Griff the Invisible (2010) User Reviews

You only need one person to see you as a superhero

[siderite · 7/10 · 17 July 2014]

Released in the same year as Kick Ass, Griff the Invisible is also about a wannabe superhero. Working in an office at day, bullied and seen as weird by his coworkers, Ryan Kwanten's character assumes the identity of Griff the Protector at night. Doomed to be forever weird, his salvation comes in the form of another weird person, played by the ridiculously beautiful Maeve Dermody, who falls for him as the only person who is like her that she has met.

Now, I can't really say if I liked the movie or not. I loved the idea of the invisibility cloak made by soaking a suit in invisible ink and other quirky ideas like that, but in the end we are talking about weird romance and not superheroes, a switch that comes into play around the middle of the film. If you feel out of place in the "real world" you might feel the vibe that connects you to the characters, but the underlying drama of it all made me feel more uncomfortable than I would have wanted. Is Griff insane or not? And if yes, is that OK if he found the girl willing to love and enable him in his insanity? Watch the film and answer for yourself.

"Griff the Invisible"

[dee.reid · 7/10 · 29 December 2011]

Leon Ford's "Griff the Invisible," Australia's answer to the superheroes-in-the-real-world approach popular in the United States, is an interesting little low-budget romantic comedy masquerading as a superhero flick. Some people may be turned off by the apparent lack of superhero action in this film, but as the ending of "Griff the Invisible" proves, it's the "reality" of what goes on that counts.

Griff (Ryan Kwanten) is a socially awkward office employee by day, and a not-so-anonymous superhero called "Griff" by night. He prowls the streets of his local neighborhood fighting crime. At the office, he's the target of the office bully, and Griff takes to sneaking in the office at night to set up booby traps to pull off the next day.

Griff's older brother Tim (Patrick Brammall) has recently begun dating the equally socially awkward Melody (Maeve Dermody). Melody is a budding young scientist obsessed with trying to unlock the secrets to inter-dimensional travel. In Griff, she finds a kindred spirit, which proves problematic for her current relationship with his brother.

"Griff the Invisible" is a competently acted little superhero film. One thing that may kill the experience, however, is a third-act twist that lends further credence to a commonly-held belief about the supposed mental instability of people who try to be real-life superheroes. This is unfortunate, because it's firmly established that Griff is far from "normal," but we seem to sympathize him, his relationship with Melody and his mission to save the world, but we also understand that there is nothing wrong with being "weird." Griff and Melody are perfect for each other because they're so "weird" and don't have to worry about being "normal" (like everybody else).

"Griff the Invisible" takes the whole superheroes-in-the-real-world to a level not previously seen in other films dealing with the subject (like "Kick-Ass" or "Super"). It's a flawed movie, but don't let its flaws kill your enjoyment of it.

7/10

This is thankfully not Australia's answer to Kick-Ass. It's a much more curious and interesting film

[Likes_Ninjas90 · 7/10 · 27 March 2011]

Griff (Ryan Kwanten) is a timid officer worker, regularly bullied in the workplace by his colleague Tony (Toby Schmitz). At night, Griff sees himself as a superhero, fighting crime as a means of justice. He has a computer system set up in his tiny apartment to help him monitor street activity. Griff's brother Tim (Patrick Brammall) has moved back from Adelaide to make sure that he isn't returning to his superhero phase and warns him about staying out of trouble. When Griff is introduced to Tim's new girlfriend Melody (Maeve Dermody) there's an instant attraction between the two of them. She's an oddball herself, who works in her father's hardware store but is more interested in science and physics. She appreciates Griff for being as peculiar as she is.

