The Super Network

Dir: Gerard Johnson
Starring: Peter Ferdinando

The Film
Looking at the DVD cover art, I honestly was unsure of what to expect from this film. Tony is there covered in blood, and it simply states ‘London Serial Killer’. Without any further research I popped the DVD in and experienced something quite unexpected.

Tony is a film about a socially awkward man, who sits in his apartment watching action films all day (need I be worried he mentions one of my personal favourites No Retreat No Surrender?), he invites random people in and then proceeds to kill them. He wakes up and his day starts over again, he is either out walking the streets or at home. He does not work, he does not wish to work, as we say here he’s a plain old ‘dole bludger’. He looks like the normal typical man that you might find staring uncomfortably at you while riding the train home. He is content with what he does, he doesn’t want it to change and when threatened he will take action.

Writer/Director Gerard Johnson gives a strange but not whole picture of a man who has no real life to speak of and he kills. It is somewhat disappointing that there is never a clear indication of his motivations and how long he has been doing this. At the same time it adds realism and a disturbing element to not know this and wonder why he became this way. The script is intelligent and the dialogue and actions of the characters does feel very real. The star Peter Ferdinando is a revelation; he truly does disappear inside of Tony. Taking the script he really adds on several layers to the character while still keeping a very mysterious aura about him. Tony is a disturbing man; he is not a likable man yet there is a strange attraction to him and almost sympathy to him. The side characters play off him well, and there is a real sense of awkwardness there. One scene in particular is when Tony takes home a man from a bar, and not taking any notice of the flirt happening, and when the man pushes Tony into doing something you can just feel he is going to snap.

The film was a quite and sombre piece, very reminiscent of two other serial killer films Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Dahmer. It was its own vehicle however; showing us a brief time in this mans life. There is not much to really fault here; it certainly is rather disturbing in much the same those two films I just mentioned are. The character feels very feel, and you don’t want to feel sympathy for him but you do. It hits hard, and it certainly will have me questioning the people I walk past on the street or see in the Centrelink office. It does not preach anything; it aims to give a realistic portrayal of a man in this situation. It does not say all men (or women) who live alone are crazy serial killers, or that we should feel one way or another of them. If anything it does try and bring to light issues within the systems, how does one man get away with having no employment for 20 years simply because he doesn’t wish to work? How does this treatment ultimately affect a person?

This is very much a film that I do like to see from time to time, especially when it is done so well. Fantastic job by all involved, I do highly recommend at least a rental for this one. It is not very long and I actually wanted to see a good 20 minutes more. Tony is both interesting and disturbing, a good if not all-that thorough character piece.

The Australian DVD
The film has a grainy look to it, while it might be an issue for some, it just added to the dark tone and realism of the film. The audio was crystal clear, when stuff happened you really could hear it and it definitely helped with the atmosphere.

The DVD disc itself does not contain any film related special features, it does have trailers to up coming releases. I would have liked to have seen (well heard) a director’s commentary, a little more insight would have been a great addition.

Rating

Order here.

Thanks to Bill at Gryphon Entertainment for the copy.