‘Samaritan’ May Represent the End of Superhero Culture

The age of the Super Hero has thus far been a peculiar one. Not necessarily in terms of the good vs. evil or any particular dawn of justice, but definitely in terms of what it says about us. Due to many causes, both identifiable and not, the only thing that really pulls in box office dollars are people with superhuman abilities and Tom Cruise. 

In this type of discussion, the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to the forefront so quickly that it’s almost not worth mentioning. The MCU is significant for more than just sheer earnings. For instance, it may represent the effects of 9/11 and the subsequent need for patriotism and general uplift. It may be reflective of the “golden age of television” and the desire for extended narrative. It could even be the nostalgia based culture that appears to drive most popular entertainment these days. But, it’s also a significant cinematic achievement, introducing the concept of the “cinematic universe” into the mainstream and perpetuating what is probably the longest running narratively connected film franchise in history. As is natural in a capitalistic environment, the success of the MCU has spawned copy cats and competitors, but none have achieved as much success. Samaritan, the latest superhero film from MGM, is much in this vein.

Samaritan is based off a series of a comic series entitled Astro City, is the story of a young boy named Sam (Euphoria’s Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton) obsessed with a superhero of the past named Samaritan. Legend has it that Samaritan perished in a fire after his showdown with his archenemy Nemesis. Sam, however, still has faith that Samaritan is still alive, and dedicates his free time to scoping out prospective candidates for the role. The latest object of his suspicion is garbage man Joe Smith (Sylvester Stallone), especially after Joe stops a gang from hurting Sam. Meanwhile, a group of Nemesis fans break into a police station and steal Nemesis’ old weapon and costume, which they then use to wreak havoc on the city. Sam, who has dealt with the Nemesis fans before, is caught up in the drama. 

The film is nothing special. Originally intended for a theatrical release but instead premiering on the Amazon Prime streaming service, it seems as though turning it on for background noise might be the best viewing option. To be frank, Samaritan seems like a blatant cash grab in between major Marvel releases, 

Samaritan is startlingly bland, and contains almost none of what makes the Marvel films succeed. But, a good superhero film is easier said than done, evidenced by the fact that the MCU seems to be imploding. Its most recent releases Thor: Love and Thunder and Dr. Strange in The Multiverse of Madness have not been nearly as successful, both critically and commercially, as other Marvel films. These, along with their often poorly-reviewed barrage of television shows, may mean the end of the age of Marvel domination, at least for the mainstream. If Marvel falls, it doesn’t look good for the other heroes. Samaritan is, if anything, evidence of this.

It’s not exactly a good film, but five or ten years ago Samaritan might have worked as a sort of placating buffer in between major releases. Of course, it is certainly possible that the film will appeal to a niche audience, but even that future is murky at best. Instead, the film will probably gather digital dust in the Prime Originals section of Amazon’s streamer. As superhero content continues to be inflated by companies hoping for the next big thing, we’ll probably see more and more Samaritans flutter by with increasingly shorter life spans.

The age of the superhero was enjoyable, and maybe even important, but it does not appear to have eternal life. The future of entertainment is forever changed by caped crusaders and costumed vigilantes, but not everything will be remembered as fondly as everyone’s favorite Batman and Spiderman. This is not to say that original or obscure superhero content is worthless, but simply that it might be time for those with the power to greenlight might want to focus on something else. Or at least try something with a little more flavor next time.