At once charming and frustrating, Griff the Invisible shares the same identity crisis as its protagonist. Leon Ford is the film's novice writer and director and I don't think he has a complete hold on what sort of film he's made. It's deliberately quirky, working with a tone that moves from black, exaggerated comedy to romance and eventually into more disturbing territory. There are essentially three narratives running throughout the film too. The subplot involving the office and Griff's sabotage of his bully is the least successful. It's relatively implausible and too much time is spent on it for it to be left unresolved. The other two concerning Griff's heroics and his involvement with Melody are tiptoed around slowly and lack an overall goal. Nonetheless, I was surprised and grateful of the film's ability to subvert the tired conventions of the superhero genre. The trailer to Griff does a disservice to the material. Out of context, the dialogue seems forced and laughably corny. I cringed when first hearing the line: "I live in a bubble that no one gets into. But you Griff...You get into my bubble". But within the film itself the bizarre dialogue is fitting with its social outcasts and the concepts of imitation and imagination. I just wish the film had made us more aware of its artifice though. The early crime fighting scenes are too literal. It will be a test to see if audiences realise the film's very slight self-referencing. There are a few quiet laughs gained from its awareness but the script could have been even funnier if the audience could view Griff's antics objectively. More satisfying are the performances. Kwanten and Dermody make a likable pair of kooks and reinforce the film's sweet message that attraction is defined by transparency, rather than normality or conformity. This is thankfully not Australia's answer to Kick-Ass. It's a much more curious and interesting film.

A Geek Love Story - I love it!

[nancyldraper · 7/10 · 5 September 2018]

A geek love story - I love it. A great premise, well executed. Separating the real from the imaginary and living in the middle. Great acting from some great Australian talent. I give this film a 7 (good) out of 10. {Superhero RomCom}

LOL comedy imagination reminds me how we do the impossible

[AthenaStardear · 20 November 2011]

Last I checked, police cars we're still burning fossil fuels and stuck on planet earth, while imagination take us anywhere. This movie made it enjoyable to share the character's blurred line between imagination and reality, to fight crime and do amazing things.

Totally clean humor fun. Glad I paid attention to details that make it LOL funny numerous times, both at the characters and myself.

Nothing at all like other recent similarly framed films.

With surprises along the way, Griff is a refreshing a dash of fantasy science fiction, with a focus that reminds me that innovation starts with imagination - portrayed in a simple way that brings it all down to earth.

Though there was heartbreak, it ended perfectly; plus an extra star for appreciating kitties.

Travis Bickle Lite

[evanston_dad · 7/10 · 25 July 2012]

For every Batman out there, who's got gobs of money and gadgets galore to do his crime fighting for him, how many other self-anointed superheroes make do with homemade costumes and gadgets that can be pieced together with plunder from the local hardware store? That's the question "Griff the Invisible" poses at its start, introducing us to a quiet, painfully shy office worker who takes the law into his own hands when the sun goes down. But what at first seems like it's going to be a quirky riff on the superhero formula goes in surprising, and surprisingly serious, directions, and gives us instead a movie about what it means to be normal in a world that can be anything but.

Ryan Kwanten buries his natural good looks under a socially awkward persona and gives a sweet, painful performance as Griff. He plays Griff rather like a benign version of Travis Bickle, Robert De Niro's uber-scary character in "Taxi Driver," an unassuming guy who's completely out of touch with the world around him and goes home at night to entertain fantasies about being the hero in the drama of his own making.

Of course "Taxi Driver" goes into far darker places than "Griff the Invisible," and that's actually one of the things I didn't like about the latter movie. Griff's adherence to a fantasy world isn't healthy and shouldn't really be humored as his girlfriend suggests it should. How long before illusion and reality blur in the head of someone like that, with who knows what kinds of consequences? But the movie isn't interested in discussing that particular question at any length, which makes for a happier, sweeter ending, if a somewhat dishonest one.

