Once the butt of the joke, Tubi has turned the streaming industry on its head. Tubi is the most used free streaming service and has something for everyone. I just opened up Tubi (not logged into my account) and here are the first horror movies I see: DGG’s Halloween, Ma, Jennifer’s Body, Terrifier, Annabelle Comes Home, Child’s Play, Ready or Not, ID4, The Devil’s Advocate, Hannibal. That’s just what comes up from a few scrolls to the right. AND that’s just the horror movies. After building a reliable base of users, Tubi has now ventured into making and exclusively releasing Tubi Originals, subtitled, “All the movies and shows we make just for you.” While the quality of many Tubi Originals has been given up for quantity, they are clearly heading in the right direction. World, meet Tubi Original Sunset Superman. (Let’s just get this out of the way real quick, this Tubi Original will be billed as Don’t Mess with Grandma but I’m going by its festival name here.)
Sunset Superman follows JT (Michael Jai White) who spends his days helping older people. One night he visits his grandmother (Jackie Richardson) to fix a leaky pipe and to have some soup. Things quickly go awry when he realizes Stan (Billy Zane) and his crew of misfit misanthropes are attempting to break into the house for unknown reasons. JT must utilize all of his military training to beat some asses and take some names. While doing so, he intends to ensure his grandmother doesn’t know anything untoward is happening. Can he, his grandmother, and good boi Rufus the dog survive this onslaught of backwoods burglars?
Writer/director Jason Krawczyk is back in action with his unique style of black comedy and blood. Krawczyk’s style shines bright in Sunset Superman, though his style might be a turn-off for some. Unlike He Never Died, Sunset Superman takes more of a comedy angle, allowing Michael Jai White and Billy Zane ample opportunities to ham it up in the best ways possible. Don’t let the comedy fool you, though- beneath the surface is a fistful of blood and an emotionally resonant story. Who wouldn’t turn over heaven and hell to make sure no one laid a finger on their grandmother? I know I sure would.
White and Zane chew the scenery like the gristle on a franchise steakhouse’s well-done steak. For some reason, these two actors never got the complete recognition they deserved. Between Spawn and Titanic, White and Zane literally owned 1997. To see these two incredible actors together on screen, even when one of them is purposefully makeup-ed into purposeful obscurity, is something we deserved years ago. They play off each other incredibly well, and it’s a blast to watch.
Fans of He Never Died might be slightly let down by the film’s focus on lighthearted comedy over action, but the action we get is spectacular. Seeing an unhinged Michael Jai White apologize as he flips a country bumpkin down the front stairs, or go mano y mano with a burglar who has snuck into the house is a joy to experience. Since Michael Jai White is extremely talented and can throw a punch as well as the best of them, the action never explicitly cuts from his face. Seeing Michael Jai White in full frame as he takes on each burglar is something we don’t see much in the action genre today. Some hits don’t feel as powerful due to a few issues with foley work, but that’s not enough to make the fight scenes feel less impactful.
Jason Krawczyk delivers what he promises: a charming home invasion comedy thriller. Michael Jai White, Billy Zane, and the rest of the bumbling intruders make Sunset Superman a blast from start to finish. One thing I wasn’t expecting was how optimistic the film ended up feeling, and I was thankful for that. It’s the type of film you can watch at a family gathering or with friends on a Friday night. Sunset Superman will be released on Tubi later this year under the title Don’t Mess with Grandma, and you won’t want to miss it.