Back to trending
Boy Wonder

Boy Wonder

Action · Crime · Drama · 2010

A young Brooklyn boy witnesses the brutal murder of his mother and grows up obsessed with finding her killer. Thus begins his life as a quiet, straight-A student by day and a self-appointed hero at night. But what is a real hero? And who decides what is right or wrong? As the boundaries blur, Sean's dual life wears on his psyche and his two worlds careen dangerously close to colliding. Like a graphic novel you can't put down, Boy Wonder challenges morality, distorting perceptions of what is right and what is justified, as it races to its shocking conclusion.

Movie details

Boy Wonder

“Beware the Hero”

2010 Action · Crime · Drama 1h 33m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

A young Brooklyn boy witnesses the brutal murder of his mother and grows up obsessed with finding her killer. Thus begins his life as a quiet, straight-A student by day and a self-appointed hero at night. But what is a real hero? And who decides what is right or wrong? As the boundaries blur, Sean's dual life wears on his psyche and his two worlds careen dangerously close to colliding. Like a graphic novel you can't put down, Boy Wonder challenges morality, distorting perceptions of what is right and what is justified, as it races to its shocking conclusion.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Boy Wonder?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Vice Squad

Vice Squad

Crime · 1982

An unlikely Hollywood hooker helps a detective set a trap for a mutilator pimp.

Rise of the Footsoldier 3

Rise of the Footsoldier 3

Action · 2017

In the late 1980s, Pat Tate journeys from peddling pills in Marbella to his time in prison, where he solidifies his power before his release to reclaim his turf.

Gang Related

Gang Related

Action · 1997

After murdering an undercover DEA agent, two corrupt cops scramble to cover up what they've done.

Bullet

Bullet

Action · 1996

A tough, Jewish ex-con just released from prison crosses a powerful drug dealer and former prison rival in his return to a life of crime.

Marked for Death

Marked for Death

Action · 1990

Just retired from the Drug Enforcement Agency, John Hatcher returns to his hometown and quickly discovers that drugs have infiltrated his old neighborhood. Determined to drive the dealers out, Hatcher crosses paths with a ferocious Jamaican drug lord who vows that Hatcher and his family are now marked for death.

Cohen and Tate

Cohen and Tate

Crime · 1989

A boy kidnapped by two mismatched hitmen puts them at each other's throats while being driven to their employers, possibly to be killed. Cohen, an older professional becomes increasingly irritated with his partner Tate, a brutish killer, when their prisoner uses unnatural guile and resourcefulness to play them off against each other.

The Corruptor

The Corruptor

Action · 1999

Danny is a young cop partnered with Nick, a seasoned but ethically tainted veteran. As the two try to stop a gang war in Chinatown, Danny relies on Nick but grows increasingly uncomfortable with the way Nick gets things done.

Death Wish

Death Wish

Action · 2018

A mild-mannered father is transformed into a killing machine after his family is torn apart by a violent act.

We Die Young

We Die Young

Drama · 2019

Lucas, a 14-year-old boy inducted into the gang life in Washington D.C., is determined that his 10-year-old brother won't follow the same path. When an Afghanistan war veteran comes into the neighborhood, an opportunity arises.

The Rookie

The Rookie

Action · 1990

Veteran cop Nick Pulovski is used to playing musical partners; many of the partners he's had in the past have died on the job, and often as a result of Nick's risky tactics. But the rookie who's been assigned to help Nick bust a carjacking ring is almost as hotheaded as he is … and when Nick gets kidnapped, his newbie partner is his only hope.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael Morrissey

Written by

Michael Morrissey

James Russo

James Russo

Larry Childs

Tracy Middendorf

Tracy Middendorf

Mary Donovan

Zulay Henao

Zulay Henao

Teresa Ames

Bill Sage

Bill Sage

Terry Donovan

Roberta Wallach

Roberta Wallach

Erin

N

Nicole Patrick

Amanda

Kether Donohue

Kether Donohue

Lizzy

Court is in session

Put Boy Wonder on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.