Grade: A-

Diff is Griff, an Aussie flick that is funny, romantic and DIFFERENT

[inkblot11 · 7/10 · 22 October 2013]

Griff (Ryan Kwanten) is a doormat at his place of employment. One co-worker in particular bullies him and piles a great deal of his work onto Griff. But, at night, Griff gets some revenge. This affable but quiet young adult man dresses up in a homemade superhero costume and chases the bad guys away from his immediate neighborhood. Very clever, Griff has hooked up a viewing system to see crimes outside his building and, when needed, he swoops in. You'd have to think that the perps are surprised at his actions but they usually stop and run. Of course, this does not really sit well with the local police force. In fact, they hang posters up looking for the loner hero. Even Griff's handsome brother Tim comes to live in the same town, to keep an eye on his odd sibling. One day, Tim happens to meet a lovely lady, Melody (Maeve Dermody) and, after one date, he tells Griff that she is THE ONE. Yet, Maeve is not certain, being a bit unusual herself and still living at home. Lo and behold, when Tim brings Melody to Griff's apartment for a how-do-you-do, Melody almost instantly prefers Griff, making for big problems ahead. Never having head a real romance, will Griff respond to Melody's charms, and, hurt his own brother? Will G give up his superhero acts? This is quite an unusual film from Australia but rather enjoyable for those who like things a bit different. The viewer doesn't truly understand how, even with a costume, Griff stops crime or that when he claims to be invisible, he is still in plain sight. Yet, it doesn't matter. No one in the States will recognize the actors at this point but they are all fine. Sets, costumes, a winning script and an amusing direction make this a fun little indie. If you can see from this description that it might suit you, go get Griff.

A super-hero flavored thought experiment about fantasy worlds

[GwydionTheQuick · 5/10 · 22 November 2011]

Griff the Invisible is more about the clash between a persons fantasy world and the real world around him than being a real-life super-hero film similar to Defendor. It starts out like a vigilante film but as the film progresses it becomes clear that most of the super hero things happening around Griff only exists in his fantasy world. So you think that maybe he is somewhat mentally challenged like Arthur Poppington in Defendor. But near the end, it turns out that Griff actually wants to live in this fantasy world out of his own choosing. Even though this is an unusual approach to the real-life super hero concept it is only very briefly touched in the film by the dialogues and actions of Melody.

While the film has a very strong female lead with a colorful and lovable performance from Maeve Dermody, the male lead, the titular character Griff, falls short on these issues and after the half of the film he becomes a dull and boring character. Melody represent the fantasy world VS real world issues better then Griff who seems to be stuck in the fantasy world and with the exception of a scene near the end of the film, he is like a mentally challenged poor guy who fails on nearly every aspect.

I think the main problem of the film is it tries to explain its main point through Melody not through Griff. Thus, in my opinion, had it been focused on Melody, and Griff being the male supporting character, the film would be much more interesting to watch and its main idea would be far more effective.

Griff is Great!

[doug-697 · 9/10 · 12 September 2010]

I just saw Griff the Invisible about two hours ago at the Toronto International Film Festival. There have been a number of average-guys-becoming-superhero movies this year and this is Australia's contribution. However, I'd have to say this is easily the best. The best part of the film is the quirky originality of the two main characters, Griff and Melody. They are weird, funny and believable. They don't fit any stock type of character I've seen before, but appear as two genuinely original creations. At the end of the movie, I felt like I wanted to see more of these characters.

Griff the Invisible is also different from all the other offerings because the others hit you over the head with the predictable moral that superheros are just a fantasy (like we don't know that) and that reality is better than fantasy. Without giving anything away, this film turns that moral on it's head. For once a movie doesn't make you feel guilty about your adolescent fantasies!

The movie was very well received by the Festival crowd with healthy applause and even some yells of appreciation at the end. I think the movie was mostly appreciated for the likability of the characters, the humour, the fresh writing style and just the general entertainment value.

Australian rom com with a super hero - of sorts

[t-dooley-69-386916 · 6/10 · 26 February 2016]

Griff (Ryan Kwanten) is a nerd. He works in an office where he is bullied by the alpha male and spends his time fighting crime – imaginary crime – in a rubber suit with a gig 'G' on the front. His brother has been looking out for him but is despairing of his nocturnal habits and the costume he wears.

