In this film, do you consider him good or bad?
The greatest trick the Devil has ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist!
He is a guy with a severe mental illness. A psychopath with traces of schyzophrenia.
shareIn real life, the distinction between good and bad aren't as clear cut as you usually see on television.
Frank may have had good intentions during the whole movie, but beating somebody's head in because they cut in line is not the act of a sane, rational man.
Despite being highly functional, he clearly had mental issues who wasn't getting the help he needed. A woman he loved left him for an evil man, and though the police noted this wasn't illegal, maybe they could've noted earlier and give him better advice than just to have sex with another woman.
Though it's easy to sympathise with Frank, he obviously had dark sides to his personality. He was a shade of grey.
Frank is an instrument of God.
It amazes me that people don't seem to recognize the religious aspects of this story, even when it is put right in front of their face.
"You didn't come into this life just to sit around on a dugout bench, did ya?"
Frank believing that he is an instrument of God, and thus rationalizing his sadistic actions, is a part of his mental illness.
shareNuh-uh. You've misread it. The clues are spread liberally throughout the story. He really IS an instrument of God who gets divine guidance from a cheesy TV show (and visions in vomit) and isn't just imagining the entire thing. Even the title "Super" is a hint.
His purpose is to release Sara so she can fulfill her purpose as a strong wife and mother. The story ends before you find out, but likely her children continue the story. Or maybe God just wanted to eliminate a bunch of evil drug dealers and replace them with Sara's family. Watch the epilogue again.
People always say "God works in mysterious ways". This is an example. Also note the aspect where doubters ask why God allows evil to exist and for bad things to happen to good people. In the story that probably includes the assault and death of some relatively innocent characters, but if you look at the big picture, those were necessary to achieve the greater goal, the full scope of which the film can't show you in the same way that ordinary human beings can't see the entirety of a divine plan.
Frank was never sadistic. You need to check the definition of that term. He *never* attacked anyone who was innocent with the possible exception of the kid who allegedly keyed a car and even that was at the insistence and deception of Libby, who really was demented. Frank didn't torture or inflict violence for fun or gratuitously, he *smote* muggers, rapists, child molesters and the like with his rod, the pipe wrench. Even the guy in the movie line, you don't know what else he'd done to possibly deserve a cracked skull.
There are several miracles in the movie. Frank is never caught and doesn't get killed despite taking on multiple armed criminals. The car starts after Boltie smashes it into the wall. Frank's vomit vision inspires him to act just as the drug kingpin and his men arrive at Jacques' house, putting them in line for retribution also. His vest saves him while the impure, vengeful and sinful Boltie pays the price.
Like all things religious, whether you regard Frank as God-sent or just a deranged cook with a pipe wrench comes down to an article of faith. The facts are consistent with either interpretation. Were those truly miracles or just coincidences? Just faith, you can't prove either.
For the record, I'm not particularly religious. I do think 100% that the subtext here is Frank really is divinely inspired and guided. It's all very tongue in cheek, consider the ridiculous TV show, God as a space octopus and the vomit vision. But the key is, it works. Frank brings the wrath of God down on a bunch of guys who really deserve it, rescues a woman who goes on to make the world a better place and Frank goes back to an ordinary life, happy. It is clever and not even pro-religion really, just a dark take on how God might work through someone like Frank, especially if He had a sense of humor. Consider your stereotypical Bible thumper having to acknowledge Frank and his deeds as an angel of God. Now that's funny.
"You didn't come into this life just to sit around on a dugout bench, did ya?"