Sidekick isn't your average superhero movie. Written, produced and directed by York University graduates Michael Sparaga and Blake Van der Graaf, the film is a darkly comedic take on the popular genre from a Canadian perspective.

"As a Canadian, when it came to doing a superhero movie, why didn't I focus on the hero? Maybe it's because that's how I sort of feel, as a Canadian, like we are the sidekick," says writer-producer Sparaga.

Sparaga's sophomore feature film focuses on timid computer technician and comic book enthusiast, Norman Neale (David Ingram), who discovers the unusual telekinetic abilities of his arrogant colleague Victor Ventura (Perry Mucci) and decides to turn him into a superhero, and himself into his sidekick. But the film is not another fanboy superhero movie in a genre full of remakes and adaptations. It combines tried-and-true formulaic conventions of the genre (it has an alleyway scene; you have to have an alleyway scene) with an original look at human weakness and power.

"There is a twist to the genre in this movie that most people don't expect," Sparaga says.

Sidekick foregrounds the issues of heroism through Neale, who is a naïve all-around underdog that valorizes the ethics practised by his superhero idols.

"He's almost too naïve to live in the city, but do you know how many people in Toronto are just walking through the worst part of the city whistling Dixie on their way home?"

Despite his better judgement, Neale attempts to mould Ventura into a superhero, and he finds that there may not be a hero inside everyone - but there may be one in him.

Meanwhile, Ventura treads a complicated path corrupted by power and its consequences. Mucci plays a corporate bad boy turned super-villain with such subtle complexity that one can't help but sympathize with his fate.

Sparaga discusses the roles of Neale and Ventura in terms of their opposing personalities and how those personas translate into a global dichotomy.

"We have this dominant personality in Victor, he almost represents the States. Power certainly corrupts him, as it certainly does when any nation becomes a superpower. Victor is this sort of dominant personality, and Norman is the peacekeeper. He really believes that if you put on the U.N. costume, or the superhero costume, and you make public appearances you can sort of incite people to want to be better."

But the movie isn't about politics, and you shouldn't expect the movie to be your typical Canadian film. Though set in Toronto, it's the original story, universal themes and combination of wit and drama that propels this movie.

"The worst part of Canadian cinema is ‘Canadiana'. Most of our movies hit you over the head with singing beavers, in [a] Tim Hortons [coffee shop], with hockey sticks, singing ‘Oh Canada!' while they have bizarre sex," jokes Sparaga.

The superhero made its Toronto premiere at the Canadian Filmmakers Festival (CFF) in March as a beginning to a whirlwind tour across the country.

"It's an amazing concept, what we're doing, going literally from coast to coast, from Halifax to Vancouver."

Though currently focused on promoting Sidekick to Canadian audiences, Sparaga already has plans for continuing the story in sequels, following Norman's progression as a hero and Victor's descent into villainy. He hopes to offer Canadians a movie that is more attuned to what they are interested in seeing, particularly for all those comic book fans out there.

"At night, when the comic book store owners have kicked them out and they don't want to go home, they can maybe come see our movie."

And the movie has already proven to be a crowd pleaser. It won the People's Pick for Best Flick Award at the CFF and according to festival director Ben Euler, "It wasn't even close."

-Sidekick will be playing at the Royal Cinema next Saturday, Apr. 15 at 7pm.