Then Melody is introduced into his life. She is supposed to be his brother's girlfriend but finds an affinity with the nervous younger brother instead. She also has 'issues' the belief that she can align her molecules with those of a wall and thereby pass through it, being an obvious quirk.

This film is essentially about people with mental issues and is not a super hero film per se. It is also not really very funny, but on the relationship part it actually scores reasonably well. The acting is all fine and for a small budget film it does not seem to suffer but I felt it could have been funnier, or it may be my sense of humour as a lot of folk have said they did find it to be a laughathon. That aside it is still a reasonable watch and does have its heart in the right place.

See it for the romance, not the superhero

[chaz-28 · 5/10 · 6 September 2011]

People see the world through different windows. Most of us see the everyday stark reality of work, home, and family. A few people see things a bit more unusually. On the surface, Griff (Ryan Kwanten) leads an unassuming and mundane life. He has a job as a shipping liaison in a cramped cubicle, he does not enjoy talking to people, and he seems to hide even when he is walking on the street. Because of Griff's social ineptitude, he is a magnet for bullies. There is a bully at work who singles out Griff for torment and even Griff's brother Tim (Patrick Brammall) makes Griff feel uncomfortable with his overbearing manner.

Griff has a secret though. There is a reason he chooses not to have any friends and only works rote office jobs. He is a superhero. At night, he scans the streets with a telescope and a bank of computers from his apartment searching out ruffians intent on harming neighborhood women. The police commissioner will call him with tips and thanks for a job well done. To keep his superhero costume in working order and incorporate new technologies, Griff visits a local hardware store and always warns the cashier to forget he was ever there.

Melody (Maeve Dermody) also has a secret. She realizes that since there is so much space between the atoms in our bodies and the atoms in walls that if she aligns herself just right, she can walk through walls. She happens across Griff and is mesmerized. Here is a kindred spirit. Melody cannot stand the workaday men who fancy her because they see the world as it really is. Griff, on the other hand, does not see hardly any reality and this strikes Melody as the most wonderful thing she has ever seen.

The story and interactions between aloof Griff and curious Melody work. They have a special conversational style and truly understand one another. When they are on screen together, the film works. Unfortunately, when they are apart and it is just Griff and his superhero activities, the film is a complete mess. Griff is really not a very interesting character when it is just him in his apartment trying out new superhero ideas. Melody is the character the audience cares about and wants to watch, so whenever she is off screen, you spend that time just waiting for her to reappear.

Difference is a good thing, executed beautifully

[shazwoza41 · 9/10 · 21 March 2011]

The film centres around the title character Griff, a socially anxious young man who spends his days working a mundane office job. Unfortunately his shy nature makes him an easy target for a co-worker to bully Griff on a daily basis. At night, Griff assumes the identity of "Griff the Protector", sworn protector of the neighbourhood. His well-intentioned and concerned older brother sees this behaviour as abnormal (no really, he does) and is at a loss of how to help him. His brother's girlfriend finds Griff's behaviour attractive.

This is a movie that appeals to the strange nature in all of us that we all keep bottled up inside, hidden from the outside world. The two central characters are almost caricatures of what it is to be strange and different given their loose grip on reality, yet they still manage to be believable, which is a testament to the sharp and consistent writing and the amazing performances by Ryan Kwanten (Griff) and Maeve Dermody (Melody) to portray them.

At its core, Griff the Invisible is a love story. Nothing is more endearing than watching these two innocent and strange beings find each other and connect in all their strangeness. Together they create their own vivid reality, which I think the kid in all of us wishes we could be a part of.

Doesn't matter how great a concept is if it's executed terribly.

[tsrtrhs · 4/10 · 21 January 2013]

AFter readying a lot of things about this film, I was excited to give it a try. The first twenty minutes had pricked my curiosity, as I really enjoyed Griff's character at the time and the chemistry in the office. However, the plot takes awkward and jerky turns to try to get to the ultimate point: that Griff is mentally handicapped. It's easy enough to follow, but the second half of the film seems to be confused as to whether it wants to be a comedy or a drama, and makes the pot worse by sprinkling in random "philosophy" on life, copping out at the end, using terrible transitions, and ending with the worst song in the soundtrack. This film had potential, but hardly any of it was tapped.

