Super Charlie
Fun and colourful, Super Charlie is a playful animated feature that explores themes of family and finding purpose. A little late to jump on the superhero bandwagon, the film follows Willie, who has always dreamed of saving the world. However, life’s not too kind to Willie, what with bullies constantly on his tail, and his parents’ and older sister’s neglect. Enter Charlie, his newborn baby brother. There’s something strange going on with Charlie: he speaks in full sentences despite being only a few weeks old, and has super strength. With Willie’s smarts and Charlie’s powers, the two team up to become the master and hero sidekick their policeman father could be proud of. However, Willie’s insecurities and selfish nature create a rift between the two, one that has dire consequences for their family and the rest of the city.
There’s something surprisingly charming about this picture’s script. It’s humorous and clever at the most random of times, and the animation lends itself well to the exaggerated form of comedy in Super Charlie. There are crude jokes and subtle innuendos for the adults to pick up on, while the vibrant visuals and creatively designed characters will keep young viewers engaged with the material. Pushing the boundaries of sense and logic, the piece is overall harmless and silly fun for kids and their parents to enjoy.
Super Charlie does suffer from an abundance of obvious exposition embedded in speech and moments of convenience for the characters. Some of these align with the satirical nature of the feature, while others border on breaking immersion. The pacing is also quick and truncated, not giving the audience time to breathe and take in the world that Super Charlie is trying to build. Charlie’s powers and intelligence are a mix of confusing systems, and the stakes are low, but the ending plot twist has an intriguing hook to it.
Willie is also a frustrating protagonist. While one can sympathise with his plights, his reckless decision-making and self-indulgent actions negate the endearment those watching might have for him. He doesn’t evolve as a character, and his dynamic with Charlie is underdeveloped, undermining the emotional weight of the narrative surrounding the two siblings. However, other characters bring energy to the film, like Anton and Inferio. The comedic interplay between these two villainous individuals is the most entertaining factor of the whole picture.
There’s promise in the premise of Super Charlie, particularly the examination of familial relationships, especially in jealous siblings, and the search for purpose and the need to prove oneself in the parallel between Willie and Anton’s internal struggles. The animation itself is cute and amusing, particularly the mix of 2D with 3D animation in certain scenes – an ode to the comic book aesthetic. While the overall execution does not allow the concept to reach its full potential, there is still a lot of action and excitement to be had with Super Charlie.
Mae Trumata
Super Charlie is released nationwide on 15th August 2025.
Watch the trailer for Super Charlie here:
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