Superman may be “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,” but the Crimson Bolt has a heavy wrench and Ellen Page.

The unconventional superhero, played by Rainn Wilson, is the star of the new aptly titled film “Super,” which screened at South by Southwest Film Festival on March 12.

“Super” tells the story of Frank D’Arbo (Wilson), a lowly short-order cook whose wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) leaves him for a drug dealer (Kevin Bacon). Convinced that Sarah did not go willingly, D’Arbo invents a super alter ego and begins fighting crime — or, in other words, dressing up in a costume and beating offenders over the head with a huge wrench. The Crimson Bolt’s exploits escalate when he teams up with Libby, an overzealous comic book shop employee who invents her own super sidekick persona, Boltie.

While the “real life superhero” movie plotline was refreshing a few years ago, its prevalence in recent films has made it a little stale.

But “Super” is not a just a “Kick Ass” knockoff. In fact, it’s unfortunate that “Super” is being released post-“Kick Ass” because the film was actually conceived roughly a decade ago.

Simultaneously witty and startlingly violent, “Super” is a much grittier film. And, while that may be all a viewer would take away from it after a casual watch, a closer examination of the film suggests some very interesting questions about relative morality, justice, and the idol worship of superheroes.

Wilson’s performance is particularly impressive, as he is able to bring out an intriguing dry humor in an otherwise steadfast, violent vigilante role.