The title is just to fool you into watch a lame romantic film

[hunter-markell · 3/10 · 17 February 2013]

I only give this a 3 strictly because there were some truly laugh out loud moments in the film, but the ending is just horrible. If you were like me thinking you were about to see a kick-ass action flick the beginning of the movie does the trick. Sitting in your sit like thinking "yeah this is getting good" midway through the film it gets away from all of that and just when you think that there's gonna be like some awesome boss battle at the end of the movie or something the only thing he has to battle is himself and the fight for love. ugh so corny. Great kid's film play it for a little girl or something though because a boy would not like this film nor do I think you would want a little boy to watch this. The female lead is a very beautiful woman. The acting is OK. I'm just angry because it was in the action-adventure section in netflix and i just got suckered into watch a lame ass romantic-comedy-ish film. If your looking for a cheesy action adventure movie do not watch this film repeat DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM IS YOUR LOOKING FOR A SUPERHERO MOVIE. The ending oh my god.. don't get me started. I created this profile just to review this movie and possible save you an hour and a half of wasted time.

I can see you...

[diamonddave247 · 9/10 · 31 July 2019]

I don't usually write reviews, but this movie has touched me. Like the two main characters in this film, I am on the spectrum, and considered a "high functioning autistic". On the exterior, appearing quite "normal", but the internal wiring is very different. This film explores many of the aspects of living with autism, from difficulties in relationships with family, friends, and co-workers. It helps to teach others what autism might be like through the eyes of someone else with autism. What a beautiful way to approach the subject. Through a love story, of sorts. We learn that autistic people can find love and be accepted for who they are, without having to change, or pretend to be "normal". I loved the message. It has not been told in quite this way before. If you feel different from everyone else, if you feel alone in this world, if you have very few friends, if you feel invisible in a crowded room,...watch this movie. It will give you hope.

Where the impossible become the possible

[info-174-938598 · 30 September 2011]

Griff The Invisible is a lovely story about Griff (Ryan Kwanten – True Blood) and Melody (Maeve Dermody – Beautiful Kate) who live in their own solitary worlds. They come together when they discover they are a like with their passion for the impossible.

Griff is a quiet character who gets teased at his office day job. When the sun goes down, he becomes a hero by saving people from random attacks in the night. He goes on a mission to create an invisibility cloak and succeeds. Who would have thought you could make this possible with two simple ingredients. But I'm not going to tell you, you'll have to wait until you see the movie.

Melody is a loner and an experimental scientist. She's into physics and tries her hardest to walk through walls as she figures out that there is all this space between matter, so it must be possible. I actually got goose bumps when her hand imprinted in the wall when she first succeeds, hair raising stuff.

This is a true Australian style film with lots of humour and great Aussie actors; Patrick Brammall, Toby Schmitz, Marshall Napier and Heather Mitchell.

I felt so many different emotions, some I'm not familiar with. I think because they touched a nerve with me i.e. physics and different dimensions, it got me thinking, as I often wonder about this stuff. It was a truly beautiful moment when they realised their uniqueness made them the same. They could relate to each other and communicate on the same level. It is just like in reality, when you meet someone amazing when you least expect it and you both get each other, it's magical.

Potentially interesting idea, missed on the execution

[justben · 5/10 · 19 March 2011]

The premise is interesting, but the scripting and directing were too loose. The film meandered in the middle, repeating points already made and ignoring the opportunity to add depth and colour. Ultimately the main characters had too easy a passage through their challenges.

Kwanten & Dermody give good performances in the lead roles, but the script didn't give the supporting actors much to work with. Unfortunately, some of the supporting cast proceeded to give even less.

The relationship between Griff the Title Character (Kwanten) and his brother Tony was handled quite nicely. They're an interesting reflection of each other.

DIY superhero meets girl - what to do?

