Jim Morazzini
Back when this site was just starting up, one of the first films I reviewed was Surge of Power: Revenge Of The Sequel, a lighthearted, low-budget LGBTQ superhero comedy. And now, nearly seven years later, Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke, the third film and fifth movie in the series, is premiering at the Tarzana International Film Festival.
Ten years ago, Chai Appuru’s (Stephanie Ahn) father (Duy Beck, Made in Chinatown, Celestial Hunt) was killed before her helpless eyes by a glass of poisoned scotch, leading her to become the vigilante known as Falling Apple. In the present, Surge (Vincent J. Roth, Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes, Surge of Power: Doctor Who Tribute) returns to the big city after the events of Surge of Dawn when an AI virus forces him to make an emergency stop in Philadelphia.
This also deactivates his AI assistant MAVIS (Shannon Farnon, The Forbidden Dance, Against a Crooked Sky), but not before she tells him to look for Omen, played in some scenes by Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek, Truck Turner) in her final role and in others by Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager, Mansion of Blood).
She also tells him to find The Smoke (Eric Moran, Women’s Erotic Wrestling: Diva Destruction, Patient: 23), a fellow superhero whose methods are far more deadly than Surge’s. The two must put aside their differences and work together if they want to thwart the Council’s latest plan.
I wonder what went on behind the scenes of Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke, since the film had three directors: Mario DeAngelis (The 12 Bloody Days of Christmas, Taking Them Home), Jeff Rector (Revamped, Fatal Kiss), and its star Vincent J. Roth. It also lists five writers as screenwriters: Blake Casselman (Adopting Trouble, Kiss the Devil in the Dark) and Vincent J. Roth for the screenplay, Enoch Scott for the dialogue, and DeAngelis, Roth, and James A. Ward (Quantum Leap, The Hit Girl) are all credited as story writers. That’s a lot of people for a film that’s only a little over an hour long, including credits.
Thankfully, it pays off with an entertaining, if sometimes a little confusing, story that tackles some serious themes with an often humorous and optimistic approach that emphasizes teamwork, acceptance, and redemption as Surge grapples with Falling Apple while recruiting a group of new heroes, most notably Kid Dynamo (Chase Cortese, Soul Drought, 911 Nightmare), who resembles The Flash right down to the red suit, to fight the Council.
The story is also full of celebrity cameos, including the aforementioned Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon, Lady Dragon 2), Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager, Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham) and Joseph Culp, son of Robert Culp and Dr. Doom from Roger Corman’s infamous version of the Fantastic Four. Best of all, however, may be co-director Roth’s brief appearance as the corrupt mayor of Big City.
Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke is a low-budget indie film, so don’t expect MCU-style superhero battles and epic destruction. There is, however, a fair amount of less spectacular action, and the CGI, while not great, isn’t terrible either. One of the more entertaining effects sequences even manages to squeeze in a nod to the kid-friendly kaiju Gamera, which I definitely wasn’t expecting.
If you don’t mind some almost naively optimistic moments and the occasional groan-inducing joke like a poison called Killdeadeum, Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke is an entertaining, family-friendly adventure with a fast pace and short running time that won’t test the attention span of younger viewers.
After its debut at the Tarzana International Film Festival, Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke will screen on the festival circuit. For screening locations and times, visit the website or Facebook page.
