SUPER FUZZ (1980)
aka Poliziotto superpiu
Article 5106 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 3-12-2016
Directed by Sergio Corbucci
Featuring Terence Hill, Ernest Borgnine, Joanne Dru
Country: Italy / Spain / USA
What it is: Super cop comedy

A policemen gains super powers after being caught in a nuclear explosion, but every once in a while they vanish. He seeks to find out why, and gets on a case to catch some counterfeiters.

I haven’t seen a whole lot of the work of Terence Hill (who is mostly famous for having played the character of Trinity in a series of spaghetti western comedies), but I rather like him. He has an easy-going style and a lightness of touch that helps alleviate the fact that some of the comedies he’s in are a bit heavy-handed. The basic concept of this one isn’t too bad, but the script is terribly uneven and it only works in fits and starts. Sometimes it’s just dumb rather than funny, some of the humor feels forced, and there are a few dull stretches to contend with as well. The cop’s superpowers aren’t clearly defined; he can float, has super strength, can run super-fast, can see through walls and buildings, has telekinetic powers, etc. but none of them are used consistently and they vary from scene to scene. Ernest Borgnine is on hand as his partner, but he’s mostly reduced to yelling a lot and his character gets old. The plot is as inconsequential as the crime itself; the counterfeiters specialize in one-dollar bills. Despite a few good moments, the movie is mostly ho-hum. The cop’s funniest superpower – he can talk to fish. His most disappointing superpower – he can make Ernest Borgnine dance like Fred Astaire. Okay, the last one would have better had they pulled it off, but though Borgnine gives it his best shot, he comes nowhere near.