[bksutherland · 8/10 · 12 September 2010]

Griff is a meek customer service client by day, lion-hearted, troubled superhero by night. What are the right words to reassure victims but put fear in the hearts of criminals. What is the right look for a super suit? What are the right weapons for fighting crime. What is the line between stalking and neighbourhood watch. Are super powers something that you can invent by believing in yourself or by others believing in you. Griff's DIY approach to the modern superhero is challenged by meeting a woman of equal imagination, vision and determination. A funny and smart film with great chemistry, top secret package delivery, and real imaginary special effects. Because the problems of invisibility require special solutions.

Disappointing

[patrick-giddy · 3/10 · 8 March 2011]

Everyone wants Australian films to be successful and so watching this I wanted to like it. I really did.

However, the reality is the plot is basic at best, the acting average at best and unfortunately it's all too predictable. I appreciate such a concept is a risk with Australian audiences and good on them for having a go...but they fail miserably. Indeed the script really doesn't allow the audience to identify with many of the characters and it's all wrapped up so quickly at the end (again, predictably) that you're left wondering why you didn't leave half way through.

Kudos to Maeve Dermody who carries the cast but all round this would be better going straight to DVD. How it got funding will be one of life's great mysteries.

Good start and music, but not much else

[joe-1588 · 4/10 · 23 August 2011]

When the movie started out, I thought I was in for an interesting super-hero movie. A quirky character who is a complete loser that puts on a suit and can crush crime, while also pulling pranks in the office. Throw in a potential love triangle with the main character, his brother, and his brothers girlfriend, and it seems like it has potential to be a goofy super hero movie, with the expectation it might be light on action.

But soon you find the movie dragging on with nothing really too interesting happening, just moving from one scene to the next where you don't feel any real connection to the characters. Perhaps it is because the characters are so odd that it is hard for me to connect with them, or perhaps it is just a bad script and acting. The music and the idea that something interesting might present itself further in the plot kept me in my seat through to the end, but I had to struggle when it felt like it was going nowhere.

At the end of the day, this movie isn't a comedy, it isn't an action/super-hero movie, and it isn't a drama. It is a confusing romance movie lacking in romance and filling in that void with quirk and music that makes you feel like there is more to it.

The Alternative film industries take on superheroes

[colinjamesmcdermott · 10/10 · 17 January 2019]

When we see superheroes today, we see these powerful, immortal, can't do no wrong type figures. Griff the invisible twists this, in the same way Unbroken twists this Genre but without the boring monologues, with a stack of Humour and far more character depth. The characters you will fall in love with. Be it Melody who does not want to be in a typical society, Griff the true hero of the film or various brothers/bosses/onlookers. Not only does Griff the invisible make you think about introspection and how you fit into a world as an individual. It does this by making you ROFL your heart out. A movie you will fall in love with, a true 10 star film.

Muddled whimsical fairy tale, with no discernible story; poorly scripted, directed and photographed.

[BOUF · 1/10 · 16 November 2010]

Muddle-city! It's hard to say exactly what this is about, because a clear story never really kicks in. It seems to sputter into life a couple of times, but mostly it's a collection of caricatures bumbling through a curious assembly of borrowed ideas, styles and themes, few of which stack up. At some points it's possible to imagine that this collection of whimsical clichés might make a good children's film, but the lack of dramatic shape, or of a convincing world for the characters to inhabit, would have children heading for the exit long before I did. Unfortunately, it's one of those films which annoy for its squandering of resources. I've never seen Ryan Kwanten so mis-directed, and wonder why some of the very experienced names attached to the film didn't notice that there was no clear shape at script, dailies or rough-cut stage. Perhaps they did notice, yet they still allowed the writer/director and producer to go ahead and spend millions of dollars in the hope the muddle could be assembled into a coherent whole. I hope a few people enjoy it, and that its authors take heed of the number of people who pay to see it, before they embark on their next work.

A thoroughly charming film.

