Secret Headquarters streams on Paramount+ in the UK from August 13, 2022. In the US you can stream the film a day earlier on August 12.
Synopsis
While hanging out after school, Charlie and his friends discover the headquarters of the world’s most powerful superhero hidden beneath his home. When villains attack, they must team up to defend the headquarters and save the world.
Review
The superhero genre is certainly looking good on Owen Wilson. After winning rave reviews from critics (and fans) in Marvel Studios’ Loki, the actor is returning to the genre for the family friendly Secret Headquarters on Paramount+.
The films hails from duo Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the directors of Netflix’s superhero feature Project Power and is based on an original idea from Christopher Yost, one of the co-writers of Thor: Ragnarok. Together the team is aiming to create a truly family-friendly super powered picture which harkens back to the success of films such as 2005’s Sky High.
Putting the focus squarely on its young cast immediately separates Secret Headquarters from the rest of the pack. It successfully broadens the appeal of its premise allowing the younger audience far more breathing space to identify with its characters. What better way to appeal to young superhero fans than showing them versions of themselves on screen?
The young cast is led by Walker Scobell as Charlie Kincaid, son of Wilson’s world famous superhero The Guard. Scobell arrives off the back of his stellar debut in The Adam Project and shows just why Disney deemed him worthy of taking on Percy Jackson in their upcoming series. At only the age of 13, Scobell has incredible comedic timing. He imbues Charlie with a razor sharp wit but also a credible degree of strength and vulnerability. His flawed relationship with his father also gives the film some well-earned character development and heart.
The rest of the young ensemble includes Keith L. Williams as Berger, Momon Tamada as Maya, Kezii Curtis as Big Mac and Abby James Witherspoon as Lizzie. Applause is deserved for the producers, including Jerry Bruckheimer, for a diverse group of characters. Though there is no obvious LGBTQ+ representation, the mix of age, race and gender is refreshing. Each of the cast also plays a pivotal role. Whilst Scobell is undoubtedly the lead, Charlie wouldn’t be able to single-handedly traverse Secret Headquarters‘ narrative without his friends.
Abby James Witherspoon is undoubtedly a comedic talent to watch. She exudes confidence in her own abilities as an actor. Whilst Lizzie seems at first to be an annoyance, she quickly becomes a source of brilliant humour within the group. Neither Witherspoon nor Tamada play a damsel in distress either. Whilst Tamada’s Maya is a love interest for Charlie, there’s far more to her character than that. Joost, Schulman and Josh Koenigsberg’s screenplay affords plenty of character for each of Charlie’s peers.
A little more problematic are the film’s villains. Falling in line behind Michael Peña as Argon we have Jesse Williams as Irons, Michael Anthony as Wisconsin, Dustin Ingram as Jersey, Charles Melton as Hawaii and Levy Tran as Virginia. Though they are an equally diverse cast, the group falls in to several traps such as Jesse Williams’ facial scar. In 2022 it feels like we should have moved on from the idea of “white people = saviour”, “scar = villain”. That being said, the villains are a compelling group of deer do wells. Peña, in particular, is having fun putting his already proven comedic chops towards something more delectably evil.
Behind the scenes Secret Headquarters harbours some excellent talent. Regular Zack Snyder collaborator Larry Fong takes on cinematography duties. Secret Headquarters had initially been set for a theatrical release before pivoting to streaming. Fong brings his typically cinematic vision to the film. The Guard’s sprawling man cave is beautifully lit, providing Fong with the opportunity to exploit its various levels and corners for alluring compositions. Brining some musical clout to the film is Lorne Balfe, a cult favourite composer known for the live-action Ghost In The Shell, Pacific Rim: Uprising and the upcoming Black Adam. Balfe adds a lively soundscape which accompanies Fong’s visuals.
For the most part, special effects are well executed. The film features a mix of practical and visual effects between superhero costumes and antics. With the proposed theatrical release in mind, it all looks great and well integrated with the practical sets. The design for The Guard’s costume evokes a similar look to Image Comics’ Radiant Black series. It’s an engaging design that will no doubt be fun for kids to look at. But it also works practically in a world where Iron Man feels like an everyday occurrence.
Verdict
Filled with youthful energy, Secret Headquarters is a brilliant, fun superhero adventure for all the family.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
