Review: There’s nothing super about comic convention spoof ‘Supercon’

It would have been intriguing to see what a filmmaker skilled in choreographing large ensemble casts could have done with the parade of true characters found at a comic book convention.

Unfortunately, we’re stuck with the interminable “Supercon,” a crassly sophomoric spoof directed and cowritten by Zak Knutson that squanders a criminal amount of proven comic talent.

Set against the backdrop of the fictionalized Supercon, coaxing the cosplay crowd to geek out over its promised “Three Days of Pop Culture Heaven,” the would-be satire concerns the vengeance wreaked by a group of autograph-signers who have been banned from the convention by its grandiose main attraction.

Seeking payback against bullying castmate Adam King (Clancy Brown), bitter former child star Keith Mahar (Russell Peters), best known for playing a turban-wearing kid with testicular cancer on an ‘80s adventure show, plots to rob Supercon in a heist coordinated with fellow attendees played by Ryan Kwanten, Maggie Grace and Brooks Braselman.

While clearly aiming for R-rated irreverence, the script, penned by former Kevin Smith assistant Knutson, along with Andy Snipes and Dana Snyder, proceeds to hurl a tired barrage of obnoxious sexist/racist/homophobic sludge, with humor that seldom rises above crotch level.

Only John Malkovich emerges (relatively) unscathed, as a legendary Stan Lee-styled comic book creator with a bad toupee and a worse attitude.

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‘Supercon’

Rating: R, for strong crude sexual content throughout, pervasive language, and drug use

Running time: 1 hour, 39 minutes

Playing: Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena

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