Ryan Kwanten . . . the Superhero? Get your rubber-clad booty into my movie theater, NOW!

Griff the Invisible . . .  Coming soon to a theater near . . . WHO?

OK, so I’ll admit it.  Most of the television shows I watch are currently on hiatus.  And, as a television recapper, this most recent turn of events has me feeling SERIOUSLY DOWN . . .

So, in an effort to cheer myself up, I started looking up information on the upcoming season of True Blood .  . .

Meet Eric Northman, also known as “The Shirtless Blonde Man.”  You’ve really gotta hand it to the HBO Marketing Department.  They sure do know how to sell their product!

While I was searching, I stumbled upon this trailer for a film called Griff the Invisible, which is set to hit theaters in Australia this month . . .  

The film stars JASON STACKHOUSE as a SUPERHERO!!!!!!

Well . . . kinda . . .

Actually, Ryan Kwanten (a.k.a. Jason from True Blood) stars in the film, as the titular Griff, an Average Joe who dons a rubber suit at night, as a means of escaping the doldrums of his own mundane existence . . .

In other words, “Griff” is the guy Peter Parker probably would have ended up being, had he made it into adulthood, having never been bitten by a radioactive spider . . .

But don’t take my word for it.  Check out the trailer, and see for yourself . . .

When I saw this trailer, and found out that Griff the Invisible was NOT coming soon to a theater near ME, I was HOPPING MAD!

You mean to tell me that there’s a movie out there, in which Ryan Kwanten walks around in a skintight rubber suit, kicking ASS, and I DON’T GET TO SEE IT ON THE BIG SCREEN?  What is WRONG with this world?

So, I did a bit MORE research.  And I learned that a distributor had, in fact, recently acquired the rights to air Griff the Invisible in North America.

A solid decision, on this distributor’s part!  After all, with True Blood being as popular as it is in the States, Ryan Kwanten has become household name . . . not to mention, a household BODY .  . .

Between Kwanten’s . . . umm . . . appeal . . . to the masses, and the major box office success Superhero films have enjoyed in the U.S. over the past decade, I don’t see how this film could NOT make money in the States.  “So, why the wait?”  You are probably wondering.

My theory?  It’s all about the “package” . . .

“ING” . . . It’s all about the “packag-ING.”  (Get your minds out of the gutter!)

You see, Griff the Invisible isn’t packaged as your typical Superhero Movie.  I mean, YOU saw the trailer!  It’s “quirky,” and “offbeat.”  It’s also “sweet,” “cute,” and features “schmaltzy music” in the background.  Plus, there seems to be a whole lot of that “Schmoopy Romance Stuff” in it . . .

Not to mention, have you EVER seen a trailer for a Superhero movie, where there was not at least ONE SHOT of the hero kicking some villain’s ASS?  SERIOUSLY!

Now, I understand that the probable reason that Griff the Invisible wasn’t packaged like your typical Superhero Movie is that it isn’t your typical Superhero Movie.  Just from the smidgeon of research I’ve done on the film, Griff seems a bit more high-concept than your Iron Mans, and your Spider Mans, and your X Men.  It’s probably a bit moodier of a film than those . . . and, forgive the term, a bit more “emo.”  But what Americans don’t know won’t hurt them, right? 

Just nod and smile, Jason . . . Nod an smile.

For this reason, I offer up to the U.S. distributors of Griff the Invisible an alternate trailer for this film.  The “trailer” I selected, actually comes from some behind-the-scenes footage of Ryan Kwanten training for the more physical aspects of the film.  And yet,  it has everything a U.S. audience could possibly want in a Superhero Movie Trailer.  (Well, except for the fact that Ryan’s unfortunately, wearing a SHIRT in it, of coruse). 

Check it out . . .

So, now I turn the discussion over to YOU.  I’m very curious as to whether anybody over in Oz has seen this film yet?  (CHERIE, my Fabulous Blogger Pal from Down Under, I’m looking at YOU!)  If so, what did you think?  Also, assuming you’ve already seen it, what are your thoughts as to how this movie would be received by an American audience? 

Inquiring Jason Stackhouse fans want to know!

[www.juliekushner.com]