Back in October, at New York Comic Con, I had the opportunity to interview Michael Morrissey, the writer and director of Boy Wonder. You can read that interview here. At the time that I interviewed him, Boy Wonder was making its New York City premiere, which Michael was nice enough to offer me tickets to a screening. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the screening, but definitely planned on seeing Boy Wonder.

I just didn’t think it would take this long for me to see it.

I shouldn’t have waited. And neither should you. Boy Wonder is awesome.

Don’t let the title fool you. This isn’t the story about a teen prancing around in elf slippers and briefs. This is a dark, psychological thriller. It’s the Batman story if Bruce Wayne was working class. Think Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies minus the costumes and minus Bruce Wayne’s inheritance.

One thing I really liked about Boy Wonder is how local it is to Brooklyn. This isn’t Chicago masking as Brooklyn. This is Brooklyn. The movie opens on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. The criminal court on Schermerhorn Street downtown makes an appearance and the NYCT subway system in Brooklyn hosts some of the most intense scenes in the movie. If you live or work in Brooklyn, you’ll probably recognize at least a few settings in the movie.

I only have one nitpick with how Brooklyn was used. During the chase at the Union St stop on the R, after Shawn leaves the train, he’s running through a much bigger station, which I thought was Atlantic Ave. This did take me out of the movie for a second. Union St is a tiny station and Atlantic Ave is a big complex. Why show him clearly getting off at Union St? Why not just have him get off at Atlantic Ave for the sake of continuity? Then again, it makes sense from a production point of view. I’m guessing it’s much easier to get a permit to film on the platform of a not-busy station like Union St than it is to get one for the constantly busy Atlantic Ave.

But seriously, that was my biggest problem with the movie: a subway station not matching up to reality. That says a lot, doesn’t it.

I really like the ending of the movie. I’m not going to spoil anything here. It didn’t end the way I thought it would have, but I was very satisfied with Boy Wonder’s final scenes.

If you’re a fan of Marathon Man, Nolan’s Batman films or just like your superheroes with a touch of realism, definitely check out Boy Wonder.

Written by Billy Henehan