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Preview review: Woody Harrelson tests his powers in ‘Defendor’

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At the Oscar nominee luncheon earlier this week, Woody Harrelson was asked about the status of a dark superhero comedy he has coming out titled ‘Defendor.’’Yeah, I did this movie called ‘Defendor’ and I was really excited because Sony picked it up in Toronto, and it’s a wonderful movie,’ he said. ‘I love the movie. I get the feeling it’s not gonna get much play, though.’

We just saw the trailer and sadly, we’re going to have to agree with Harrelson: it just doesn’t look like a winner.

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In the trailer, we see Harrelson as Arthur Poppington, an average guy who thinks he has superpowers and is determined to defend his city’s criminal-ridden streets. Poppington, who labels himself the ‘Defendor,’ wears a bicycle helmet for protection and counts lime juice and marbles as his weapons. Unlike in his Oscar-nominated turn in ‘The Messenger,’ Harrelson seems out of place in the role, spacily wandering the dimly lit streets of the film’s gritty urban landscape The film does have an eclectic cast -- including ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star Sandra Oh and Kat Dennings of ‘Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist’ -- but we’re not sure any of the names harness enough star power to bring a large enough audience in to see this hybrid.

Could the film surprise and prove to be a niche gem? Or would Woody the bartender get more traction? Share your thoughts below.

-- Amy Kaufman

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