WFG RATING: B+

A Surge of Power Productions film. Directed by Mario DeAngelis and Vincent J. Roth. Produced by Vincent J. Roth. Written by Blake Casselman and Vincent J. Roth. Cinematography by Gary Ahmed, Stefania Barr, Mario DeAngelis, Phillip Greenbaum, William Greenberg, Landon Hill, Michael Mason, James Panetta, and Fabian J. Tehrani. Edited by Kenneth Hoffmann.

Stars Vincent J. Roth, Eric Moran, Chase Cortese, Stephanie Ahn, Joseph Culp, Sam J. Jones, Shannon Farnon, Michael Gray, Jeff Rector, Tim Russ, Robert Picardo, and Nichelle Nichols. 

The LGBTQ superhero is back and this time, he’s going to need all the help he can get as the Council returns with a new plan for world domination.

Surge, one of the first LGBTQ superheroes, has returned and is heading to Phladelphia when he discovers his car and its AI program, Mavis, has been infected with a virus courtesy of the Council. Surge has dealt with the Council on numerous occasions. When he arrives, he meets the Smoke, a fellow superhero who at first seems like a villain. However, the two soon learn they are meant to become allies as they face a common enemy in a new member of the Council, the Fallen Apple. 

Ten years ago, the Fallen Apple’s father was murdered by an invisible killer and in order to get revenge after losing her father’s business, has been brainwashed by the Council’s Ace and Spade, With the help of new superhero Kid Dynamo, Surge and the Smoke must find a way to help the Fallen Angel overcome her anger and use her powers for good. For Surge, it will also mean he has a bigger destiny coming in store for him, one that will change his life forever. 

The first openly gay superhero in cinematic history has returned with a new adventure that not only sees him teaming up with a new hero in the sub-titular Smoke, but faces an even bigger destiny as he will be set for something greater. Once again, creator/star Vincent J. Roth delivers the good as the titular Surge and of course, with previous installments, he gets help from some of sci-fi greats in supporting roles while not having to resort to stereotypes.

What is great aside from the cameos and the appearance of new characters the Smoke (an original character by the late Robert Garrett) and Kid Dynamo (who resembles Kid Flash), we get a look into Surge’s backstory. A flashback shows Gavin (Surge’s identity) on his coming out celebration with his mother, which resulted not only in the one who got away, but also the death of his mother at the hands of a shooter. As for Smoke, we get his backstory as he was a military officer who was given a crystal that protected him from gunfire when he turns into a puff of smoke. Eric Moran is fantastic as the Smoke, who tends to want to be more like Punisher compared to other heroes. And yes, there’s tons of references and gags involving superheroes in the film.

As for the sci-fi cameos, Shannon Farnon (the voice of Wonder Woman in the Super Friends series) returns as Mavis with the hilarious Bruce Vilanch as the “virus”. There’s also the 1994 Fantastic Four’s Joseph Culp and Flash Gordon himself, Sam J. Jones as the villainous duo of Ace and Space. Star Trek icons Robert Picardo and Nichelle Nichols (in one of her final film appearances before her passing in 2022) play the genderfluid Omen, the leader of the Sentries, the heroes of good which Surge is a member of. Finally, there’s Michael Gray, who plaed Billy Batson in the Shazam! Series of the 1970s as reporter Will E. Bee. 

Chase Cortese makes a great addition as Kid Dynamo, who has the power to absorb kinetic energy to create super speed and read minds along with Stephanie Ahn’s Fallen Apple, who finds herself with a moral compass. The epilogue, and there is one, leaves open another new adventure for Surge and the team and it will happen with the announcement of Call of the Champions. 

Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke is another fun installment for cinema’s first out and proud superhero. Once again, it doesn’t resort much to stereotypes, has a great story involving a big destiny for our hero, and has some great allies along the way. Definitely a great break from the Marvel and DC hero films. 

For more information, go to SurgeofPower.org