might not match the high production standards of their English-language competitors and might have some derivative influences, but they still hold their own ground, offering new stories of hope to local audiences. These films include masked vigilantes who are either gifted with superpowers and those who just use basic combat skills to serve the public.
Bhavesh Joshi: Superhero (2018) - India
Sikandar and his friend Bhavesh Joshi are youth from Mumbai who plan on changing the world in their own way. They wear masks to police local neighborhoods, asking people to follow traffic rules, not to cut trees, and so on. However, once Sikandar gets entangled in his corporate professional life, Bhavesh is left alone. He becomes an investigative agent, exposing high-profile corruption cases. This work leads to new adversaries, who eventually kill him.
Disgruntled at the exploitation of the rich and powerful and to avenge his best friend’s murder, Sikandar learns martial arts and becomes a self-styled vigilante by adopting Joshi’s name. Heavily inspired by vengeance-seeking crusaders, like Batman, Bhavesh Joshi: Superhero is an impressive Hindi-language superhero offering that’s entertaining as well as socially relevant.
They Call Me Jeeg (2015) - Italy
Radioactive waste in the River Tiber gives superhuman abilities to a low-life crook called Enzo. With his new powers (that include a healing ability), he aims to chase down a psychotic gangster for intentions that get clearer as the film progresses. The film was universally praised and was even shortlisted as Italy’s submission to the Oscars.
From its title to the origin story, They Call Me Jeeg also serves as a tribute to the Japanese anime and manga series Steel Jeeg. The film directly references it, as some characters watch the anime on their TV in the initial scenes.
Black Lightning (2009) - Russia
Not to be confused with the CW superhero series of the same name, Black Lightning is a Russian adrenaline-fueled action-comedy revolving around a superpowered car. A boy is gifted a Black 66 Volga by his father when he accidentally discovers that the car has a flying mode.
After his father’s murder, he too turns into a responsible guardian of justice, like other superheroes, using his flying car to the fullest. The film is filled with over-the-top sequences that make for a highly entertaining action-comedy.
Hentai Kamen (2013) - Japan
Hentai Kamen is an unapologetically vulgar and bizarre superhero action comedy that can be seen as the Japanese equivalent of Deadpool. The titular hero wears underwear for a mask and a mankini for his costume, while he comes to terms with his powers that are passed on by his parents.
The hero is the son of a policeman and a dominatrix. He realizes that when he wears ladies’ underwear, the dormant powers of his mother get awakened, as well as his father’s sense of justice. He uses these new powers to fight the perverted supervillains of Japan. Those who are into weird humor, as seen in Japanese anime like One Punch Man, would absolutely love this film.
Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (2018) - India
Released in foreign markets as The Man Who Feels No Pain, Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota focuses on Surya, a man who suffers from a rare physical condition that makes him feel no pain, even if his bones are broken. Using this condition as a gift, he decides to learn martial arts. But after his martial arts master is threatened by his twin brother, who’s a ruthless gangster, he decides to recruit his own allies and take on the troublemaker.
The Indian film is a wildly original action-comedy, with stylish influences from Hong Kong kung fu films, as well as a fourth wall breaking style inspired by Deadpool.
The Adventures Of Supermama (2018) - South Africa
Karen Van Schalkwyk’s 2018 superhero comedy is based on the adventures of a local superhero called Supermama. With a homemade costume and amateur kung fu skills, the titular Supermama fights local crime, while also fighting social challenges in the streets.
The Adventures Of Supermama is a wholesome family-friendly entry into the superhero genre, showing that anyone can be a superhero, as long as they have the determination to change society, even if it’s a middle-aged mother like Supermama.
Zebraman (2004) - Japan
Sho Aikawa stars as a school teacher who’s down on his luck and is often disgruntled with both his students and family. In the middle of his mid-life crisis, he chances upon an old TV superhero series about a character called Zebraman.
He plans on adopting the mantle of Zebraman to give some meaning to his life, as he fights local crime while progressing to larger foes. Zebraman became a cult action-comedy in Japan, leading to a sequel, as well as a five-volume manga series of the same name.
Phantom Boy (2015) - France
The so-called Phantom Boy is a young boy with special powers who helps a wheelchair-bound policeman in his quest to bring down a mob boss. The animated film lacks a strong narrative and is pretty straightforward in its approach, but it’s the animation style that sets Phantom Boy apart from its animated contemporaries.
The design of each character seems reminiscent of 20th-century French pop art that can also be seen in films like Ruben Brandt: Collector. The film boasts a certain old-fashioned charm, despite the trappings of its genre.
Yeom-Iyeok (2018) - South Korea
In this South Korean superhero thriller distributed by Netflix, Ryu Seung-Ryong (who is recently receiving buzz for his role in Netflix’s Kingdom) stars as a bank security guard and a middle-aged father who acquires superpowers after drinking from a magical spring. He uses his superhero abilities to protect his estranged daughter from an evil monopolistic corporation.
Yeom-Iyeok (also know as Psychokinesis) serves a good-enough follow-up to the director Yeon Sang-ho's filmography, who achieved fame after his zombie-survival film, Train To Busan.
The Heroic Trio (1993) - Hong Kong
Combining supernatural and superhero elements, The Heroic Trio stars Michelle Yeoh as the Invisible Woman, a supernatural being serving a mysterious creature called the Evil Master. She’s manipulated by this Evil Master to kidnap young children for his own sinister purposes. However, she’s topped by her own sister, who fights crime under the mantle of Wonder Woman, as well as her childhood friend who is also a vigilante called Thief Catcher.
The two vigilantes attempt to reform the Invisible Woman, turning her towards their side of justice. Praised for its feminist themes and production design, The Heroic Trio is considered to be an iconic film that represents the Hong Kong fantasy genre.