The Legacy (2010) Review

The Legacy is a charming short with a clear admiration for the golden age of super hero serials. It’s a love letter to the hero genre as a whole, and will appeal to those who still fondly remember looking at the sky wishing they could leap tall buildings in a single bound. The film itself is well-made, with an endearing and talented cast. Appropriately heroic music and an attractive visual style reminiscent of the source material also help elevate The Legacy above your average short.

Charlie Regals (Louis Iacoviello) is a button-down office type guy, a good husband and a loving father. It just so happens Charlie was almost big time too; he was set to play the immensely popular Kryptoman in a Hollywood adaptation. Unfortunately, the production was shut down and Charlie waved goodbye to show business for the greener pastures of family life. However, it looks like Charlie might get one more chance to put on his cape when interest in the film is rekindled. Now Charlie and his wife (Jo McGinley) have to decide if it’s time to tell their son Billy (Paul Butcher) about his dad’s famous past.

The Legacy really does a terrific job of capturing what it means to be a true superhero fan. Despite the amount of obvious references to Superman himself, the short also conveys the young-at-heart adoration that exists for superheroes in general. The film expresses the idea that to discover something beyond the ordinary, all you have to do is believe in it hard enough. Audiences who have the opportunity will have a tough time not smiling at Billy’s genuine wide-eyed admiration for his “Super” father.  Charlie’s own not-so-subtle attempts to hide his secret are charming as well; he comes off as someone who is proud of his legacy as Kryptoman rather than conceited. It goes a long way towards keeping the film sentimental, rather than a parody.

The Legacy knows its audience very well and those who appreciate a heartwarming take on the superhero mythos will take the most away from this twelve-minute short. It’s a great little look at a part of popular culture that can leap off the pages and become a very real part of people’s lives.  Director Mike Doto’s ability to take his own genuine adoration for the source material and the competency of the film itself result in a film that can be enjoyed by just about anyone.