[lj_gray13 · 8/10 · 10 September 2010]

First film we saw of the TIFF 2010 season and a great start it was. Very engaging movie with great acting that makes the viewer wonder at times if the unbelievable really might be plausible. There were lots of laughs (and, according to the director - an affable chap, mostly in the right places) as well as many poignant moments, which all flowed together into a satisfying conclusion. Absolutely worth seeing and superior to the spate of would-be superhero movies making movie theater rounds the last few years. Ryan Kwanten, as Griff, quickly draws the audience to his side through his earnest belief in his cause and has them rooting for him and his mission. Maeve Dermody gives a sense of otherworldliness to the character of Melody; she is strange and adorable. An office bully and a well meaning brother thrown into the mix make the duties of this superhero harder than necessary.

Not Australian hero to someday work with other "real" heroes...

[cadadmail · 4/10 · 23 August 2011]

This is a quirky romantic/comedy - NOT A SUPERHERO MOVIE.

That said - it is amazing if not for the fact nothing is "real".

2 people find each other and you feel very good for them.

The special effects are very amazing - enough to confuse you into forgetting this is NOT a superhero movie. Very high quality! You feel sad once you understand his life, but happy he found someone.

Also for me - I found it weird nothing 'Australian' popped out as I watched. Is that unusual a foreign movie that does show off their country? Very tight relationship movie.

A solid 4 because the hero I saw wasn't as super as the poster lead me to believe...just super because he was there for his woman.

"Griff the Invisible" should have stayed that way.

[Paranoyia · 3/10 · 2 September 2011]

Sigh... Here we go again.

I only recently reviewed "Super", exposing it for what it was: a cheap exploitation. "Griff the Invisible" is just as much so as "Super". Read my review on "Super", all the points I made against it are valid in this case as well. These movies do not have to be about "the darker side" of being a superhero. In case of Griff, he's not even a hero, he's an antihero in the correct sense of a word. Dictionary definition states the following: antihero is a central character of a work of fiction who lacks the traditional heroic virtues.

All the usual shenanigans are there in the case of Griff: a very unsympathetic protagonist, a lack of motivation, a lack of a defined antagonist (bad for a superhero movie, "Super" had a good one though) and a very strong female lead.

The movie is essentially about an adult that's unable to grow up, living in a fantasy world and a girl that comes to his aid. Very similar to "Defendor", except that particular movie wasn't bad at all (also the protagonist had a mental developmental disability).

The movie is also full of pseudo-scientific nonsense to make it seem more intellectual, where's it comes out as silly to anyone with even an elementary knowledge of the discussed (pseudo-)scientific topics. I shall give one example of this. One of the main characters pounders a "theoretical" possibility of one physical object being able to move straight through another, due to the fact that most space between the molecules and atoms that an object is comprised of is empty. That fact is true: we are mostly empty space if we're talking about matter only. But those atoms and molecules also have bonds between them to form an object, unless it is a gas where those bonds are very weak. These bonds keep us together, were they to break we would fall apart. These bonds are energetic in nature, they would be disrupted if another bond were to be introduced in the same space. To penetrate solid matter an object has to reach a superfluid state, a highly homogeneous state of matter, but even then it is not really penetrating anything, but rather seeping through tiny empty cracks, benefiting from a complete lack of friction. It goes without saying that one would never survive such a transformation.

Oh, yes, there's also a lot of metaphysical garbage as well and as some of us may know: metaphysics is useless because it can be used to explain everything, since it itself is built out of the unknowable.

The only two good things I have to say about Griff are as follows. Maeve Dermody who plays Melody does so very neatly. She brings a lot of life into this barren wasteland of a film. She's also a great actress, I hope to see her in a movie that is actually good. Also the soundtrack is very nice indeed.

The ending is interesting, but I had seen it done before, so nothing special there.

Nothing else to say about it really. As a struggling superhero sub-genre goes this one is nothing to write home about. I suggest you skip it. Two points to Maeve and a half to the soundtrack, rounding it down, just because I feel like it.